OSHA issued warning about dangerous ventilation stack in 1992

Thirteen years before the explosion at BP's Texas City refinery, federal investigators warned that a portion of the plant was constructed to allow flammable gases to escape from a ventilation stack, which threatened workers, according to a 1992 OSHA report obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Witnesses to the March 23 blast — which killed 15 people and injured 100 — reported liquid and vapors erupting from a 100-foot tower in an area of the refinery known as an isomerization unit just before the explosion at 1:20 p.m.

Thursday, officials with the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board questioned why the so-called vent stack was apparently being used to relieve pressure from a buildup of fluids and gases in the unit — which is used to help transform crude oil byproducts into high-octane gasoline.
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To correct the problem, OSHA recommended that Amoco reconfigure the unit so that liquids and vapors discharged go to a flare, or set up air monitors. The company settled the case, which cited 15 violations and fined the company initially $50,000 in 1994, according to OSHA records, but it is unclear whether they followed the agency's recommendation, since it is not required.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3124097

from Wednesday...
BP victims face compensation concerns
It's possible the BP explosion victims or their families could be entitled to a maximum of about $28,000 a year from workers' compensation and Texas City State Rep. Craig Eiland thinks that's a second tragedy.

"There's just no doubt about it. The law is more restrictive, their rights are more limited and the victims' recovery will be more limited," said the Democrat, a plaintiffs attorney himself.

Millions were paid out in confidential settlements in those explosions 15 years ago.

But tort reform passed by the legislature since then — and like-minded decisions by Texas appellate courts — have nipped and tucked so much over the years that the suing worker in 2005 faces lower expected settlements and awards and a tougher time getting to them.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1375121