Chevron blaze linked to fire in 2011
By David DeBolt
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   10/15/2012 06:14:46 AM PDT
Updated:   10/15/2012 06:15:22 AM PDT

RICHMOND -- The suspected cause of the massive fire at the Chevron refinery in August has been linked to a fire there last year, according to state safety inspection documents in which two refinery workers complained the company was ignoring the issue.
"We're afraid something is going to fall through the cracks," one worker told Cal/OSHA safety inspector Carla Fritz during her inspection visit to the refinery after the October 2011 fire.
Fritz's notes from the visit were obtained and first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday. The documents reveal the suspected cause of the small October 2011 fire was due to corrosion that went unchecked, the newspaper reported. The fire took place during a

Smoke billows from a crude oil unit at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, Calif., Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, as seen from Corte Madera. (Photo by Brenda Mckown)
scheduled maintenance shutdown and was quickly extinguished.
The most senior of a 20-member operation crew in the refinery's lube oil plant told Fritz that "we're concerned about increased corrosion."
"We've increased temperatures and increased rates, and it takes a toll on the equipment," said the worker, whose name was redacted in the documents.
Cal/OSHA said in a statement that a violation notice was not issued to Chevron over the 2011 fire "because the problem alleged and potential hazard had been already identified and corrected."
In September, Chevron announced that the section of the pipe that triggered the August blaze had a low silicon content, making it more susceptible to corrosion. Chevron acknowledged that it had not inspected the five-foot section of the pipe that failed during a scheduled inspection of the 200-foot pipe. Thousands of residents near the plant went to the hospital following the fire, complaining of problems related to inhaling the smoke.
"Everybody has acknowledged that this type of corrosion on this type of steel is an issue," said Richmond Councilman Tom Butt on Sunday. "Nobody is disputing that. I think the harder part is going to be the human aspect to that. Who knew what when."
In a statement issued Sunday, Chevron defended its commitment to safety.
"We actively encourage our workers to identify potential safety issues. Everyone at Chevron has 'stop-work authority' -- they can stop any operation, without repercussions, if they believe people or the environment are in danger," according to the statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact David DeBolt at 925-943-8048.
Corrosion linked to 2011 Chevron refinery fire
Updated 9:09 p.m., Sunday, October 14, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Corrosion that went unchecked — the suspected cause of a fire at Chevron Corp.'s Richmond refinery in August — has been linked to a fire at the plant in October 2011, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/OzFQcu).
According to state inspection documents obtained by The Chronicle, a state Division of Occupational Safety and Health inspector who investigated the smaller 2011 fire documented allegations from two workers of corrosion at the refinery.
The 2011 fire took place during a scheduled maintenance shutdown and was quickly extinguished.
"We're afraid something is going to fall through the cracks," one worker told Cal/OSHA safety inspector Carla Fritz, who went to the plant to investigate the fire last November.
"We're concerned about increased corrosion — we've increased temperatures and increased rates, and it takes a toll on the equipment," said the worker, who was identified in Fritz's notes as head operator of the lube oil plant — the most senior of a 20-member operator crew.
Cal/OSHA said in a statement that a violation notice was not issued to Chevron over the 2011 fire "because the problem alleged and potential hazard had been already identified and corrected."
The Chronicle obtained Fritz's notes under the state Public Records Act. State officials redacted the names of Chevron employees she interviewed.
A Chevron spokesman told the Associated Press that the 2011 fire was contained in a furnace in the lubricants plant, and that the company took appropriate actions afterward to protect the safety of its employees and facilities.
"We immediately responded, shut down the affected operations, evacuated all non-essential staff, and successfully contained the incident," Sean Comey said in a statement.
He added that workers at Chevron have the authority to stop any operation, without any repercussions, if they believe people or the environment are in danger.
Another fire struck the refinery on Aug. 6, creating a huge plume of black smoke and sending thousands of people to hospitals with health complaints.
Chevron later said it was stepping up inspections after it was determined that the blaze was caused by a failure in a five-foot section of an old pipe.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Corrosion-linked-to-2011-Chevron-refinery-fire-3947854.php#ixzz29P8ez100