Companies Involved With Kleen Energy Power Plant Face $16 Million in Fines

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the fines stem from 371 alleged safety and workplace violations at the power plant. The explosion killed 6 and injured 26.

 

The largest proposed fine is $8.3 million against O&G Industries, the main contractor at the plant. 

 

The head of OSHA, Dr David Michaels says the number of violations at the plant were inexcusable.

 

"The explosion that occured at the Kleen Energy plant was caused by reckless disregard of OSHA standards and also common sense."

 

The plant exploded in February when something ignited natural gas and air that had accumulated in tight quarters as workers cleaned pipes.

 

OSHA says they can't keep companies from purging lines with natural gas without going through several legal steps.  But Michaels says there are other options companies can use to clean pipes.

 

"Frankly we would prefer another approach is used to cleaning out these pipes. you can blow out the debris using compressed air or nitrogen, it's more expensive and in this case and other power plants you have the natural gas adjacent to the facility so it's cheap and easy and I guess the tempatation was too great in this case."

 

The companies have 15 days to pay or contest the fines. Michaels says he expects the company to challenge the fines which could prolong the process in court. 

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