The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed a $2,817,500 penalty against Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Co. Inc. for an accident at its Seadrift, Tex., petrochemical complex last March.
The fire and explosion at the plant killed one employee working for a maintenance contractor and injured 32 employees of Union Carbide and its contractors.
Gerard Scannell, OSHA administrator, said the proposed penalty reflects OSHA's determination that the Seadrift facility's No. 1 oxide unit was operated in a manner that created the potential for a catastrophic explosion involving ethylene oxide. OSHA also determined that an ethylene oxide storage unit, not involved in the March accident, was near the oxide unit, creating the potential for an explosion considerably larger than the one that occurred.
The agency said the explosion was fueled by overpressurization of an oxide column that held about 65,000 lb of ethylene oxide. The explosion touched off a fire at the column.
OSHA found that a secondary fire was ignited by a large piece of shrapnel hitting the pipe rack and rupturing lines containing methane and other products near the liquid ethylene oxide storage. One large piece of material was propelled over a tank storage area holding flammable liquids.
The agency said its investigation showed that several exits from the area were locked, and some employees had to climb over a fence to escape the area.
It said inadequate water pressure prevented firefighters from applying cooling water to nearby process units that could have been affected by the fire.
OSHA cited Union Carbide for 106 instances of willful violations for fire and explosion hazards, three instances of inadequate water supply, and three instances of locked gates--all at $25,000/instance--for a total proposed penalty of $2.8 million.
And the agency also proposed $17,500 in fines for three alleged serious violations "in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result."
Union Carbide has 15 days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
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