BP Products North America Inc. agreed to pay more than $50.6 million in penalties for failing to abate hazards as part of a settlement agreement from a 2005 Texas refinery explosion that killed 15 employees, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced Thursday.
Along with agreeing to pay the full record amount, the Houston-based company also has agreed to an “unprecedented level of oversight” at the plant, which will include quarterly progress reports to OSHA, third-party audits and frequent site inspections, assistant OSHA administrator Jordan Barab said during a press conference.
An additional $30.7 million in proposed penalties for new violations found during inspections in 2009 is still being negotiated.
