BP handed largest OSHA fine, $87.4M

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. work safety regulators announced a fine of $87.4 million against BP Products North American for an explosion that killed 15 and injured 170 in 2005.

The fine for the BP Texas City Refinery explosion was the largest in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's history, the Department of Labor said in a release. The second largest fine, $21 million, was levied against BP Products North America four years ago.

The fine includes a $7,000 per day penalty for 30 days on 270 "failure to abate," violations, OSHA said.

Willful violations are assessed with a much steeper penalty: $70,000 for each incident, OSHA said.

In a statement, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said, "An $87 million fine won't restore those lives, but we can't let this happen again. Workplace safety is more than a slogan. It's the law. The U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate the preventable exposure of workers to hazardous conditions."