WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC$107,100 fine for plant where ammonia leak hit, state report says

$107,100 fine for plant where ammonia leak hit, state report says

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MARSHVILLE, NC (WBTV) - State officials have fined a Union County business more than $107,000 for 27 alleged serious violations after a explosion and ammonia leak happened this past summer, the N.C. Department of Labor said Thursday.

The incident happened on Aug. 16 at the Pilgrim's Pride plant on Marshville Boulevard (U.S. Highway 74), just west of Marshville.

Related: Read the full state report (pdf document)

Dozens of firefighters and haz-mat crews were called the plant after the ammonia leak was detected around 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

One citation in the state report noted that more than 30 parts of the ammonia system had not been inspected since Nov. 2009, instead of yearly.

About 550 employees were in the plant at the time, and all of the workers were evacuated. Nearby residents were also evacuated from about 25 homes on the same day the leak was reported.  

Related story: 911 calls during ammonia leak

Employees did not return to work for almost 2 weeks after the incident.

By mid-day, firefighters and plant officials had successfully isolated and shut down the ammonia distribution system in the plant which involved an intricate system of valves and control points.

The maximum fine of each "serious" violation in the report is $7000, but the company was fined just $5600 for each of the serious violations the state says it found. One citation in the report noted that 33 parts of the ammonia system had not been inspected since Nov. 2009, instead of yearly.

Some of the alleged violations concern railing around high walkways, a blocked exit door and some electrical issues. Other violations in the state report mention that workers had to use their own hearing protection that consisted of "ear muffs" and not actual "ear plugs."

Citations concerning the ammonia leak said the schematics of the ammonia system had some pipes backward, the report said. The report also cited a lack of air quality measuring equipment and a lack methods to determine safe distances away from the leak.

Another alleged violation mentions that workers created their own concoction of spray to get rid of "flies and maggots" instead of using an approved chemical mixture.

Pilgrim's Pride has 15 working days from receipt of the citation to request an informal conference with the Labor Department, to file a notice of contest with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission of North Carolina (an independent board appointed by the governor to hear appeals of OSH citations), or to pay the penalty.

Copyright 2012 WBTV.