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Federal regulators have sharply reduced their health and safety case against a Texas oil tank and pipe manufacturer, dropping several citations and two-thirds of the fine it recently imposed.
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Smith Pipe of Abilene |
| Smith Pipe of Abilene also operates SPA Coating and SPA Drilling. OSHA also cited the company in January 2011. |
SPA Pipe and Supply (dba Smith Pipe of Abilene) will pay just $42,520 of the $129,800 fine that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had proposed, after the parties reached an informal settlement July 20.
OSHA had cited the company for 14 violations—half of them repeats from 2011—alleging a variety of amputation, electrical and chemical hazards.
Under the settlement, OSHA withdrew four violations and reclassified five “repeat” violations as serious. The agency deleted allegations involve securing of gas cylinders; fire and explosion hazards; tank labeling; and other issues.
The company did not respond Friday (Aug. 3) to a request for comment.
OSHA Record
The repeat violations related to a January 2011 case, when OSHA cited the company for 23 serious and two other-than-serious violations and imposed a $51,900 fine after an inspection triggered by a complaint. Six serious violations were later deleted and the total fine reduced to $27,510.
The company also was cited for seven violations and fined $3,850 in 2007 for amputation and other hazards.
Under the new settlement, the company must correct the hazards identified and allow OSHA to inspect the plant anytime through the end of August.
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