OSHA has cited the company contracted to clean lines and vessels at the plant and the processing plant for serious safety violations after a fatal fire at a natural gas processing plant in Pennsylvania. OSHA inspected the company contracted to clean lines and vessels at the plant after four contractors suffered burns and needed hospitalization. One of them later died. OSHA cited the contractor for violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard and exposing employees to flammable vapor and liquid while they off-loaded waste material from a vessel into a mobile “frac” tank.
OSHA also inspected the host employer that operates the natural gas processing plant and cited the company for PSM violations and for failing to inspect the facility’s energy control procedures at least annually.
The contractor faces penalties totaling $51,148. The facility faces $47,360 in penalties.
Here is a breakdown of the citations:
SAFTENG NOTE: Not sure how this one will work out, as I have never seen a contractor working at a host facility be cited for these items since the process is NOT theirs. Very interesting and tragic case.