Waukegan company hit with $1.6 million fine
OSHA alleges safety violations prior to explosion
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined a silicone company $1.6 million for alleged safety violations in the wake of an explosion that killed four employees at a Waukegan plant earlier this year.
Specialty Silicones LLC was cited for “12 willful federal safety violations” following an investigation into the May 3 explosion. The company faces $1.591 million in penalties, according to a statement released Friday by OSHA officials.
The silicon chemical products manufacturer has also been placed on OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
The May 3 explosion, heard across much of northern Lake County, has been estimated to have caused more than $1 million in damage around the site at Northwestern and Sunset avenues, and according to Waukegan officials, seven other buildings in the area were affected by the blast.
OSHA investigators determined AB Specialty Silicones failed to ensure that electrical equipment and installations in the production area of the plant complied with OSHA electrical standards, and that they were approved for hazardous locations, the statement said.
“The company also used forklifts powered by liquid propane to transport volatile flammable liquids, and operated these forklifts in areas where employees handled and processed volatile flammable liquids and gases, creating the potential for ignition,” the OSHA statement added.
“Employers must employ hazard recognition to protect workers from harm, especially in high hazard industries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “By ignoring safety and health requirements, this employer created an unsafe work environment with deadly consequences.”
In statement released Friday afternoon by AB Specialty Silicones, company officials said they had received the OSHA citations, “and we are currently reviewing them. We cooperated fully with the agency’s investigation, and we will continue to work with the agency.”
“It is important to recognize the scope of the OSHA report goes beyond the elements that contributed to the tragic explosion,” the statement added. “Our internal investigation, as well as the Fire Marshal’s report, confirmed the incident was in fact an accident, and there was no willful intent involved”
The statement concluded by stating that “the safety of our employees has been and will remain our top priority. While we are proud of our historically strong safety record preceding this accident, we commit to continuously improving ourselves and aiming to ensure our facilities meet or exceed all regulatory requirements.”
Waukegan Fire Marshal Steve Lenzi said Friday that the Waukegan Fire Department’s “primary investigation has been complete for some time,” with the department finding the “generic cause” to be a mixture of chemicals that reacted and resulted in the explosion.
But Lenzi added investigators were not able to determine the exact chemicals involved due to fire damage and the fact that “the two people who really knew (the chemicals involved) are no longer with us.”
According to Lenzi, the department earlier this year concluded arson was not involved, and the blast was not intentionally caused. While the investigation is no longer active, Lenzi said fire officials would investigate any further leads that may emerge.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission,
the OSHA statement said.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA is charged with helping to ensure safe conditions for the country’s workforce.
Killed in the plant explosion were Jeff Cummings, 57, of Kenosha, a motorcycle enthusiast and third-shift production supervisor who had spent seven years with the company; Byron Biehn, 53, of Union Grove, Wisconsin, second-shift production supervisor who had been with AB Specialty Silicones for nine years, and was an owner of the company; Allen Stevens, 29, of Paddock Lake, Wisc., a secondshift chemical operator who had been with the company for two years and also was an owner; and Daniel Nicklas, of Beach Park, who was a quality control chemist and had been with the company eight months.