You may have heard it in the news recently–OSHA issued a proposed $87.4 million, along with 270 “failure to abate” citations, to BP in Texas. A 2005 explosion at the BP Products North America facility in Texas City resulted in the death of 15 people and another 170 people sustaining injuries. Another four employees have died in work related incidents at the facility since 2005.
OSHA conducted a follow up visit, finding BP failed to correct many safety issues. OSHA’s prior largest proposed penalty was $21 million; the prior citation against BP.
There has been discussion at a federal level about higher citations, more in line with those rendered by the Environmental Protection Agency, and more criminal prosecutions. The fines against BP may be the first of the larger penalties. Two hundred seventy “failure to abate” citations indicates egregious and negligent behavior.
To read more about the citation levied against BP, go to OSHA’s website.