Review - CSB Updates 6 Recommendations – 5-21-24

Yesterday, the Chemical Safety Board updated their Recent Recommendation Status Updates page to reflect changes that the Board made to the status of various accident investigation recommendations made on May 21^st, 2024. The changes include closing four recommendations.

2019-04-I-PA-R1 Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery Fire and Explosions - EPA,

2017-04-I-MO-R2 Loy Lange Box Company Pressure Vessel Explosion – Loy-Lange Box Co,

 2017-04-I-MO-R3 Loy-Lange Box Company Pressure Vessel Explosion – Loy-Lange Box Co,

2018-02-I-WI-R12 Husky Energy Superior Refinery Explosion and Fire – EPA,

2020-04-I-TX-R1 Wendland 1H Well Fatal Explosion – Chesapeake Operating LLC, and

2011-H-1-R3 Public Safety at Oil and Gas Storage Facilities – OK Corporation Commission.

Comentary

The Board’s action to close 2011-H-1-R3 as Unacceptable Action/No Response Received reflects the legal limitations under which the Board operates. The Board has no regulatory authority and has limited influence to see their recommendations implemented. To be fair, that influence is most effective with facilities who have to convince insurance companies that they are operating in a safe manner; an open CSB recommendation (or even worse, a rejected recommendation) is not going to make that an easy story to sell.

 

For more information on the Board’s actions, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/csb-updates-6-recommendations-5-21 - subscription required.