California IN BRIEF : SAN JOSE : Plant Near Proposed Stadium Criticized

The city’s sewage treatment plant has a history of safety violations and poor handling of toxic materials that could endanger fans if a ballpark for the San Francisco Giants is built nearby, according to a report in the San Jose Mercury News. City officials and plant managers dismiss the allegations, saying that railroad tank cars routinely deliver chlorine and sulfur dioxide and that the plant has not had a major accident in its 35-year history. But the report said state records support some of the allegations made by nearly a dozen workers who cite insufficient training, faulty alarm systems, improper handling of toxic materials and overlooked safety procedures. During three inspections last year, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited the plant for eight safety violations ranging from inactive alarm systems to poor training.