ExxonMobil Blast Result of Lax Procedures, Safety Board Finds

ExxonMobil Corp.'s poorly considered maintenance practices at its Baton Rouge, La., refinery led to a chemical release and fire last year that injured four workers, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said Sept. 18.

The company allowed workers to perform maintenance without studying how their procedures affect operations at the plant, the board said. The agency released a final safety bulletin on the incident at a meeting Sept. 18 in Washington.

At the meeting, CSB Chairperson Vanessa Sutherland said Exxon workers had removed critical bolts on plug valves in the refinery’s alkylation unit during maintenance, leading to a release of the ...