OSHA issued the citations Wednesday but, because of the Republican government shutdown, the agency was unable to announce the action. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, announced the safety violations Thursday.
Among other violations, West Fertilizer Co. was cited for unsafe handling and storage of the anhydrous ammonia and ammonia nitrate that exploded and leveled large parts of the town of West. The company also was cited for not having an emergency response plan. OSHA is proposing fines totaling $118,300.
But investigators have not been able to determine what sparked the explosion of the highly volatile fertilizer. They suspect a problem with one of the plant's electrical systems, a battery-powered golf cart or a criminal act. A state criminal investigation remains open.
Several first responders were killed and damage included a school and nursing home.
Certainly pays to be a crony capitalist. You can get away with murder and just pay a fine that would be a fraction of the profits made by not being up to code.