OSHA has cited a silicon chemical products manufacturer for 12 willful federal safety violations after four (4) employees suffered fatal injuries in an explosion and fire at the company’s plant on May 3, 2019. The company faces $1,591,176 in penalties. OSHA has placed the business in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. OSHA investigators determined the facility failed to ensure that electrical equipment and installations in the production area of the plant complied with OSHA electrical standards, and were approved for hazardous locations. The company also used forklifts powered by liquid propane to transport volatile flammable liquids and operated these forklifts in areas where employees handled and processed volatile flammable liquids and gases, creating the potential for ignition. Here is a breakdown of the citations: