Tampa Electric, Gaffin Industrial Fined For Big Bend Accident

TAMPA, FL - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Tampa Electric Co. and Gaffin Industrial Services Inc. after five employees were fatally injured, and another suffered serious burns in a June accident. Proposed penalties for both companies total $160,972.

OSHA investigated the Big Bend River Station electrical power plant in Apollo Beach following the fatalities. Inspectors determined that the employees were burned when a blockage inside a coal-fired furnace broke free and spewed molten slag into the work area. Employees of Tampa Electric, Gaffin Industrial Services, and Brace Integrated Services Inc. died in the incident.

OSHA cited Tampa Electric for failing to follow energy control procedures while performing maintenance on equipment. Gaffin Industrial Services was cited for failing to develop procedures to control hazardous energy. Tampa Electric and Gaffin were also cited for failing to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to safeguard employees from burns. Brace Integrated Services was not issued citations.

“This tragedy demonstrates what can happen when hazards are not properly controlled,” said OSHA Atlanta Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer. “Employers must develop and implement necessary procedures to prevent incidents such as this from occurring.”

Tampa Electric issued this statement:

"This accident has forever changed our company; the families of those affected remain our priority. We respect OSHA’s process and have participated fully with their investigation as a valuable part of understanding what happened. However, we respectfully disagree with the suggestion we were willful or deliberately indifferent to the safety of workers. We cannot change what happened, but we are committed to learning from it to ensure nothing like this happens again. Since the incident, our team and the union have been working hard together to improve safety, including reviewing and improving work procedures, strengthening the safety language in our collective bargaining agreement, and developing a long-term strategy to improve our safety culture. We are more focused on safety than ever before. As part of the process, we will meet with OSHA to discuss the citations and to determine our next steps."

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Photo courtesy of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue