Tulsa-Based Holly Refinery Cited For More Than A Dozen 'Serious' Violations

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma – Tulsa-based Holly Refinery and Marketing has been cited for more than a dozen violations and faces thousands of dollars in penalties, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday.

Following an investigation that began in September 2010, OSHA cited Tulsa's crude oil refinery for 14 "serious violations," a violation in which there is "substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard" that the company should have known about.

According to a statement from OSHA, the refinery's violations included:

• failing to address hazards associated with process safety management
• failing to provide adequate emergency response and evacuation procedures,
• failing to maintain required ventilation in the control building and eliminate potential ignition sources such as static electricity while employees are handling flammable liquids.

"Failure to effectively implement OSHA's process safety management regulations to protect employees from potential hazards at high risk facilities, such as petrochemical refineries, will not be tolerated," said David Bates, OSHA's area director in Oklahoma City.

The refinery, which employs about 360 people, faces penalties totaling $62,500.

Workers who have questions can call OSHA's Oklahoma City office at 405-278-9560 or its toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA.