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OSHA fines BP record $87 million

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The Associated Press

Published: October 31, 2009

WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Friday imposed a record $87 million fine against oil giant BP PLC for failing to correct safety hazards after a 2005 explosion killed 15 workers at its Texas City refinery.

The fine - the largest in OSHA's history - comes after a six-month inspection revealed hundreds of violations of a 2005 settlement agreement to repair hazards at the refinery.

BP officials formally contested the fine, saying they thought the company had fully complied with the settlement agreement.

OSHA said the company also committed hundreds of new violations at the nation's third-largest refinery by failing to follow industry controls on pressure-relief safety systems and other precautions.

The deadly explosion at BP's Texas City refinery, about 40 miles southeast of Houston, also injured more than 170 people.

In a statement, the company said most of the alleged violations relate to an ongoing disagreement between OSHA and BP that is already pending before the Occupational Health and Safety Review Commission, a body that is independent of OSHA.

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