Chemical Safety Board Applauds Voluntary Safety Efforts

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board recognized the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers for the organization’s leadership in chemical safety. AFPM voluntarily implemented a key CSB safety recommendation stemming from the agency’s investigation into the 2018 explosion and fire at the Husky Energy refinery in Superior, Wisconsin that was directed to another organization.

The incident at the Husky refinery injured 36 workers and caused over $550 million in damage. It occurred during a shutdown of the refinery’s fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, when a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons and air ignited due to failed safeguards.

Also Read: Final Report on 2018 Refinery Explosion and Hazmat Incident

One of the CSB’s recommendations from the investigation called on the American Petroleum Institute to develop safety guidance for FCCs. While not the intended recipient, AFPM took independent action, launching a comprehensive FCC safety initiative that included:

18 in-person safety workshops reaching over 700 participants from 76 refineries in the U.S. and Canada.
A publicly available FCC Process Safety webpage with resources such as checklists, bulletins, and guidance incorporating lessons from both the Husky and ExxonMobil Torrance refinery incidents.

CSB determined that these actions by AFPM fulfilled the CSB’s recommendation, even though AFPM had done them instead of API.

CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said, “AFPM voluntarily stepped up and delivered real tools to help prevent future FCC-related incidents. This is a clear example of industry safety leadership in action.”

AFPM joins several other organizations recognized by the CSB for voluntarily implementing CSB recommendations, including the International Association of Drilling Contractors, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and the Center for Offshore Safety.

The CSB is an independent, nonregulatory federal agency charged with investigating incidents and hazards that result, or may result, in the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances. The agency’s core mission activities include conducting incident investigations to identify root cause of releases; formulating preventive or mitigative recommendations based on investigation findings and advocating for their implementation; issuing reports containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations arising from incident investigations; and conducting studies on chemical hazards.

The agency’s board members are appointed by the president subject to Senate confirmation. The Board does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA.