Feds fine chemical company for leak that killed 4

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) slapped DuPont Co. Thursday with a second fine for a November 2014 chemical leak that killed four workers.

OSHA has proposed a $273,000 fine for the leak of 20,000 lbs. of methyl mercaptan at a chemical manufacturing plant in Texas, accusing the company of various willful, serious and repeat violations of worker protection laws.

{mosads}The Thursday announcement came just over a month after OSHA hit DuPont with a $99,000 fine over the same incident at the La Porte plant, citing different violations.

“DuPont promotes itself as having a ‘world-class safety’ culture and even markets its safety expertise to other employers, but these four preventable workplace deaths and the very serious hazards we uncovered at this facility are evidence of a failed safety program,” David Michaels, assistant secretary for occupational safety and health at the Labor Department, said in a statement.

“I hope that our continued scrutiny into this facility and into working conditions at other DuPont plants will mean no family ever suffers this loss again,” he said.

In the November 2014 incident, a worker was overcome by the methyl mercaptan, leading three other workers to come to his rescue. All four died of asphyxiation from inhaling the gas.

OSHA has also placed DuPont in its “Severe Violator Enforcement Program,” which will subject it to more rigorous inspections of worker safety details.

The fine levied in May was for eight serious violations and one repeat violation.

At the time, Michaels told the Texas Tribune that the fine amounted to “petty cash” for DuPont and he wished the agency had the authority to charge a higher fine.

DuPont told the Tribune that it is currently reviewing the latest allegations. It has formally contested the May actions.