OSHA cites DuPont for deadly chemical leak at La Porte plant
LA PORTE, TX -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited chemical manufacturer DuPont for a chemical leak that killed four workers in La Porte last year.
OSHA on Thursday cited DuPont for 11 safety violations, fined the company $99,000 and mandated the company make several safety upgrades to its Lannate/API manufacturing building in La Porte. In November, about 23,000 pounds of a flammable toxic chemical called Methyl mercaptan escaped in the DuPont building.
"Four people lost their lives and their families lost loved ones because DuPont did not have proper safety procedures in place," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Had the company assessed the dangers involved, or trained their employees on what to do if the ventilation system stopped working, they might have had a chance."
In response to the report, DuPont issued the following statement:
