213138 Lessons from the BP Texas City Disaster

Monday, November 9, 2009: 3:00 PM

Bill Hoyle , Consultant, Pittsburg, PA
     
Are a blame culture and behavioral safety two sides of the same coin? On March 23rd, 2005, 15 people were killed and 180 injured in explosions at the BP Texas City oil refinery. BP quickly fired six employees who were blamed for causing the disaster. The Chemical Safety Board conducted the most in-depth investigation of a workplace incident in U.S. history. The board found that facility had a behavioral safety program and an injury rate eight times lower than average for U.S. workplaces. This presentation will examine how reliance on behavioral safety, blame culture and inadequate metrics for safety performance contributed to causing the tragedy.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to assess and describe the results of an investigation of the explosion at BP Refinery in Texas City TX and learn results regarding company policies that influence injury and illness recordkeeping.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My experience as an investigator with the US Chemical Safety Board and a union safety representative before that.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Confronting Practices that Discourage Injury and Illness Reporting
See more of: Occupational Health and Safety