Electric company, contractor face OSHA penalty for fatal accident

January 17th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

A June explosion at a power station in the southwestern region of Florida that resulted in the death of five employees and injuries to another led to a major response from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The federal health and safety regulator issued a response in late December 2017 about the incident, following investigations and follow-up procedures, placing a major fine and serious citation on the utility company in charge of the station.

OSHA fined the company $126,749 and labeled the incident a willful violation, the highest sanction present in its penalty language, the Tampa Bay Times reported. OSHA also issued a $12,675 fine and a serious violation for a failure to provide necessary protective gear to workers. Additionally, the willful violation means OSHA has the discretion to refer the utility to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution.

Understanding the circumstances of the accident

Local Fox affiliate WTVT reported a furnace blockage was the root cause of the fatal explosion. Molten metal launched through the air at the power station as the serious accident occurred during a period of slag tank maintenance. OSHA's investigation found the negligence involved in the power company's oversight of employee activities had reached the level of a willful violation. Specifically, the company failed to follow established workflows related to lowering power loads at the station and clearing clogs during the work on the slag tank.

The power company has until mid-January to reply to OSHA's directive. It could pay the fine, contest the findings or request a meeting with the regional OSHA supervisor for further discussion. For its part, the utility said it participated completely in the investigation but believed it didn't willfully or purposefully neglect worker safety.

"We are more focused on safety than ever before," a company spokesperson told the Times. "As part of the process, we will meet with OSHA to discuss the citations and to determine our next steps."

A separate article from the Times noted the facility could face additional financial pressure from the state's Public Service Commission. The company may be forced to pay some or all of the costs associated with operating without the power station and purchasing out-of-state power and fuel out of its profit margins instead of passing them along to its customers. That would carry a larger overall cost than the OSHA fine.

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