BP Products North America

Reviewed by Dr. Subramani Velu BP Products North America, Inc.Refining Technology Naperville, IL, USA velu.subramani bp.com. 

Refining and Logistics Technology, BP Products North America, Inc. 

In September 2005, BP Products North America Inc. agreed to pay over 21 million in penalties for safety and health violations following the investigation of the fatal explosion at its Texas City. The penalties are part of a settlement agreement with the US Department of Labor s OSHA [22]. 

About five years later, in August 2010, OSHA announced that BP Products North America Inc. agreed to pay a penalty of 50.6 million more to resolve failure-to-abate citations issued after a 2009 follow up investigation. In addition BP agreed to take immediate steps to further worker protection. BP allocated 500 million for those safety enhancements [23]. 

On March 23,2005, at a BP Products North America-owned and -operated refinery, a fire and explosion resulted in 15 deaths, 170 injuries, and extensive property damage. An investigation team led by BP employee J. Mogford released a report titled Fatal Accident Investigation Report, Isomerization Unit Explosion Final Report, Texas City, Texas, USA. The 192 page report may be accessed at the website listed in the end-of-chapter references. 

It is easier to write about a culture that includes safety as a core value than it is to factually describe a situation in which the culture deteriorates over time, the effect the deterioration has on increasing risk and the position in which such deterioration places a safety professional. The following are excerpts taken from a report that was internally produced by BP Products North America (2005) pertaining to a fire and explosion that occurred on March 23,2005, at an owned and operated refinery in Texas City, Texas. As a result of that incident, 15 people were killed and over 170 were harmed. It is important to note that these excerpts, taken from the Executive Summary— Fatal Accident Investigation Report, represent a self-evaluation. 

OSHA reaches settlement agreement with BP Products North America Inc. The company pays more than 21 million in fines following a fatal explosion at its Texas City plant. It is the largest penalty ever Issued by OSHA. 

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