VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY — a petroleum refineries facility located at 1801 GULFWAY DR, PORT ARTHUR, TX 77640 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 30 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $88,250.00. The inspection case was opened on 2012-10-31.
Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 3.3 per 100 full-time workers — 22% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 2.3 per 100,000 workers.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $88,250.00 is more than 10.5× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 324110). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.
State Context: Within TX, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 119,485 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,783.80.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 30 citations spanning 1 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 14 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 1 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning December 13, 2007 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 31, 2010. Of the 30 total citations, 9 (30%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.
Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $88,250.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $2,941.67 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 2012 enforcement action against Valero’s Port Arthur refinery revealed a systemic breakdown of the Process Safety Management (
This facility's $88,250 penalty is higher than 93% of all penalized companies in the NAICS 324110 industry in TX. The state average penalty for this industry is $554,495.
Comparing penalized facilities in PORT ARTHUR, TX (Exact Industry)
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What OSHA violations was VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY cited for?
VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY received 30 citation(s) covering 1 distinct OSHA standards. Total proposed penalties were $88,250.00. The inspection opened on 2012-10-31.
How much was VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY fined by OSHA?
OSHA proposed penalties of $88,250.00 against VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY in PORT ARTHUR, TX. Average per citation: $2,941.67.
Is VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY a safe workplace?
Based on enforcement records, VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION PORT ARTHUR REFINERY has a risk score of 42 out of 100. Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.
How does this penalty compare to the industry average?
The average penalty for Petroleum Refineries facilities is $8,414.32. This facility penalty of $88,250.00 is above the industry average.