CSB has published an interim
report on the Aug. 6, 2012 Chevron fire in Richmond, CA, that will be
considered at a public meeting on Friday, April 19. The report indicates that Chevron did not apply inherently safer design principles nor upgrade equipment, both of which likely contributed to the fire. After
thorough analysis by CSB’s investigative department, the report was compiled,
including recommendations that Chevron, local and state governments and federal
agencies work to prevent similar events in the future.
The 2012 incident began with
a small oil leak that firefighters tried to locate by removing insulation off
the pipe from which oil was dripping. In removing the insulation, a hole was punctured
in the pipe, which was already so severely corroded due to lack of maintenance
that it was 40% thinner than a dime. The puncture caused a release of
hydrocarbon vapor that later caught fire, critically endangering nineteen
workers and resulting in the spread of a large plume of unknown particulates
and vapor over the surrounding area. Approximately 15,000 nearby residents
sought medical attention in the weeks following the incident for potentially
related ailments.
The CSB report includes the
following findings and recommendations:
- Over a 10-year period, Chevron failed to implement safer design principles and upgrade its piping to prevent corrosion even though Chevron policy includes upgrades and the use of inherently safer technology in design. To prevent similar incidents, Chevron must perform damage mechanism hazard reviews and ensure safeguards are in place to control identified hazards at all its refineries.
- CSB recommends changes in local jurisdiction. Richmond and Contra Costa County have industrial safety ordinances addressing the desirability of using inherently safer processes, material and other technology, yet they do not currently require those practices.
- California legislature should create a multi-agency program for all refineries in the state to improve the public accountability, transparency and performance of process safety programs.
- EPA should assist the state to monitor implementation of oil refinery safety programs and disclosure requirements suggested to state and local agencies by CSB.
- According to CSB, OSHA standards do not require employers to implement inherently safer processes, and CSB plans to report further on this and other regulatory concerns in a future report.
Find a thorough summary of
the report here.