A fertilizer plant in West, Texas recently exploded, causing a fire to destroy homes and injure at least 160 people.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) hadn't inspected this plant since 1985. That's almost thirty years ago! At the time, the plant was fined for inappropriately storing ammonia, which is very dangerous. On the night of the explosion, witnesses could smell ammonia.
Shortly after the explosion, a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) was published, detailing the inspection problems plaguing state OSHAs. State budget cuts and issues keeping inspectors have led to the average workplace only being visited every 99 years, and the ones in Texas only being visited every 126 years.
As a Texan citizen, this is very concerning to me. Please tell the Texas government to increase its safety standards.
Dear Texas Government,
A fertilizer plant in West, Texas recently exploded. It destroyed many homes and injured at least 160 people.
The plant hadn't been inspected since 1985, and at the time was fined for a violation that had to do with storing ammonia. When the plant exploded, witnesses complained of a strong ammonia smell.
Soon after the explosion, the Government Accountability Office released a report talking about how state OSHAs do not have good inspection standards, with the average workplace being visited every 99 years, and the average workplace in Texas being visited every 126 years.
I'm a Texas citizen, and this is very frightening to me. Texas' safety standards need to be increased so that nothing like this ever happens again in the Lone Star State.
Thank you for your time.
