Unchecked corrosion links pair of fires at Chevron refinery
SAN FRANCISCO - Corrosion that went unchecked - the suspected cause of a fire at Chevron Corp.'s Richmond refinery in August - has been linked to a fire at the plant in October 2011, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.
According to state inspection documents obtained by the Chronicle, a state Division of Occupational Safety and Health inspector who investigated the smaller 2011 fire documented allegations from two workers of corrosion at the refinery. The 2011 fire took place during a scheduled maintenance shutdown and was quickly extinguished.
"We're afraid something is going to fall through the cracks," one worker told Cal/OSHA safety inspector Carla Fritz .
Cal/OSHA said in a statement that a violation notice was not issued to Chevron over the 2011 fire "because the problem alleged and potential hazard had been already identified and corrected."
