*Correction appended
How many people die at oil refineries each year?
Longstanding federal record-keeping practices make it incredibly tough to answer that simple question.
The public can easily search data at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which records deaths and injuries reported across all industries. But typing the code for “Petroleum Refining” — 2911 — into the agency’s query tool only reveals a small fraction of all who died at refineries.
Oil refiners have increasingly contracted out some of their most dangerous jobs to companies that are classified elsewhere in the federal system.
The many categories include “3443, Fabricated Plate Work,” “1799, Special Trade Contractors, Not Elsewhere Classified” and “1629, Heavy Construction, Not Elsewhere Classified.”
In the 2005 Texas City blast, for instance, all of the 15 workers killed were contractors. None of their deaths show up in the federal government’s annual tally for the refining industry.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking contractors’ deaths at refineries for the first time in 2011, but still misses incidents, records show.
The following is a list of all refinery deaths that The Texas Tribune and the Houston Chronicle could confirm after an exhaustive search that included OSHA records, government investigation reports, newspaper archives and legal filings.
At least 64 people died at refineries in the 10 years before the BP explosion. At least 58 people have died since March 23, 2005.
Before Texas City
At least
deaths
After Texas City
At least
deaths
This list includes all deaths on refinery grounds discovered through various searches. Few deaths that appear to be from natural causes are included.
Do you know a refinery worker who should be included on this list? If so, contact us at tribinvestigates@texastribune.org.
Incidents
Jan. 12, 2015
Citgo Petroleum
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Deceased
Robert Wilkinson, 53
Incident Summary
Wilkinson died from injuries sustained in a fall.
More Information
Jan. 2, 2015
PBF Energy
Gibbstown, NJ
Death
Deceased
Gary Grimming, 63
Incident Summary
Grimming, a contractor for G.C. Zarnas Corporation, was killed by a malfunctioning air compressor.
More Information
Sept. 23, 2014
Midland Refining
Wichita, KS
Death
Deceased
Tony Losey, 22
Incident Summary
Losey, a highly ranked amateur boxer, was working for Boardman LLC, a steel plate manufacturer, when an empty refinery tank weighing 12,000 pounds fell on him.
More Information
Nov. 15, 2013
Chevron USA
Pascagoula, MS
Death
Deceased
Tonya Graddy, 49
Incident Summary
Graddy, a Chevron employee, was killed after an explosion and fire in the furnace of a cracking unit.
More Information
April 17, 2013
ExxonMobil
Beaumont, TX
Deaths
Deceased
Dustin Creekmore | Chad McDonald
Incident Summary
A flash fire burned four employees working on a heat exchanger, sending them to the hospital. Two later died.
More Information
March 13, 2013
Motiva Enterprises
Norco, LA
Death
Deceased
Michael Louque, 56
Incident Summary
Louque worked for River Parish Maintenance. He was crushed by cylinders that rolled off a truck.
More Information
Feb. 18, 2013
Valero Energy Corp.
Ardmore, OK
Death
Incident Summary
A contractor died while working in a confined space at a crude oil refinery. Valero said it was a health issue that wasn't work-related.
More Information
Dec. 3, 2012
Valero Energy Corp.
Memphis, TN
Death
Deceased
Daniel Tittle, 50
Incident Summary
The sight glass of a flow indicator ruptured, releasing flying glass and a poisonous mixture of hydrofluoric acid and propane into the maintenance worker's face. Tittle died from his injuries at a nearby hospital.
More Information
Sept. 28, 2012
CVR Refining
Wynnewood, OK
Deaths
Deceased
Russell Mann, 45 | Billy Smith, 34
Incident Summary
A boiler explosion killed the two employees.
More Information
Aug. 14, 2012
Total Petrochemicals
Port Arthur, TX
Death
Deceased
James Keith Hudnall, 65
Incident Summary
Hudnall, a contractor with Mason Construction, was killed when a pipe fell on him while he was laying pipe inside a trench.
More Information
April 11, 2012
Alon USA
Big Spring, TX
Death
Deceased
Maria Patricia Cardenas, 57
Incident Summary
Cardenas, a contractor with One Source Industrial, was struck and killed by a train while driving a vacuum truck across railroad tracks.
