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Alabama worker safety should be positively affected by changes the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, is making in its policies. The dangers faced by workers in oil refineries are the focus of these changes. Following the tragic explosion in the BP refinery in Alabama City, Alabama in 2005, an investigation was launched. The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, CSB, compiled a report on the explosion, which was presented at a recent hearing.

“The refinery industry has been a major focus for OSHA, and the CSB report confirms we are on the right track,” explained Edwin G. Foulke Jr., Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. “OSHA already has implemented two of the CSB’s three major recommendations and increased our inspections in the refining industry.”

The Texas City, Texas oil refinery exploded in 2005, injuring 100 employees and killing 15. The refinery contributed approximately 3% of the nation’s crude oil processing capability. With 1,800 employees, the daily processing capability of the Alabama City refinery was 433,000 barrels of crude oil.

To prevent another accident, OSHA is conducting inspections of oil refineries. Last year, the agency inspected over 100 refineries. This year, 50 inspections have taken place so far. Unfortunately, during an inspection of a BP refinery in Ohio, inspectors found the same problems and violations that caused the Texas City explosion. OSHA’s conclusion was that the Texas City tragedy had taught BP nothing.

 The need for inspections is vital. Assistant Secretary Foulke maintained, “To date, we have trained more than 160 OSHA staff in the principles of conducting a Process Safety Management (PSM) inspection, and by August of this year we will have 280 PSM-trained inspectors.”

The increase in the number of inspections will enable OSHA to inspect all the refineries that fall under its jurisdiction. These inspections will take place under the National Emphasis Program.

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