OSHA: “Five Contractors Cited Following Fatal Kentucky Shipyard Explosion”

“OSHA cited five contractors for safety and health violations after three employees were fatally injured and two others critically injured following an explosion on board a towboat.

The five companies collectively received 55 violations with proposed penalties totaling $795,254. The employers were ship repair contractor First Marine, LLC, which has been placed in the agency’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program; insulation contractor Thermal Control and Fabrication, Inc.; blasting and painting contractor Joe Rupcke; and temporary staffing companiesHutco, Inc., and Wise Staffing Group.

OSHA issued citations for exposing employees to asphyxiation, fire, explosion, chemical, trip, and drowning hazards; allowing hot work/welding to be performed without testing for an explosive atmosphere; and failing to test confined spaces before entry, train workers on confined space entry operations, and label chemical containers. For more information, read the news release.”

Story Sourced from OSHA