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OSHA News Release
2002 - 08/15/2002 - Louisiana Chemical Company Fails to Implement Hazardous Chemicals Standards - Shell Chemical, LP Will Pay $135,900 Fine |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
Region 6 News Release: OSHA-02-140 Thurs., Aug. 15, 2002 Contact: Diana Petterson or Elizabeth Todd Phone: (214) 767-4776, Ext. 222 or 221 Louisiana Chemical Company Fails to Implement Hazardous Chemicals Standards Shell Chemical, LP Will Pay $135,900 Fine DALLAS -- For its failure to implement standards that protect workers against hazardous chemicals in one of its process units, Shell Chemical, LP, in Geismar, La., has agreed to pay $135,900 in penalties for citations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "In addition to agreeing to the penalties, Shell has worked closely and cooperatively with OSHA to work at improving its overall safety and health procedures," said John Deifer, OSHA's Baton Rouge area director. The OSHA office investigated a Feb. 12 fatality at the Geismar facility where a catalyst technician, working with a highly hazardous chemical, was killed as the result of an explosion. The company was cited with 14 safety and health violations for failing to implement elements of the Process Safety Management Standards for Highly Hazardous Chemicals, as well as failure to implement lock out/tag out procedures to shut down energy sources and failure to comply with confined space requirements. The Process Safety Management Standard must be followed by facilities that utilize certain thresholds of hazardous chemicals. It requires the training of workers and an analysis of potential hazards and how to correct them. Located about 20 miles south of Baton Rouge and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Shell Chemical, LP produces various consumer-use chemicals and employs about 530 workers. Employers or workers who have questions concerning safety and health can contact the OSHA Baton Rouge Area Office at (225) 298-5458 or call OSHA's toll-free hotline number at 1-800-321-6742 to report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers. # # # U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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