Chairs Miller and Woolsey Statement on Historic Proposed Kleen Energy Fine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, issued the following statement on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed $16.6 million fine for safety violations surrounding February’s Kleen Energy explosion in Middletown, Conn: “The Kleen Energy explosion is just another example of the tragic results of putting production, in this case completing construction, ahead of safety. OSHA’s significant proposed fine for safety violations resulting in the deaths of six workers should be a wakeup call for those who callously disregard accepted safety practices in order to meet deadlines.
“While the $16.6 million proposed fine sends a strong message, additional safety regulations are needed to prevent similar explosions. OSHA needs to adopt safety protections consistent with the Chemical Safety Board’s recommendation that prohibits the use of natural gas or other flammable materials to clean out construction debris from pipes. Manufacturers are already modifying their recommendations on this practice given there are nonflammable alternatives for cleaning out piping. We recommend that OSHA make this prohibition mandatory.”
The $16.6 million fine is the third highest ever proposed by OSHA for a workplace safety and health violation. The Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing in Middletown, Conn. on June 28 to examine the Kleen Energy explosion.
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