A Texas contractor was fined by federal labor officials last week after one of its workers succumbed to excessive heat at a refinery in Louisiana.
JV Industrial, which is based in Pasadena, Texas, faces a fine of $7,000 for a serious safety violation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration claimed that the company failed to implement a heat management program for workers wearing chemical-resistant suits.
JV Industrial had been contracted to demolish piping at Valero’s St. Charles petroleum facility. A 45-year-old pipefitter collapsed and died in March 2015 in multiple layers of clothing as well as a chemical suit.
OSHA claims that if JV Industrial had implemented a heat management program to protect workers, the man’s life may have been saved.
JV Industrial in Pasadena, Texas has 15 business days following the day that they received the citation to either comply, request a conference with OSHA officials or to contest the findings.
Source: Chem.info, “Texas contractor fined over refinery worker death,” by Andy Szal, September 22, 2015