Valero, contractors fined for violations related to worker's death in 2021
Reuters
Published May 20, 2022 02:32AM ET
(Reuters) - Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) and three contractors have been fined a total $1.75 million for safety violations related to a worker's death on Nov. 12, 2021 at its 145,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Benicia, California, a state regulator said on Thursday.
The 35-year-old worker had died from suffocating in a confined space in which leaking argon, an odorless gas, had displaced oxygen, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health said https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2022/2022-42.html in a statement.
The regulator said Valero and two out of the three contractors had "willful and serious violations" of safety guidelines for confined spaces.
That implied investigators determined the employer "either knowingly violated the law or took no reasonable steps to address a known hazard" that could cause death or serious injury.
A contractor Total Safety was charged with six willful and serious violations and was levied the biggest penalty of $988,000, while Valero was fined $528,750 for four willful and serious violations.
Valero and Total Safety were not immediately available to respond to a Reuters' request for comment.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.