The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Citgo Petroleum Corp.-LCMC, with proposed penalties totaling $169,000, for allegedly failing to protect employees from hazardous working conditions at its Lake Charles, La., refinery. The location includes a base oil refinery, which has capacity for 9,500 barrels per day of API Group I base oils.
OSHA yesterday said it has alleged three willful and 12 serious violations following an investigation the agency began on Aug. 13, 2007. Citgo Petroleum has 1,430 employees at the Lake Charles location. It also operates refineries in Illinois and Texas.
They received the citations this morning, OSHA Region 6 spokeswoman Diana Petterson told Lube Report yesterday. Its basically a proposed penalty. The employer does have an opportunity to come in, within the next 15 days, to comply with the citation, request an informal conference or contest the citation and penalties.
According to Petterson, the inspections were part of the agencys new National Emphasis Program launched last year, with focus on eliminating workplace hazards associated with release of hazardous chemicals at petroleum refineries. Under the program, OSHA was to conduct 81 inspections at various refineries over a two-year period through 2009.
Citgo Petroleum failed to follow OSHAs process safety management standards, said Dean McDaniel, OSHAs regional administrator in Dallas. In this case, it is fortunate that no injuries occurred.
Alleged willful violations include failure to operate the blowdown drum within volume limits so as to prevent over-filling and failure to implement blowdown emergency operating procedures. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Alleged serious violations include failure to provide process safety information for pressure vessels, identify safeguards related to the control of liquid hydrocarbon release through the blowdown system, complete a process hazard analysis for a crude vacuum unit prior to startup, and conduct contractor audits. OSHA issues serious violations when there is a substantial probability that death or serious injury could occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Lube Report was unable to reach Citgo for comment before deadline.