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OSHA takes a look at refineries

Over the next couple of years OSHA will assign nearly 300 inspectors to step up petroleum refineries. In groups of two to four OSHA inspectors will visit up to 81 petroleum refineries for several weeks each. In all of the 101 refineries regulated by OSHA 20 are already in a voluntary safety program and will be exempt. OSHA's main focus will be on the refineries compliance with federal process safety rules put in place in 1992.

In the past 20 years over 50 workers have died in horrendous process accidents resulting in explosions. OSHA has typically found that employers have extensive written documentation related to process safety, but the implementation of the written documentation has been inadequate.

In the 2005 Texas City blast that killed 15 the results could have been minimized by smarter placement of the office trailers used by contractors. The American Petroleum Institute has been prompted to issue new recommended practices for siting trailers.

In Industrial construction arena we are often at the mercy of the plant owners and their representatives. We are often required to enter hostile environments where we have little knowledge or control. We can only hope that the owners have the expertise and good judgment to make the right decisions on our behalf. We also hope that they will recognize their obligation to put our health and safety above their conveniences and profits.



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