However, the fact that the OSHA continued to overlook what was taking place, meant that they would allow an unsafe work environment to exist. (Blumenthal, 2007) This is important, because it shows how the lack of follow up and the ability to enforce existing environmental / work safety laws, would help to make the situation worse at the Texas City refinery.
After the accident occurred, the CAB would investigate all of the various reports that were received from employees and their families about conditions at the facility. This was in contradiction with the investigation undertaken by BP, which found that employee error was the cause of the accident (not a lack of safety procedures). The results of the investigation by the CAB; would identify significant lapses in the lack of: oversight from OSHA and the cost cutting strategy that BP was utilizing. (Blumenthal, 2007) This is important, because the findings from the investigation would force the industry to reexamine various safety procedures. At the same time, it would push BP to pay $1 billion in making the necessary upgrades to the Texas City facility.
The Barriers that Prevented the Strategic Plan from being Implemented
The barriers that prevented the Strategic Plan from being implemented were: the culture of BP itself. The cost cutting atmosphere of the company would cause the infrastructure at many of their facilities to fall into a state of disrepair. This is problematic, because the lack of investment into new technology and safety equipment; meant that various refineries would become more difficult to operate. As the continued maintenance of key systems will become more expensive (which reduces the amount capital used to maintain them)? At which point, the chances increase that various fail safe measures will not work and different safety procedures will be overlooked. In the case of the Texas City refinery, this would make the situation more dangerous as the lack of investment from the previous owner, would leave the facility in need major infrastructure repairs. Once BP began cutting costs, is when key staff members and various procedures would be eliminated in an effort...
At which point, it would only be a matter of time until a tragedy would occur from this strategy. This prevented the implementation of the Strategic Plan, as the cost cutting culture would only make the situation worse.
Clearly, the management of BP knowingly violated the Strategic Plan and the law. As their cost cutting measures, would force employees to work in an unsafe environment for many years. Once this occurred, the company would initially blame employees, while knowing that they played a role in the events that took place. This is troubling, because it shows their desire to maximize profits at any price, would create the right atmosphere for the explosion at the Texas City refinery in 2005. At the same time, the inability of OSHA to shut down this facility highlights, the lack of oversight that was taking place. If OSHA had forced BP to address the obvious safety issues, then the problems surrounding the Texas City plant could have been avoided. This is significant, because it shows how both BP and OSHA would help to create the right conditions for the incident that would take place. As a result, one could argue that the accident at Texas City was the beginning of the reckless environmental and safety policies that BP had engaged in over the years. Where, the lack of focus on safety and extreme cost cutting efforts (when the company was posting record profits) would create the conditions that allowed the accident to occur.
Bibliography
Its Deja Vu All Over Again. (2010). Loon Canada. Retrieved from: http://looncanada.com/2010/05/20/its-deja-vu-all-over-again-bp-texas-city-plant-explosion-in-2005-killed-fifteen/
Strategic Plan FY 2004 -- 2008. (2004). U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Board Investigation.
Blumenthal, R. (2007). Safety Group Blames Deadly BP Explosion on all Levels. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/business/worldbusiness/20iht-bp.4972070.html
Schorn, D. (2006). The Explosion at Texas City. CBS News. Retrieved from: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/26/60minutes/main2126509_page2.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody
