An explosion and fire on March 26 involving one of the plants platformers used in gasoline production injured two employees. It did not affect the plants base oil production. The company was in the midst of a major expansion project at the Shreveport refinery designed to increase its API Group I capacity to 4,800 b/d and its Group II to 7,000 b/d during the fourth quarter of this year.

OSHA issued the citations on Sept. 24. Calumet has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an information conference with the Baton Rouge area director, or to contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The citations included one alleged willful violation, seven alleged serious violations and one alleged repeat violation of federal health and safety regulations, all of them found to exist on or about March 26.

In March, a Shreveport Fire Department official told Lube Report that investigators believed a spark from an employee keying his radio or an ignition source in the form of a flame from a nearby heater might have caused the explosion.

Calumet Shreveport Lubricant and Waxes failed to follow OSHAs process safety management standards,Dean McDaniel, OSHAs regional administrator in Dallas, said in the agencys Sept. 24 announcement. Employers must remain committed to keeping the workplace safe and healthful to prevent injuries and fatalities.

OSHA issued the willful-violation citation – which has the steepest penalty at $63,000 – for failing to review and update operating procedures. The agency defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. According to the citation, obtained by Lube Report, OSHA said the violation was at the number one and number two platformer units, where the agency said that Calumet failed to review and update the operating procedures. The operating procedures were not reviewed as often as necessary to assure that they reflect current operating practice, including changes that result from changes in process chemicals, technology and equipment, or changes to facilities, the citation stated.

Among the seven serious violations, totaling $36,900 in penalties, was failure to update process equipment to meet recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. This included using the number one charge heater on the number one platformer unit without the safeguards of detection devices such as an oxygen sensor and combustible gas sensor, according to the citation document.

The other alleged serious violations included failing to address the loss of the flare header system, a safety feature to prevent over pressurization in the event of an emergency; failing to develop a written schedule for process hazard analysis action items; failing to certify operating procedures were followed; and not consulting with employees in determining appropriate frequency interval for refresher training.

The repeat-violation citation, which has a $22,500 fine, said that Calumet didnt maintain documentation of the ultrasonic thickness testing unit for the fuel supply piping feeding the burner system of the number one platformer unit. OSHA previously cited the company July 29, 2004, for a violation of the same standard.