Analytical Report Help

To: Emergency Management Class 5391

From: Eric J. Neal

Date: March 22, 2019

Re: Evaluation of participant performance

Class 5391,

Prior to the explosion on April 17, 2013, No one knew about the dangers within the West Fertilizer plant. This was because regulators didn’t consistently complete the task of inspecting West Fertilizer plant and others. OSHA, EPA, and others failed to do the job of Meyer stated, “Since the West plant had told the EPA there was no risk of a fire or an explosion, it wasn’t a priority. The plant also may have been exempt from some inspections as a small employer. An OSHA spokesman told ProPublica that the agency would be investigating whether the plant had such an exemption.” (Meyer, 2013)

It’s unclear. OSHA conducted the last full safety inspection of the plant in 1985. “Since then,” the Huffington Post reported, “regulators from other agencies have been inside the plant, but they looked only at certain aspects of plant operations, such as whether the facility was abiding by labeling rules when packaging its fertilizer for sale.”

OSHA, the EPA and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board are all investigating. But don’t hold your breath waiting for the Chemical Safety Board’s conclusions. The agency is still investigating a blast that killed seven workers at an oil refinery in Washington State three years ago, as well as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion that killed 11 workers in 2010 and sent oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico for months.

OSHA blamed resources for the lack of inspections completed prior to the event. OSHA representatives went on to say staffing levels are so low that inspectors only can inspect a workplace once every 131 years, on the average, though companies on OSHA’s targeted inspection list receives visits more often. WFP was not a targeted company and wasn’t red flagged by OSHA representatives.

These circumstances lead that lead up to the event was truly unfortunate. Even though OSHA was not vigilant prior to the explosion they conducted an after action investigation. This lead to a large fine of $118,300 to the parent company of the West Fertilizer Plant. This fine was an insult to the community because of the number of lives lost and the amount of destruction throughout the surrounding area.

OSHA has started a partnership with the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute with the attempt of reaching thousands agricultural retailers and distributers about the importance of safely storing ammonia nitrate as well as other dangerous chemicals.

It would be an injustice to not mention the volunteer firefighters that lost their lives in the event. Firefighting strategies and tactics plays a vital role within any command structure. The importance of an annual fire preplan by the fire department personnel will keep the fire district of possible dangers involved at business and could possibly address violations that need correction. If a proper fire preplan was conducted at the West Fertilizer Plant, it would have at least made the responders more knowledgeable about their circmstances.

Best,

Eric J. Neal

PADM 5391

References:

Smith, S. (2013). OSHA Fines West Fertilizer $118,300 for Explosion that killed 15, injured 200. EHS Today