The public will have a chance to review and make suggestions about a draft work plan to evaluate safety at a chemical plant in the East Bay that has been the scene of a series of recent accidents.

MRS Environmental Company will present its plan for a safety evaluation at General Chemical in Richmond at a public meeting on October 2 from 7:00 pm. to 9:00 pm at the Richmond City Council Chambers, 2600 Barrett Avenue. The consultant firm was selected by Contra Costa Health Services based on recommendations made by an oversight committee that included members of the public, the county’s Hazardous Materials Commission, General Chemical management and union representatives, Contra Costa Health Services, and the Richmond Fire Department.  The oversight committee developed a scope of work, sent out a request for proposal and selected MRS from among nine bidders.  (A draft work plan is available upon request by contacting Randy Sawyer at (925) 646-2879)

“This is an excellent opportunity for the community to hear what is planned and make suggestions about anything they’d like to see evaluated,” says Lew Pascalli, Jr, Director of the County’s Hazardous Materials Programs. The safety review includes an evaluation of the safety culture of the plant, management systems in place for process safety, and human factors. It was arranged after the Richmond City Council, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, and Contra Costa Health Services agreed that more information was needed to explain why accidents were occurring repeatedly at the plant. MRS will spend a week at General Chemical, reviewing policies and procedures, surveying employees, conducting interviews and looking at management systems. The consultants conducted a similar effort several years ago at the Tosco/Avon refinery after an accident killed four workers and seriously injured another there.

A second public meeting is scheduled for December 4 after a draft report of the findings and recommendations are issued by MRS Environmental and during a thirty-day public comment period on the draft report. The final report is scheduled to be issued on January 7, 2003 with an oral report to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and the Richmond City Council on January 14, 2003.

For more information, contact:  Randall L. Sawyer (925) 646-2879 or Don Nixon (925) 646-2907