Region 6 News Release: 13-747-DAL
June 13, 2013
Contact: Diana Petterson Juan Rodriguez
Phone: 972-850-4710 972-850-4709
Email: petterson.diana@dol.gov rodriguez.juan@dol.gov

US Labor Department's OSHA cites oil and gas industry pressure pumping services
company for safety and health hazards at Valley View, Texas, work site

VALLEY VIEW, Texas – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited PumpCo Energy Services Inc. for 14 safety and health workplace violations for exposing workers to hazards at the company's maintenance facility in Valley View. OSHA's Fort Worth Area Office opened an inspection on Dec. 19, 2012, in response to a complaint alleging unsafe working conditions. Proposed penalties total $72,900.

The serious safety violation include failing to take effective measures to prevent employee entry into permit confined spaces; failing to ensure proper personal protective equipment is worn at all times to prevent eye and overhead injuries; provide permit confined space training, forklift training and daily inspections on overhead cranes; train overhead crane operators; label overhead crane controls; ensure hook and sling inspections were conducted; maintain a comprehensive listing of chemicals being used by workers; and provide hazard communication training for working with hazardous and toxic chemicals. The two serious health violations were cited for failing to provide medical evaluations and conduct fit testing for workers required to wear respirators. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"PumpCo Energy Services jeopardized the safety of its employees by failing to ensure proper confined space entry procedures were followed to protect workers from possible hazardous atmospheric conditions," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "Employers are responsible for recognizing the hazards that exist in their workplace and for implementing the proper policies and procedures to protect their employees from serious injury."

PumpCo Energy Services, which is an oil and gas industry pressure pumping services company, employs about 1,100 workers nationwide. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's Fort Worth area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Fort Worth office at 817-581-7303.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille or CD from the COAST office upon request by calling 292-693-7828 or TTY 292-693-7755.