LA PORTE – Four DuPont employees would be alive today if the company had the proper safety procedures in place, officials with the U.S. Department of Labor said.
The fatal incident killed four workers, including two brothers, occurred in November 2014 after officials said a valve failed that released methyl mercaptan, a colorless gas with a strong odor that's used in pesticides, jet fuels and plastics. In large quantities and in confined spaces, the gas attacks a person's central nervous system and causes respiratory paralysis, which, if not quickly treated, can lead to death.
Crystal Rae Wise, Wade Baker and brothers Robert and Gilbert Tisnado were the four workers killed. The employees' tenures ranged from eight months to 40 years.
An investigation by the Department of Labor revealed that one worker was consumed by methyl mercaptan after opening a drain on one of the gas' vent line. Two coworkers nearby attempted to save her but were consumed by the gas, too. The brother of one of the victims rushed to rescue the three but was also consumed by the gas.
All four died in the building.
"Had the company assessed the dangers involved, or trained their employees on what to do if the ventilation system stopped working, they might have had a chance," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels.
The company was fined $99,000 for 11 violations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The violations ranged from repeat, serious and one other than serious.
DuPont violations: View the complete list of citations
DuPont's repeat violation was for not properly training employees for various safety procedures, including how to use the building's ventilation system. The company faced a similar violation in July 2010.
The company has 15 days to comply or appeal the violations.
Plant Manager Randall Clements said after the incident that employees undergo "very extensive training—not only book training, but they must also demonstrate knowledge before you can work in a unit."
"The operators were doing the jobs they were trained to do," he said.
DuPont spokesman Alan Woods said in an email, "We're working closely with local, state and federal authorities as they conduct a thorough investigation into the incident."
State records show that in the last five years, the plant has been cited at least two dozen times by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for violating state law. It has failed to perform routine safety inspections, keep equipment in proper working order and prevent unauthorized pollution leaks, according to violation notices issued by the agency. In a few instances, the agency demanded fines of a few thousand dollars from DuPont for more serious lapses.
At least one of the previous fines levied against DuPont was issued for a pollutant leak that occurred in October 2009 — also at a unit of the plant that manufactures Lannate, which methyl mercaptan is a primary component of. Too much pressure had built up in a vent system, causing a relief valve to open and spew out 3,700 pounds of methylene chloride, a "hazardous air pollutant," according to state records. More commonly known as dichloromethane, exposure to it in high enough concentrations can cause lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting. It's also considered a potential carcinogen.
At that time, the TCEQ fined DuPont about $10,300 for failing to prevent the release and for reporting the incident five days late. The company ultimately paid $8,269, with the rest deferred "upon timely and satisfactory compliance," records show.
DuPont employs nearly 63,000 people with operations in about 90 countries worldwide. The DuPont plant in La Porte employs 313 workers.
The Texas Tribune and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
