Petrochemical Plant Hit with $148K Penalty

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a Texas-based petrochemical company with $148,000 in penalties for alleged failure to protect employees from flash-fire hazards. OSHA cited Formosa Plastics Corp. of Point Comfort with one willful and 13 serious violations following a fire and explosion at the company's Formosa Drive plant that resulted in 12 people being injured, four of whom were hospitalized with severe burns. John Giefer, OSHA Corpus Christi area director, said OSHA had inspected Formosa Plastics "numerous times for many of the same violations." The willful citatio...