Gail Delaughter/Houston Public Media
Pictured is an aerial view of activity on the Houston Ship Channel in May 2019.
The U.S. Department of Labor is proposing more than $3.5 million in fines against three companies for alleged worker safety violations related to a sulfuric acid spill late last year in Channelview.
The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that BWC Terminals employees mixed fresh and contaminated sulfuric acid, which created “tank overpressure” and caused a supply line to rupture, according to an OSHA news release late last week.
The resulting spill released 1 million gallons of sulfuric acid, some of which went into the Houston Ship Channel, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in the aftermath of the December spill. Two people were taken to the hospital and another 44 individuals were treated for injuries at the scene.
RELATED: Lawsuit claims worker suffered ‘chemical exposure’ from sulfuric acid leak in Houston Ship Channel
The three companies facing fines have 15 business days from time of citation to comply, ask for an “informal” conference with the local OSHA director or contest the agency’s findings.
OSHA is proposing a fine of $82,750 against BWC Terminals. The company is facing six citations for allegedly failing to provide hazardous materials training, “exposing workers to chemical burns,” and “deficiencies” in respirator usage.
The company did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.
BWC contracted with Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc. to clean up the spill. Coastal Environmental then hired One Way Environmental Services LLC as a subcontractor to provide workers during the cleanup process.
Those two companies are also facing proposed fines for OSHA violations. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc. could face a fine of $392,501 for “two willful and five serious violations,” that include alleged failures to properly train employees and create an emergency response plan for hazardous waste as well as a lack of respirator use.
One Way Environmental Services LLC is facing $3,045,452 in fines for “18 willful egregious and five serious violations.” OSHA alleges the company sent employees to clean up the spill with proper training, safety measures and tests for respirator fits.
“Despite having full knowledge of the severe hazards involved in the spill and cleanup response, these three employers chose to bypass OSHA requirements and put their workers at serious risk,” Assistant Secretary for Occupational Health and Safety David Keeling said in a news release. “Their joint failure to protect workers was not an oversight, it was a choice that resulted in preventable employee injuries and environmental impacts. We will not hesitate to hold employers accountable when they ignore federal laws that are in place to protect workers’ safety and health.”
Hidalgo praised the federal government and local employees for their investigation into the chemical spill.
“This decision represents an important statement about the importance of worker safety, particularly in our county’s most important industry,” she said in a statement. “All companies must be held to the same standards and I believe it is only fair to demand accountability when a company doesn’t meet them.”