Personal Injury Law

OSHA Says Owners of Salem Harbor Power Station in Massachusetts Did Not Protect Workers that Died in 2007 Boiler Blast

By Altman & Altman

The Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration says that the owners of the Salem Harbor Power Station failed to protect three workers that died when a faulty boiler ruptured at the plant on November 6, 2007. Following its investigation into the deadly work accident, OSHA says that it found 10 serious safety violations at the plant, owned by Dominion Energy New England, including a failure to enter or inspect the area where the blast occurred for the past several years.

Engineer Phillip Robinson, rookie Mathew Indeglia, and mechanic Mark Mansfield were killed when the Unit 3 boiler tubes broke?enveloping them in steam with a temperature that was close to 600 degrees.

Dominion Energy New England officials say they will dispute the claim that they failed to protect the company?s employees from getting hurt or killed on the job. A Dominion official says that an inspection found that the cause of the boiler explosion was an undetectable defect in an old weld that joined two pipe pieces.

OSHA has ordered Dominion to pay $46,800 in safety violations, and more fines may be pending. The company says that the majority of the violations have been remedied.

OSHA says that is essential that Dominion identify and eliminate any dangers to workers and take the necessary steps (including conduct proper maintenance and inspections), to prevent future leaks.

Other fines that may be pending include $4,500 for improperly storing compressed gases in cylinders and $6,300 for failing to inspect the "dead air space" area of the coal-fired boiler that ruptured.

The surviving family members of the victims are considering filing a Massachusetts wrongful death lawsuit against Dominion.

If you were seriously injured on the job or someone you love died in a work accident anywhere in Massachusetts, you should contact our Boston work injury law firm for your free consultation. One of our Boston workers? compensation lawyers can make sure that you are getting paid the full benefits that you are entitled to and that you receive your payments on time. If someone you love has died, we can also make sure that you receive all of the financial benefits that you are entitled to receive. You also may be able to file a Massachusetts wrongful death lawsuit against any liable third parties.

OSHA finds Salem plant failed to protect men who died, Boston.com, May 15, 2008

Salem Harbor Resumes Operation After 2007 Plant Catastrophe, an Industrial Info News Alert, Marketwire.com, April 25, 2008

Workers In Salem Plant Explosion Die From Injuries, WBZTV.com, November 7, 2007

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on May 19, 2008 (boomark / email).