More Information
March 6, 2012
Valero Energy Corp.
Memphis, TN
Death
Deceased
Nicolas Cuevas, 35
Incident Summary
An explosion and fire severely burned Nicolas Cuevas, his brother Daniel Reyes Cuevas and Guadalupe Torres. Nicholas Cuevas died four days later, and his brother was left largely incapacitated.
More Information
July 5, 2011
ConocoPhillips
Hartford, IL
Death
Deceased
Bradley Edmund, 38
Incident Summary
Edmund, with Matrix Service Industrial Contractors, fell 40 feet from a tank scaffold.
More Information
June 22, 2011
BP
Carson, CA
Death
Deceased
William Wise, 54
Incident Summary
Wise, of Irvine, Cal., was pinned between a railcar and a loading rack at the refinery.
More Information
March 6, 2011
Valero Energy Corp.
Norco, LA
Death
Deceased
Rodrigo Rodriguez, 30
Incident Summary
Rodriguez, a Koch Specialty Plant Service contractor, was performing maintenence on a tower when hydrogen sulfide gas knocked him out. He fell 100 feet.
More Information
Oct. 6, 2010
Chalmette Refining
Chalmette, LA
Death
Deceased
Gregory Starkey, 33
Incident Summary
Starkey was not supplied enough air while with a helper inside a hydrogen sulfide unit. As he was leaving the job, he slumped over.
More Information
May 27, 2010
Shell Oil
Wilmington, CA
Death
Incident Summary
A worker with Securitas Security Services USA unexpectedly dropped to the ground on duty. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The determined cause of death was arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
More Information
April 19, 2010
Motiva Enterprises
Port Arthur, TX
Death
Deceased
Stewart Shaver, 41
Incident Summary
A 44,000-pound counterweight tray plummeted from a boom crane, crushing Shaver.
More Information
April 2, 2010
Tesoro
Anacortes, WA
Deaths
Deceased
Daniel J. Aldridge, 50 | Matthew C. Bowen, 31 | Darrin J. Hoines, 43 |Kathryn Powell, 28 | Donna Van Dreumel, 36 | Matt Gumbel, 34 | Lew Janz, 41
Incident Summary
A damaged heat exchanger ruptured, spewing 500-degree gases that engulfed the unit in a toxic orange cloud that killed seven workers. All died within 22 days.
More Information
March 2, 2010
HollyFrontier
Artesia, NM
Deaths
Deceased
Natividad Andajo | Victor Villa
Incident Summary
A welder ignited vapors from flammable liquids within a tank, triggering an explosion that killed Andajo and Villa – both from West Texas – and injured two others.
More Information
Jan. 22, 2010
LyondellBasell
Houston, TX
Death
Deceased
Earl Boring, 49
Incident Summary
Boring fell to his death from the tower of a non-operational unit.
More Information
Dec. 4, 2009
Valero Energy Corp.
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
Tommy Manis, 40
Incident Summary
Manis, of Alvin, was lighting a pilot on a boiler in a steam unit when the boiler catastrophically failed. One other worker was injured.
More Information
Nov. 5, 2009
Husky Energy
Lima, OH
Death
Deceased
Adrian John Flores, 59
Incident Summary
Flores fell from an aerial lift and was killed. He was wearing a full body harness with lanyard, but was not tied off to the aerial lift platform.
More Information
April 29, 2009
Shell Oil
Martinez, CA
Death
Deceased
William Maddock, 54
Incident Summary
Maddock fell into a water tank and drowned when he was unable to escape.
More Information
April 24, 2009
Marathon Petroleum
Garyville, LA
Death
Deceased
Jeremy Nuspliger, 22
Incident Summary
Nuspliger, with Performance Contractors, fell 40 feet through a floor opening.
More Information
April 11, 2009
ExxonMobil
Torrance, CA
Death
Deceased
Nelson Tan, 50
Incident Summary
Tan, an ExxonMobil employee, was burned on the back and front of his body by 212-degree Fahrenheit water, steam, and steam condensate from an unbolted flange. He died more than two weeks later.
More Information
March 7, 2009
Total Petrochemicals
Port Arthur, TX
Death
Deceased
Patric Whittower, 24
Incident Summary
Whittower, a contractor for McKinney Drilling Company, was struck in the head and killed by the headache ball of a 50-ton crane.
More Information
Nov. 20, 2008
Delek Refining Ltd.
Tyler, TX
Deaths
Deceased
James Hammett, 52 | James Dale Sharman, 49
Incident Summary
Hammett and Sharman – both from Tyler – were killed in an explosion and fire after a line ruptured at the saturated gas unit. Three others were injured.
More Information
Oct. 9, 2008
BP
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
Ramon SiFuentes, 35
Incident Summary
SiFuentes, 35, of La Marque, was killed when a backhoe lifting a piece of equipment tipped forward and crushed him.
More Information
July 18, 2008
LyondellBasell
Houston, TX
Deaths
Deceased
Marion "Scooter" Hubert Odom III, 41 | John D. Henry, 33 | Daniel "DJ" Lee Johnson, 30 | Rocky Dale Strength, 30
Incident Summary
Four contract workers were killed and seven were injured when one of the world's largest mobile cranes collapsed at the refinery ahead of a turnaround.
More Information
Jan. 15, 2008
BP
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
William Joseph Gracia, 56
Incident Summary
Gracia was killed when a lid blew off a pressurized water filter system and struck him.
More Information
Dec. 1, 2007
Marathon Petroleum
St Paul Park, MN
Death
Deceased
Nick Gunter, 29
Incident Summary
Gunther, an operator in the blending unit, was found burned inside a tank that exploded.
More Information
Oct. 22, 2007
ConocoPhillips
Westlake, LA
Death
Deceased
Alton Charles Washington, 46
Incident Summary
The Gulf Services Industrial contractor was operating a vacuum truck when he inhaled deadly chemicals including hydrogen sulfide and possibly methyl mercaptan.
More Information
Aug. 9, 2007
Motiva Enterprises
Port Arthur, TX
Death
Deceased
Emery Bowie, 25
Incident Summary
Bowie, a contractor, was driving a bulldozer that suddenly went in reverse, dragging him 60 yards into Alligator Bayou. His body was crushed between the vehicle's fender and a track.
More Information
Aug. 7, 2007
BP
Cherry Point, WA
Death
Deceased
Christopher Primeau, 35
Incident Summary
The contractor from Wallula, Wash. was crushed by a 11,000-to-18,000-pound piling that came loose from a massive hammer.
More Information
June 5, 2007
BP
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
Richard Leining, 44
Incident Summary
Leining, a journeyman technician employed by AMEX Electrical Services, was working on an idle residual hydrotreater unit, which was being reconditioned prior to restart. He was electrocuted.
More Information
Aug. 31, 2007
Marathon Petroleum
Garyville, LA
Death
Deceased
Jackie Batiste, 34
Incident Summary
Batiste, a refrigerated butane storage operator, accidentally drove a company truck into a retention pond at the refinery and drowned.
More Information
Jan. 20, 2007
Marathon Petroleum
Robinson, IL
Death
Deceased
Dan Gunraj, 47
Incident Summary
Gunraj, a Marathon employee, was killed by hydrogen sulfide exposure.
More Information
Oct. 22, 2006
Flint Hills Resources
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Deceased
Ramiro Dominguez, 35
Incident Summary
Dominguez, a contractor with J.V. Industrial Companies, fell from a ladder and hit his head.
More Information
July 21, 2006
BP
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
Ronnie Graves, 52
Incident Summary
Graves was trying to connect a process unit to a flare, which is used to safely burn away hydrocarbons. The JV Piping employee was inside the basket of a motorized man-lift when the accident occurred. While repositioning the basket to get closer to a metal beam, he became trapped between the beam and the waist-high control panel inside the basket.
More Information
April 10, 2006
ConocoPhillips
Wilmington, CA
Death
Deceased
Mario Vasquez, 25
Incident Summary
Contract workers were replacing the bottom of a storage tank when its steel roof fell, killing Vasquez – an employee with HMT Tank Service Inc – and injuring four others.
More Information
Nov. 5, 2005
Valero Energy Corp.
