OSHA Last Inspected Texas Fertilizer Plant in 1985

[choie]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration most recently inspected the Texas fertilizer plant that exploded Wednesday night in 1985.

Records reviewed by The Associated Press show that OSHA issued the West Chemical & Fertilizer Co., as the plant was called at the time, a $30 fine for a serious violation for storage of anhydrous ammonia.

OSHA cited the plant for four other serious violations of respiratory protection standards but did not issue fines. The maximum fine for a serious violation was $1,000.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/04/18/us/politics/ap-us-plant-explosion-texas-osha-fine.html?hp

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What a surprise...

[valerief]

1. 1985 was probably the last time osha inspected anything. nt

[GP6971]

5. nah.......

we were inspected in 2001

[alp227]

15. Thom Hartmann explained that OSHA had a bigger budget during the Bush (dim son) years.

But I think the federal government since Reagan has been scaling DOWN things like OSHA.

Check out this interesting NYT special report "As OSHA Emphasizes Safety, Long-Term Health Risks Fester"

[Bluzmann57]

19. No reason for snark

Especially when you don't really know what you are talking about. OSHA is very seriously understaffed and that place has no history of big violations. So that's likely why there has been no inspections since 1985. Texas is a big place and it would take around 200 years or more to inspect each and every work place in the state.
Fyi, I was involved with OSHA's sister agency, MSHA as recently as last year, so I am familiar with both agencies.

[valerief]

30. I'm sure OSHA is underfunded like everything else important to the citizenry so put away that

wagging finger. It's ALWAYS Congress's fault for protecting ONLY the ruling class.

[JI7]

2. why ?

[wryter2000]

3. $30

That must have really scared them.

[Sunlei]

4. weak State regulations.Not even required a cheap earth berm for a company that makes millions a year

[former9thward]

9. They are covered by federal OSHA regulations.

The state has nothing to do with it.

[Sunlei]

22. read osha rules

note different regulations for less than 10 employees- I don't think osha comes out unless there is a complaint. The fire dept. would inspect?

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12887

when I googled them they listed 5-9 employees in the couple places I looked. http://www.manta.com/c/mmcfc1w/west-fertilizer-co


I would think the state has regulations about where explosive items can be placed and how to screen them in case of fire. Who knows about Texas.

[former9thward]

23. I worked as an inspector and supervisor for OSHA for 14 years.

There are different record keeping rules for less than 10 but the substantial rules are the same whether 1 or 10,000 employees. I don't know what fire rules or explosives rules TX or the local city may or may not have. Employee safety rules are governed by the federal OSHA regulations.

[Sunlei]

25. I worked for a company with chemicals.Osha regs posted and the fire department did inspections.

Doesn't seem like they had much of a fire plan. The building was burning for an hour. Wonder why the company & fire department didn't move people out immediately.

[lexw]

6. O$HIT!

Someone's in trouble? or is it Texas laws?

[Indyfan53]

7. This is why we need to turn Texas Blue.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. Sheeze,..."Back To The Future" was a new movie in the theaters.

[alp227]

16. And "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was on the charts.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. A #1 album that summer was from someone everyone forgets existed....

[onehandle]

10. Too recent. Taxpayer money wasted.

Should be 1885.

[former9thward]

11. OSHA has always had very limited resources.

This is nothing new, no administration has supported them. When I worked for them (mid 90s to mid 2000s) there were only about 700 inspectors nationwide. With the number of worksites you just had to do the math and you would find a workplace could expect an inspection every 130 years or so.

[elleng]

13. Right. Thanks

for the 'inside' information.

[Skittles]

14. correct and lots of it is based on self-reporting

back in the day I had to report what chemicals we had at work - since we made microfiche ammonia was included - OSHA had the fire department come check us out - they advised that we keep the ammonia separate from the other supplies and we complied.

[CountAllVotes]

12. Ronnie was busy ...

changing OSHA laws, etc.



& recommend.

[alp227]

17. He also spent the year mis-understanding Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA"! n/t

[former9thward]

24. I worked for OSHA for 14 years.

No president has ever changed OSHA rules. They are substantially the same as they were in 1970 when OSHA was created. Some of the regulations have become stronger over the years. None weaker. The problem is enforcement not the rules. OSHA only has about 700 inspectors nation wide. That has stayed consistent over the decades. There are millions of work sites. You do the math.

[Bluzmann57]

18. Osha is very seriously understaffed

One inspector once told me it would take around 180 years to inspect every work place in Iowa at least once. And Texas is a helluva lot bigger than Iowa. They usually won't go in unless there is a complaint against them or unless the company has had a previous violation or two, violations more serious than storage issues.

[Politicalboi]

21. Just think of all the jobs

That can be created with more agents. It should be mandatory inspections every 5 years without a bad accident. But if you have more injuries, you get more inspections. I know the work places out number the agents by a landslide, but they should hire military people and civilians to fill these jobs.

[davidpdx]

27. No kidding

The problem is the funding. The paid hacks in Washington aren't going to vote against their masters. No inspections and no violations mean no fines and no revenue.

[Rex]

26. .

So little changes.

[Arugula Latte]

28. Get government off our backs! ... Isn't that the mantra?

[Hekate]

29. Underfunded, understaffed, small enough to drown in a bathtub. GOP doesn't believe in OSHA

It's like FEMA: you have to put money and people into it, and regulations with some teeth.

That poor town.