"As an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity’s iWatch News  has shown , oil refining is one of the country’s most dangerous industries, where even seemingly small recurring events such as equipment breakdowns and fires can have fatal consequences.  Yet an easily manipulated regulatory system allows companies to delay or avoid improvements. While the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration occasionally appears to take a tough stance, identifying perils and proposing fines, the fines are often small and can be appealed for long periods of time, delaying fixes."
 
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OSHA this week made public its findings  at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge refinery: Nearly two dozen safety violations, most of which the agency says presented a “substantial probability” of death or serious harm. The company failed to adequately inspect equipment, analyze potential dangers and investigate past incidents – violations that could have resulted in a fire or explosion, according to OSHA."

Alexandra Duszak reports for iWatch News (Center for Public Integrity) September 19, 2011. [2]