Oil Company Cited for Workplace Safety and Health Violations

OSHA initiated an investigation at a ConocoPhillips Co. refinery in Trainer, PA, in June 2008 as part of a National Emphasis Program focusing on petroleum refinery process safety management. As a result, the company was cited for one repeat and 26 serious safety violations. The repeat violation relates to the company’s alleged failure to review operating procedures as often as necessary. Serious violations include the company’s alleged failure to provide the appropriate devices for material storage; failure to properly document the company’s use of equipment; failure to establish a system to promptly address hazard analysis findings; failure to address the hazard of explosion in occupied buildings; failure to address human factors; failure to develop and implement operating procedures; failure to provide appropriate training; failure to confirm that all requirements of a pre-startup safety review were in place; failure to follow management of change procedures and failure to correct deficiencies that were outside acceptable limits.

[ConocoPhillips Co., Trainer, PA. Release number 08-1861-PHI (08-263), Dec. 23, 2008].