Drilling contractor had repeated violations-Today's WV Gas Well Explosion

[RamboLiberal]

The Texas company drilling the Marshall County, W.Va., natural gas well that blew up early this morning has been repeated cited and fined by federal inspectors for workplace safety violations.

Fort Worth-based Union Drilling Inc. has been fined more than $350,000 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the last five years, according to records in OSHA’s online database of inspections.

Union Drilling has been fined more than $350,000 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the last five years, according to OSHA records. The company paid just more than $226,000 of those fines, with the figures being reduced, mostly through informal settlements with OSHA, the records show.

Following inspections in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and four other states, Union Drilling has been cited for repeated violations of OSHA’s “general duty clause,” which required companies to provide employees with a workplace free of hazards. OSHA inspectors have also cited Union Drilling for repeat violations of federal standards that require protective guards around open holes.

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AB touts itself a”fast-growing, privately held” company that currently owns more than 700 wells and has interests with “the potential for over 3,000″ well locations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Union Drilling, with a local office in Buckhannon, owns and operates a fleet of 71 rigs.

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2010/06/07/drilling-contractor-had-repeated-violations/

[4_TN_TITANS]

1. These companies need to be completely shut down

until all fines and violations are paid and corrected.