The fine is part of an overall $16 million action against contractors found responsible for the deaths of six workers and serious injury to some two dozen more. The fine does not cover separate negligence lawsuits against O&G for “intentional disregard or indifference to” safety standards which are also being advanced by the victims and their families.
From the OSHA news release:
“The millions of dollars in fines levied pale in comparison to the value of the six lives lost and numerous other lives disrupted,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “However, the fines and penalties reflect the gravity and severity of the deadly conditions created by the companies managing the work at the site. No operation and no deadline is worth cutting common sense safety procedures. Workers should not sacrifice their lives for their livelihoods.”
On Feb. 7, a gas blow operation was being performed in which flammable natural gas was pumped under high pressure through new fuel gas lines to remove debris. During this operation, an extremely large amount of natural gas was vented into areas where it could not easily disperse. Welding and other work was being performed nearby, creating an extremely dangerous situation. The explosion occurred when the gas contacted an ignition source.
“These employers blatantly disregarded well-known and accepted industry procedures and their own safety guidelines in conducting the gas blow operation in a manner that exposed workers to fire and explosion hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "We see this time and time again across industries when companies deliberately ignore safety precautions in the interest of completing jobs quickly, and workers end up being killed or seriously hurt.”
Michaels noted that “We know there were significant financial incentives if certain deadlines were met.”
Coming on the heels of 300-plus violations by Holcim at Catskill, this news makes the question loom larger than ever: Are these the types of companies we trust to ensure safety and prevent contamination at our Waterfront? Would you take a kayak out next to one of their barges, especially without a real Harbor Management Plan? Would you feel safe on Routes 9 and 9G with hundreds of their trucks crossing the road every week without traffic lights, knowing this track record?
What would it take for local officials to recognize that track records matter, and should inform their decisions?
NOTE: The two OSHA citations can be downloaded in full as PDFs by clicking here and here.
