Imperial Sugar fined $6 million for ComDust and other violations
WASHINGTON --

Imperial Sugar Co. will pay more than $6 million in fines stemming from the February 2008 fatal combustible dust explosion at its Port Wentworth,  GA, plant and for subsequently discovered safety and health violations at is Gamercy, LA, facility.

In annoucing the penalties, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also said that it has resolved litigation with Imperial Sugar. The tragic accident claimed the lives of 14 workers and seriously injured dozens of others.

"Clearly, health and safety must become this company's top priority," said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. "This agreement requires Imperial Sugar to make extensive changes to its safety practices, and it underscores the importance of proactively addressing workplace safety and health hazards."

John Sheptor, CEO and president of Imperial Sugar, said, “Imperial Sugar is pleased to resolve the citations. Imperial agreed to the terms with OSHA in order to settle these matters expeditiously and amicably, and to allow us to better concentrate our resources toward not only enhancing the safety of our own facilities, but also to assist the sugar industry as a whole in addressing workplace hazards.”

In the agreement, Imperial Sugar will pay $4,050,000 in penalties for the 124 violations found at its Port Wentworth plant after the explosion, plus an additional $2 million for the 97 violations found in March 2008 after an inspection of its only other facility, located in Gramercy. The citations alleged, among other safety and health hazards, that the company failed to properly address combustible dust hazards.

Settlement Terms
As part of the settlement, Imperial Sugar agrees that it has corrected all deficiencies at both of its plants or will correct those deficiencies according to a set schedule. Preventative maintenance and housekeeping programs have been established, and Imperial Sugar will identify and map locations where combustible dust may be present at its plants. The company also will conduct regular internal safety inspections and employee training, and hire an independent expert at each plant to ensure that there are adequate avenues of communication on worker safety and health issues within the company.

Furthermore, Imperial Sugar has hired and agrees to continue to employ a full-time certified safety professional for the Georgia plant. The company will retain outside consultants to conduct safety audits for a three-year period and evaluate Imperial's programs relating to managing combustible dust hazards, such as housekeeping, preventative maintenance and protective equipment for workers.

OSHA will approve all safety, health and organizational experts retained by the company. OSHA will receive current and accurate injury logs whenever requested, and OSHA will be allowed to enter the facility and conduct inspections based on those logs without objection from the company. OSHA will regularly monitor progress and compliance with the agreement and continue to conduct regular inspections of the facility.

Imperial Sugar Acts on Dust Control
Imperial Sugar said since the OSHA citations were issued, it has worked with leading experts to collect and develop, through testing and other research efforts, information about the hazards of combustible dust specific to the sugar industry.

Ron Allen, senior director of environmental health and safety for Imperial Sugar, said efforts by the company to prevent combustible dust explosions in the future, include:

  • Improved engineering controls: ISC conducted thorough studies comparing its operations against National Fire Protection Association Standards – done with the support of globally recognized experts in the field of combustible dust.
  • Stronger administrative controls: The company introduced new housekeeping procedures, as well as preventative maintenance, to ensure that conditions don’t develop that could lead to a combustible dust explosion.
  • Rigorous employee training: Imperial Sugar developed professionally recognized, computer-based training modules on combustible dust, which didn’t exist previously.

“We have learned much from our experts and our own studies regarding combustible dust, and we are sharing our knowledge throughout the industry to help others to be aware of the hazards of combustible dust,” Sheptor said.

Read Occupational Safety and Heatlh Administration's press release.

Read Imperial Sugar Company's press release.

Read Editor-at-Large Rich Christianson's blog.

Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.