Region 6 News Release:   USDL-OSHA-01-49-05-15
Tues., May 15, 2001
Contact: Diana Petterson or Elizabeth Todd
Phone: (214) 767-4776, ext. 222 or 221

OSHA CITES MARTIN RESOURCES, INC. IN PLAINVIEW, TEXAS, FOR ALLEGED SAFETY VIOLATIONS AND PROPOSES $110,488 IN PENALTIES

DALLAS-The Lubbock area office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Martin Resources, Inc., in Plainview, Texas, with 34 alleged safety violations and proposed penalties totaling $110,488.

Martin Resources, Inc., produces ammonia sulfate and homogeneous fertilizer at the company's Plainview plant that employs about 38 workers. The parent company, Martin Resources Management in Kilgore, Texas, employs about 600 workers

The alleged safety violations were discovered during an OSHA inspection that began Nov. 30, 2000. The company was cited for 32 serious and two other-than-serious violations.

Some of the 32 serious citations include failing to establish an audible employee alarm system, failing to label piping to show contents and flow direction, failing to provide refresher training every three years, lack of verification that employees had received and understood training, failing to implement the written procedure for mechanical integrity of process equipment and failing to correct/replace deficient process equipment like pressure and temperature gauges.

A serious violation is defined as one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

The two other-than-serious violations were for improper respirator storage and inadequate protection of a spliced flexible cord. An other-than-serious violation is a hazardous condition that would probably not cause death or serious physical harm, but would have a direct and immediate relationship to the safety and or health of the employees.

Employers or workers who have questions concerning safety and health may contact the OSHA Lubbock area office at (806) 472-7681. 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.

Martin Resources has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to either comply, request an informal conference with the Lubbock OSHA area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.