The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed fines of $258,000 against Pasadena Tank Corp for an Aug 23, 2001, accident that killed a worker at a Houston TX construction site. The company had 15 days from February 15 to contest or pay the fines.
OSHA cited the Houston-based firm with six alleged willful and serious safety violations for failing to protect workers by providing an inadequate fall protection system. The violations allegedly occurred in which an employee repairing the rooftop of a storage tank fell 56 feet to the ground when the rooftop collapsed. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations.
“The employer knew about the unsafe working conditions, but continued to place workers at risk,” said John Lawson, OSHA Houston North area director. “A similar incident happened two years ago when two employees fell to their deaths from a storage tank. This company's continued failure to protect its workers from falls is simply unacceptable.”
The company was also cited with two alleged serious violations for failing to train workers and protect workers from falling objects. A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.