It remains to be seen how many lawsuits will be filed as a result of the West Chemical and Fertilizer explosion.<\/p>\n
The day of the explosion, at least 14 people lost their lives, and part of a small Texas town was obliterated. From media reports to date, it appears the plant’s owners were relying on a decades old exemption allowing them to avoid targeted workplace safety requirements and various inspections, and kept them from participating in a prevention program involving environmental officials.<\/p>\n
The owner relied on an exemption that was nearly twenty years old, a claim the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) vowed to investigate. By shielding the plant in the name of the stated exemption, the company was then only required to adhere to more lenient rules and regulations and ultimately, also be able to steer clear of various OSHA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules.<\/p>\n
The implications of the company’s claim (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It remains to be seen how many lawsuits will be filed as a result of the West Chemical and Fertilizer explosion. The day of the explosion, at least 14 people lost their lives, and part of a small Texas town…<\/span><\/p>\n