Probe Finds Exxon Exposed Workers to Hurricane Hazards

HOUSTON — Exxon Mobil Corp. exposed its employees at the second-largest oil refinery in the nation to life-threatening conditions by failing to implement an emergency plan when Hurricane Gustav struck the U.S. Gulf Coast last year, according to findings of a federal investigation released Friday afternoon.

Exxon did not shut down the Baton Rouge, La., refinery prior to the hurricane’s landfall and they had to do an emergency shutdown of the plant during the brunt of the storm, according to a local representative with the United Steel Workers. The refinery was closed for several days after the Gustav hit Sept. 1


The Occupational Safety and Health Administration board has proposed a penalty of $5,000 and categorized the violation as “serious.”

A serious violation means “there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard,” according to Elizabeth Todd, a spokeswoman for the Department of Labor in Dallas.

WSJ