The below follows our mantra – “It’s not factories that cause explosions, it’s people”..
Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is contesting penalties stemming from an explosion that claimed the lives of three employees at the DeRidder plant in February.
PCA was penalized by the Occupational Safety Hazard Association (OSHA) for an amount totaling $63,375. According to OSHA, PCA allowed the three employees to work on a system that contained several hazardous and flammable vapors.
OSHA also claims that PCA made five safety violations regarding the accident.
“The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards,” states OSHA’s official report. “On or about February 8, 2017 in the Pulp Mill at the Foul Condensate Tank, the employer allowed employees to perform shutdown (maintenance) work on all or part of the non-condensable gas system where there was the presence of methanol and turpentine and flammable vapors, the employer did not isolate, drain and purge the tank.”
In the past decade PCA has similar violations at several of its locations across the country.
In response to hazardous conditions at a plant in Akron, Ohio.
“What is happening at the plant demonstrates a company culture that does not value safety and puts employees at risk each day,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts said.
The Federal Chemical Safety Board is still actively pursuing its investigation of PCA.
Article Source: http://www.beauregarddailynews.net/news/20171214/pca-contesting-explosion-penalties