OSHA investigating railcar explosion at Alabama chemical plant
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the explosion Saturday at the Evonik chemical plant in South Mobile County.
A spokesperson with OSHA confirmed Thursday it was looking into the explosion, which company officials blamed on overpressure in a railcar.
No further details were provided to AL.com. The agency did provide a link to a one-page description of its investigation priorities that include the “most hazardous workplaces” that result in imminent danger, severe injuries and illnesses, worker complaints, referrals of hazards from other agencies, targeted inspections and follow-up inspections.
The railcar contained hydrogen peroxide at the time it was involved in an accident at approximately 2 p.m. No serious injuries were reported.
Firefighters from the plant’s onsite team, Mobile County, Theodore and Fowl River responded to the explosion.
“We are fully cooperating with local authorities. Evonik cares deeply about safety and investigating the cause of this accident is a top priority,” the company said in statements over the weekend.
The Evonik plant in Theodore employs around 750 people and is its largest facility in North America.
The company, in 2022, announced it was investing $176.5 million toward an expansion of the Theodore plant. The project was to be completed this year and is currently under construction. It was unaffected by the railcar accident.