TORRANCE : Mobil Contractor Fined for Safety Violation in Blast
An independent contractor working for Mobil Oil Corp. has been slapped with a citation and a $7,000 fine by a state watchdog agency, a penalty dwarfed by the heftier fines levied against Mobil in the wake of a Torrance refinery blast.
The contractor, I.S.T. Mechanical Corp. of Carson, was cited Friday by Cal/OSHA as part of the workplace safety agency’s investigation into the Oct. 19 explosion that injured 28 workers. The blast apparently occurred when flammable gases were allowed to flow into a pipeline that was left disconnected after construction work. The gases escaped and ignited.
The firm failed to follow Mobil procedures for start-up, Cal/OSHA concluded. The contractor did not inspect equipment to ensure it was intact before removing locks from valves, the agency found.
Attorney Michael J. Larin, representing the firm, said his client “plans to appeal the citation based upon facts known to date.” He declined to comment further.
Two weeks ago, Mobil was hit with nine Cal/OSHA citations and $67,005 in fines stemming from the accident. They included a so-called willful violation, with a $42,500 penalty, for failing to review equipment properly. Mobil officials could not be reached for comment Friday on whether an appeal is pending.
A separate branch of Cal/OSHA is continuing its own probe of the blast, and its findings will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office to determine if criminal charges are warranted.