Delaware City, DE
Deaths
Deceased
John A. Lattanzi, 57 | John Ferguson, 29
Incident Summary
The two contract employees were overcome by nitrogen as they performed maintenance work near a 24-inch opening on the top of a reactor. Lattanzi died while attempting to rescue Ferguson.
More Information
Sept. 14, 2005
ExxonMobil
Torrance, CA
Death
Deceased
David Yanez-Plasencia, 61
Incident Summary
Yanez-Plasencia, a contractor hired by Ancon Marine, was fatally injured in a fall during the course of his work in the API Separator Unit at the refinery.
More Information
May 3, 2005
BP
Cherry Point, WA
Death
Deceased
Nick Karuza, 58
Incident Summary
The Cascade Refinery Services contractor was hydroblasting coke off the walls and shed trays of a tower associated with the delayed coking unit process. He was discovered dead and was floating in approximately 2.5-feet of water underneath scaffolding. BP said the death was from natural causes.
More Information
March 23, 2005
BP
Texas City, TX
Deaths
Deceased
Glenn Bolton | Lorena Cruz‐Alexander | Rafael "Ralph" Herrera, Jr. | Daniel J. Hogan, III | Jimmy Ray Hunnings | Morris "Monk" King | Larry Wayne Linsenbardt | Arthur Galvan Ramos | Ryan Rodriguez | James Warren Rowe | Linda Marie Hammer Rowe | Kimberly Smith | Susan Duhan Taylor | Larry Sheldon Thomas | Eugene White
Incident Summary
Most workers had just returned from a safety lunch elsewhere at the refinery. Without warning, operators tried to restart a nearby unit that boosts the octane of gasoline. A stream of flammable liquids shot out from an outdated vent stack, sparking a series of massive explosions that that killed 15 and injured 180.
More Information
Jan. 19, 2005
Kern Oil and Refining
Bakersfield, CA
Death
Deceased
Duane Herdt, 49
Incident Summary
Herdt was killed and two other Kern Oil employees were injured in an explosion. The workers had been cleaning a series of pumps.
More Information
Sept. 2, 2004
BP
Texas City, TX
Deaths
Deceased
Leonard Moore | Raymond Gonzalez
Incident Summary
Three employees working on a boiler feed-water pump were exposed to steam and hot water. Moore and Gonzalez died from serious burns and the other employee was hospitalized and treated for his injuries.
More Information
June 11, 2004
Equilon Enterprises
Carson, CA
Death
Incident Summary
A contractor with Irwin Industries died from a heart attack at the refinery. The death was later determined to be from natural causes and not work related.
More Information
April 17, 2004
CVR Refining
Coffeyville, KS
Death
Incident Summary
An employee was using high pressure water to drill a pilot hole, preparing to cut petroleum coke out of a refinery's coke chamber. The drill hit a hot spot in the coke chamber and the water became steam, burning the employee, who later died at the hospital.
More Information
Feb. 3, 2004
Valero Energy Corp.
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Incident Summary
Two Cat-Spec contractors were working inside a refinery's reactor vessel that was cleared previously by the site employer for a planned turnaround.They were dressed multiple clothing layers, including a Tyvek suit for chilly conditions outside, but temperature inside the vessel was above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. One worker died of heat stress and the other was injured.
More Information
Jan. 1, 2004
BP
Whiting, IN
Death
Incident Summary
An employee was making security rounds at the plant. A railing broke and he tripped and fell atop a separator cover. He was pronounced dead at a hospital, OSHA said.
Oct. 28, 2003
Lion Oil Company
El Dorado, AR
Death
Incident Summary
A Lion Oil employee was found dead at a bank of oil storage tanks. It was originally thought the 58-year-old was exposed to hydrogen sulfide, but the coroner determined the cause of death was a massive heart attack.
More Information
Aug. 26, 2003
ExxonMobil
Baytown, TX
Death
Incident Summary
An ExxonMobil worker was cleaning a temporary filter, which exploded. He was severely burned and died 25 days later.
More Information
July 21, 2003
ConocoPhillips
Ponca City, OK
Death
Deceased
Tim Crank, 39
Incident Summary
Crank and another employee were removing a vertical pump and motor inside a gas plant. For some reason, a hydrocarbon was released inside the plant, triggering an explosion and fire. Crank died 10 days later.
