HISTORY OF THEFT, TAMPERING, AND SAFETY ISSUES!

(Reuters, CNN, RM Technologies, Frazer Chronicle)

 

“If yea dig, information will follow,” the phrase isn’t catchy, or trendy, but it will put meat on the bones of truth. The West Texas fertilizer plant that blew up last month, killing 14 and injuring over 200 has…..what else, a history. It never ceases to amazes me, it seems that whenever a catastrophe occurs, safety issues, criminal activity, and workplace environment comes into question.

 

Business owners and their managers seem oblivious to local, state, or federal rules, regulations and laws, in the pursuit of money. Corners are cut, and concerns for safety on every level are ignored, (if it costs money) do not, and I repeat, do not implement!

 

At the West Texas fertilizer facility, several issues have come to light that undoubtedly will put the West Texas Fertilizer Company in the defensive mode and ready for several different possibilities. Law suits from victims, additional federal fines, or probably at least for West Texas residents, closure of the facility altogether.

 

West Texas Fertilizer has a dubious history that I detailed in an earlier blog, it involves safety violations and fines, federal fines by the Hazardous Materials Administration, and, at the time of the disaster, more than 270 ton of ammonia nitrate, and 100,000 pounds of liquid ammonia, both figures exceeding federal safety guidelines.

 

Also at the facility, there seems to be a history of theft and tampering, as local police responded to at least 11 reports of burglaries and 5 separate ammonia leaks over the past 12 years. According to a plant manager, intruders were stealing 4 or 5 gallons of anhydrous ammonia several times a week to cook batches of methamphetamine, the highly addictive and illicit stimulant.

 

In rural areas across the United States, the thriving meth trade has turned storage facilities like West Texas Fertilizer Company, and even unattended storage tanks in farmer’s fields, frequent targets of theft, according to several government and industry reports over the past 13 years.

 

The cause of the West Texas Fertilizer blast is being probed by local, state and federal officials who are, as usual, tight lipped about their methods and progress. As one official reported, “nothing has been ruled out.”

 

TIGHT LIPPED

State and federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security, (DHS) who are monitoring the investigation have refused to answer all questions about the blast and the investigation. However new McLennan County Sheriff Matt Cawthon, who took the position in January, said that security was lax at the facility.

 

A careful review of police records revealed the break-ins and rip-offs, and the total lack of any kind of security program, and that the facility was completely open. There were no perimeter fences, and only occasional police presence.

 

Chemical safety experts said the recurrent security breaches at West Fertilizer suggested a vulnerability to theft, leaks, fires or explosions. Ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be used in bomb-making was stored in thousands of ton amounts; however no theft of this substance was ever reported.

 

Official investigation has been carried on for the past 3 weeks, yet there are no break-throughs, and there may never be. In today’s media environment, where current news is reported…..currently, investigators who take their time, and don’t share their findings with the public actually can lead to wild and inaccurate speculation. I know, I take many different reports of an issue and attempt to piece together what I feel is a correct opinion and share that opinion with my readers.

 

I understand that fire and crime investigating officials on every level jockey to establish a pecking-order of importance to rectify their existence, but in both the short and long term, this competition does not help the overall process of investigation to determine exactly what happened.

 

There are incidents, there are accidents, and there is human error in judgment, or mistakes in procedure that, although aren’t romantic, or glitzy, are found to be the reason for a disaster. People continue looking for the magic bullet, or the smoking gun, but sometimes it just isn’t there.

 

ONE THING IS CERTAIN

One thing has become crystal clear during the course of the investigation and the developing story, West Texas Fertilizer is not two things, lily white, and innocent of wrong doing. Of course the fertilizer company did not intend to create a perfect storm where an explosion would cause a 90’ creator that is 5’ to 10’ deep, and feel like an earth quake.

 

Adair Grain Company had absolutely no intention of being partially responsible for injuring people, whether at their jobs, driving by a grain facility, or walking down the street beside a facility. That’s not how business operates in the United States in the 21^st century.

 

I’m sure it never occurred to the Adair conglomerate to move their West Texas Fertilizer operations into an industrial park setting, instead of the residential area that had either grown up around them, or had been there when the facility came into existence.

 

Donald Adair, owner of West Texas Fertilizer, Adair Grain and Adair Farms, issued a statement shortly after the tragedy, “as a lifelong resident, my heart is broken with grief for the tragic losses to so many families in our community…..our hearts go out to everyone who has suffered.”

 

In addition to his April 18 statement, Adair spokesman said “as the investigation continues, and out of respect for the investigative process, we will limit our comments during the weeks and months ahead.”

 

I, of course, have a slightly different view of the proceedings, and the investigation of the blast, the disaster, the deaths, and the heartfelt statements. In one word…..balderdash, oh sure nobody expected such a disasters, loss of life, human injury, or loss of property…..but.

 

Did you know that between 1995 and 2011, Donald Adair received subsidies from Environmental Working Group totaling $874,522. Most of the payments were for cotton subsidies, although there was payment for corn, sorghum, wheat and livestock.

 

So even though West Texas Fertilizer was being fined for safety and process violations, the Federal Government was making subsidiary payments to the owner of the facility? How in the hell can that be happening in this day and age of computer searches and record keeping…..how can this (payment) be justified…..would somebody please tell me that one.

 

 

ANHYDROUS AMMONIA PROPERTIES-SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS

Exposure to anhydrous ammonia is really, really dangerous because the gas is a hygroscopic compound that seeks moisture from the nearest source, which can be the moisture laden tissue of the human body. Exposure of high-content areas of the body, including eyes, lungs and mucous membranes is especially dangerous.

 

Flushing the affected areas of the body with water for a minimum of 15 minutes is a must, and if you have ingested the stuff into your lungs…..well your pretty much at the end of your time on earth. Anhydrous ammonia, if it gets into your throat, will swell it shut, leading to suffocation.

 

The stuff can be a killer, at its worst, and at its best, will leave marks so that a person remembers to never be around the stuff.  There are programs out there, government as well as private, that explain in full detail the dangers, whether in liquid or vapor form. There are also classes for people that work around anhydrous ammonia, and teach how to avoid dangerous situations, and the proper procedures when handling it.

 

I wonder exactly how many West Texas Fertilizer employees took this class…..not many I think. In with the safe handling instruction there also is listed the equipment necessary whenever you work around the chemical. Things like goggles face shields, neoprene gloves, glove liners, rubber boots, chemical suits, and respirators.

 

You know, at the end of my blogs I try and add some sort of solution to the problem, but today I don’t have one. People in high places who depend on workers efforts to produce won’t even read this, and really aren’t interested in safer workplace environments.

 

The history of West Texas Fertilizer, of Adair Grain, and Adair Farms probably could be explained as, at best, spotty. Infractions for safety issues, infractions for worker safety, and a total lack of security spell avoiding becoming an employee at Adair industries. It’s really the only power that we have over dangerous employers…..exercise that power.

 

HAVE A NICE DAY!