OSHA Seeks $8.7 Million Fine Against Sugar Company (13 dead, 40 injured)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: New York Times

By SHAILA DEWAN

ATLANTA — Imperial Sugar, the owner of a refinery near Savannah where 13 workers died in a sugar dust explosion in February, knew of safety hazards at the plant as early as 2002 but did nothing, and should pay more than $8.7 million for safety violations, the head of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Friday.

The proposed penalty is the third-largest in OSHA’s history. Imperial Sugar will contest the findings, the company announced Friday.

At a news conference in Savannah, Edwin G. Foulke Jr., the OSHA chief, said, “The investigation concluded that this catastrophic incident could have been prevented if Imperial Sugar had complied with existing OSHA safety and health standards.”

The company’s senior management was fully aware of the combustible dust hazards, Mr. Foulke said, and did not take any appropriate action to eliminate them.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/us/26sugar.html?em&ex=1217217600&en=6fbb9e233d64119a&ei=5087%0A

[flashl]

1. K&R nt

[bluesmail]

2. The deck is stacked FOR BigSugar>BigCorp (for now at least).

[Bluzmann57]

3. The money may or may not hurt Imperial Sugar

But the families of the dead will never get to see or feel their loved ones again. Prison time for the execs if they knew about safety violations. That is the only thing that will make them understand that you just don't mess with people's lives.

[Zhade]

4. Sweet.

(Sorry.)

[killbotfactory]

5. Why aren't any of the management in jail?

If I accidentally killed 13 people trying to make a quick buck, I would be in jail.

[bertman]

6. excellent point

[Kathleen Lucas]

7. Big Companies Get Free Ride

Because our country is currently controlled by big companies, the working stiff has no chance at justice.