More Information
July 21, 2003
ChevronTexaco
Pascagoula, MS
Death
Deceased
Frank S. Richard, 48
Incident Summary
Richard died after falling about 25 feet from a steel structure inside the ChevronTexaco refinery.
April 3, 2003
ExxonMobil
Torrance, CA
Death
Incident Summary
A contractor with Signal Mechanical was electrocuted while installing an air conditioner at the refinery.
More Information
March 3, 2003
ExxonMobil
Baytown, TX
Death
Incident Summary
An employee was monitoring equipment when he fell to the ground. He was later pronounced dead from a heart attack.
More Information
Feb. 22, 2003
Motiva Enterprises
Norco, LA
Death
Incident Summary
An employee slipped and fell from a pipe rack, falling 34 feet to his death.
More Information
Sept. 23, 2002
Koch Hydrocarbon
Medford, OK
Death
Incident Summary
Three contract workers were preparing a gasoline perco treater for catalysis removal – a routine task. A flash fire erupted, killing one worker and injuring two others.
More Information
June 6, 2002
Murphy Oil
Meraux, LA
Death
Deceased
Kevin Taylor, 33
Incident Summary
The pipefitter with Lou-Con Construction was burned to death when he and another employee were removing a large muffler from a 12-in. triangle gate valve. The valve had been in place in the line for approximately 23 years and had not been routinely inspected or maintained, OSHA said.
More Information
May 22, 2002
Valero Energy Corp.
Paulsboro, NJ
Death
Deceased
Timothy M. Tillger
Incident Summary
The machinery maintainance man entered a shed that was being purged of nitrogen gas. He was discovered unconscious, lying on the shed floor, and was pronounced dead due to asphyxiation.
More Information
Jan. 31, 2002
Orion Refining
Norco, LA
Death
Deceased
Alonzo Stevens, 36
Incident Summary
The contractor from Baytown was asphyxiated inside a tank at refinery, according to OSHA.
Jan. 26, 2002
Tesoro
Anacortes, WA
Death
Deceased
Johnny J. Rogers
Incident Summary
Rogers, a maintenance contractor with CBI Services, Inc., was crushed by a temporary elevator at the refinery. It appears that two coworkers, including Rogers' foreman, were trained on a different type of elevator, OSHA's report said, and did not know that the operator's control box was portable and should have been on top of the elevator
More Information
Jan. 14, 2002
Marathon Petroleum
Garyville, LA
Death
Deceased
Donald Chambers, 39
Incident Summary
The Catalyst Process Specialists Inc. contractor was inside a reactor vessel to knock down mounds of catalyst that had clumped together. As the employee began chipping away at the mound, the mound collapsed on Chambers, engulfing him. During his struggle to get free, more and more engulfed him, and eventually, the face seal of the helmet he used for air broke. Supplied air was released from the helmet into the catalyst, causing it to ignite. Chambers died from chemical burns.
More Information
Dec. 1, 2002
ChevronTexaco
Pascagoula, MS
Death
Deceased
Chad Grimes, 30
Incident Summary
Chad Grimes, 30, was killed and another man injured in a fire while working at the refinery.
More Information
Aug. 8, 2001
BP
Texas City, TX
Death
Deceased
Carl Bernard Williams
Incident Summary
The RSI Inc. contractor was working on top of a reactor under nitrogen purge. He was overcome by the fumes and vapors and fell into the reactor. He was pulled from the reactor and later pronounced dead at a hospital. The cause was asphyxiation.
More Information
July 23, 2001
Necessary Oil Company
Bristol, TN
Death
Deceased
Allen Raymond Eaton, 61
Incident Summary
The furnace operator died from burns when oil spilling from a ruptured overflow line at a reclamation plant ignited and exploded.
More Information
July 17, 2001
Motiva Enterprises
Delaware City, DE
Death
Deceased
Jeffrey Davis, 50
Incident Summary
A work crew had been repairing a catwalk above a sulfuric acid storage tank farm when a spark ignited flammable vapors in one of the tanks. This tank had holes in its roof and shell due to corrosion. The tank collapsed, and one the contract workers was killed; eight others were injured. A significant volume of sulfuric acid was released to the environment. Davis' body wasn't recovered.
More Information
June 13, 2001
Colorado Refining Company
Comerce City, CO
Death
Deceased
Dominick Mustache, 48
Incident Summary
Mustache fell 12 feet from a ladder while performing utilities maintenance. He later died from his injuries.
More Information
Feb. 22, 2001
ExxonMobil
Torrance, CA
Death
Incident Summary
A contractor with International Catalyst was vacuuming hydrophoric catalyst material in an inert nitrogen atmosphere of an approximate 100 foot hydrocracker reactor unit. He fell about 20 feet after getting tangled in equipment and later died at a hospital.
More Information
Jan. 19, 2001
Citgo Petroleum
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Deceased
John C. Wood, 23
Incident Summary
Wood, of Marthasville, Mo., was welding in a confined space at a refinery and was asphyxiated by argon.
More Information
Nov. 29, 2000
Valero Energy Corp.
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Deceased
Luis Govea, 45
Incident Summary
Govea and another Berry Contracting worker were finishing the turnaround of the sulfur recovery complex at a refinery.They were exposed to strong hydrogen sulfide emissions while working on a scaffold. Govea staggered away, but later passed out and died. His colleague escaped and later recovered at a hospital. OSHA found the valve inspection program, lockout/tagout program, and respiratory protections lacking.
More Information
May 28, 2000
BP Amoco
Whiting, IN
Death
Deceased
Cedric Norwood, 46
Incident Summary
Norwood suffered an injury to his lower abdomen while on the job at the refinery and later died at an East Chicago hospital, according to an Associated Press article. He worked 25 years at the plant, was married and had three children and five grandchildren, the AP reported.
More Information
March 19, 2000
Exxon
Baytown, TX
Death
Incident Summary
An Exxon employee was found slumped in his chair and was placed on the floor by first aid responders and they started checking for vital signs. The employee started his shift on this particular week at 6:30 p.m. and finished at 6:30 a.m. The employee was finishing his fourth day of a midnight turn and went into distress at 6:30 p.m. The employee suffered an apparent heart attack.
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Nov. 8, 1999
Desoto Oil and Gas
Brewton, AL
Death
Deceased
James Hollington, 36
Incident Summary
Hollingen was found lying on a catwalk between two oil well storage tanks. It appeared that he died from exposure to hydrogen sulfide.
More Information
Oct. 15, 1999
Conoco
Westlake, LA
Death
Incident Summary
A flash fire severely burned an employee, who later died.
More Information
Aug. 9, 1999
Citgo Petroleum
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Deceased
Lonnie V. Wright, 54
Incident Summary
Wright and another worker were trying to restart one of several steam-fired utility boilers at the refinery. They had tried several times to light-off the main burner when the boiler chamber exploded, killing Wright instantly and injuring the other. The employees had little experience with the equipment.
More Information
Feb. 23, 1999
Tosco
Martinez, CA
Deaths
Deceased
Rollin Blue | Tom Rodacker | Ricardo Enriquez | Ernie Pofahl
Incident Summary
Workers attempted to remove and replace a leaky petroleum pipe which was attached to an operating oil distillation tower. Over a 13-day period before the accident, workers had repeatedly tried to isolate and drain the pipe, but leaking and corroded shut-off valves hampered their efforts. At the time of the incident, the pipe still contained a significant volume of pressurized naphtha, a highly flammable petroleum mixture similar to gasoline. While workers were in the process of replacing the pipe, the naphtha was released and burst into flames, killing the four workers.
More Information
Jan. 13, 1999
Cross Oil
Smackover, AR
Deaths
Deceased
Dale Hamilton, 54 | Scott Shoffnor, 28 | Clay Yarbrough, 57
Incident Summary
The three contract employees were working on a naphtha tank valve at the refinery when it exploded, killing all three.
More Information
Nov. 25, 1998
Equilon Enterprises
Anacortes, WA
Deaths
Deceased
David Murdzia, 30 | Warren Fry, 50 | Theodore Cade, 23 | James Berlin, 38 | Ronald J. Granfors, 49 | Wayne E. Dowe, 44
Incident Summary
An explosion and fire erupted at the refinery's coking plant. Six workers died while attempting to restart the delayed coking unit following a power outage.
More Information
Oct. 16, 1998
Motiva Enterprises
Port Arthur, TX
Death
Incident Summary
A Motiva employee was spotting and connecting rail cars and was run over by a train.
More Information
Oct. 13, 1998
Phillips Petroleum
Old Ocean, TX
Death
Incident Summary
A ConocoPhillips employee was overexposed to sulfuric acid and died from acid burns and inhalation of fumes.
More Information
Aug. 20, 1998
Arco
Carson, CA
Death
Deceased
Enrique Campos, 52
Incident Summary
Campos was installing a device on the top of a lime slurry tank with a torch gun when it exploded. Another man was injured.
More Information
Feb. 11, 1998
Valero Energy Corp.
Texas City, TX
Death
Incident Summary
A Valero employee was on top of a sour water tank blocking in steam eductor valves when he was exposed to hydrogen sulfide. He was not wearing a respirator. He died more than a week later.
More Information
Feb. 8, 1998
Motiva Enterprises
Convent, LA
Death
Incident Summary
A Motiva employee preparing to launch a pipeline scraper was found unconscious on the ground and died of asphyxia after being exposed to hydrogen sulfide. He was not using any form of respiratory protection.
More Information
Jan. 22, 1997
Tosco Avon
Martinez, CA
Death
Deceased
Michael Glanzman, 41
Incident Summary
Glanzman, a Tosco employee, was killed during an explosion and fire in a hydrocracking process unit.
More Information
July 12, 1996
Phillips Petroleum
Borger, TX
Death
Incident Summary
An employee was standing by a reactor when it blew apart, with the top separating from the shell, OSHA said. He died of burns.
April 1, 1996
Diamond Shamrock Refining
Sunray, TX
Death
Deceased
Charles Otis Hall
Incident Summary
A compressor cylinder pulled in liquid during start-up, causing the cylinder internal bypass cover plate to crack. Leaking hydrocarbon liquid ignited, tirggering a fire and explosion. Three employees –Thornburg, Charles Hall, and Kevin Smith – were severely injured. Hall received third degree burns over fifty percent of his body. He died about a week later.
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Feb. 8, 1996
Texaco Refining
Anacortes, WA
Death
Deceased
Tracy Giles
Incident Summary
Giles was struck by a 700-pound shell cover that blew off a heat exchanger.
More Information
Jan. 19, 1996
BP
Belle Chasse, LA
Death
Incident Summary
A Scaltech, Inc contractor working on fuel recylcing was having trouble with rocks piling up in equipment and lines. Wearing an organic vapor chemical cartridge respirator, he entered the tank, which had contained sludge and hydrocarbons, to take the larger rocks out by hand. He was overcome after approximately 10 minutes and died of asphyxia.
More Information
Dec. 22, 1995
Coastal Refining and Marketing
Corpus Christi, TX
Death
Incident Summary
A refinery worker was fatally burned in a fire that broke out when hot oil leaked from a coking unit.
More Information
Dec. 12, 1995
Pennzoil Products Company
Romeoville, IL
Death
Deceased
Larry Kwasniewski, 43
Incident Summary
Kwasniewski, a pipefitter, was performing routine maintenance on a heater unit when a fire broke out, killing him.
More Information
Oct. 16, 1995
Pennzoil Products Company
Rouseville, PA
Deaths
Deceased
Ray Kelosky | Russell Beers | John Lee Pritchard | Michelle Walton | Francis Gibbons
Incident Summary
An explosion at the refinery killed three workers instantly. Two died later from injuries. Regulators determined that many factors caused the incident, including outmoded equipment and poor training.
More Information
Sept. 7, 1995
Unocal
Nipomo, CA
Death
Incident Summary
Workers were cleaning a tank when sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gases inside exploded.
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Correction: An earlier version of this database contained incorrect information about a refinery explosion that occurred on Oct. 16, 1995 in Rouseville, Penn. Michelle Walton was among those killed. Clifford Walton was not killed.
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