Chevron probe produces Facebook grousing

The state's lead investigator in the Chevron refinery fire investigation has posted social-media comments accusing his federal counterparts of bias, media "grandstanding" and "scaring the public with half truths and misleading information."

Clyde Trombettas, who is district director for the state's refinery safety program in Northern California and the lead state investigator in the Aug. 6 fire, is openly critical of federal investigators with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which has intervened in the case.

The unusually blunt comments appear on a public page open to anyone cruising Facebook and suggest an undercurrent of friction over the focus and transparency of the investigation between safety board and the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA. The two have been disputing which agency will serve as the lead n the probe, but on Friday came to an agreement for "sustained cooperation."

The state agency has historically been very guarded in what it discloses about its investigation until releasing its findings, sometimes long after the event.

In the Richmond refinery fire, the federal safety board investigators have been more forthcoming in discussing their preliminary findings, and have said they want to know why Chevron chose not to replace the line that ruptured when it found corrosion in a nearby pipe last year.

They declined to comment about the Facebook postings.

Corrosion issue

Trombettas, an 11-year employee of the state agency, apparently became annoyed by public disclosures on Aug. 11 related to corrosion being a possible cause of the pipe rupture that led to a massive vapor cloud and fireball at the refinery.

The safety board statements, Trombettas wrote, amounted to "Typical (Chemical Safety Board) grandstanding in the press. Scaring the public with half-truths and misleading information.

"Two days into an investigation and they can't wait to talk to the press," Trombettas said on the page. "Hmmm ... one might conclude they have a biased agenda. They don't even play nice in the sandbox."

He also complained after photos of the ruptured and still leaking pipe were released by safety board investigators on Tuesday.

"I'd lose my job if I released photos like that to the general public," he said in another Facebook posting. "That's the difference between an 'advisory board' who only makes recommendations and an enforcement agency i.e. Cal/OSHA who issues citations (with a monetary penalty.)"

Trombettas did not return calls seeking comment. A Cal/OSHA spokesman declined to comment, noting it was Trombettas' personal page.

Frank comments

One of the investigators under Trombettas, safety engineer Carla Fritz, was far more frank in her criticism, saying on Trombettas' Facebook page that corrosion is commonly encountered and remedied in refining and, to suggest, without reviewing any records, "that Chevron failed to take appropriate action to replace more piping is, frankly, irresponsible, unprofessional pandering to the media frenzy currently at work here in the Bay Area."

Among other comments, Fritz, who could not be reached for comment, said the probe is intended to be a "systematic, methodical dissection of evidence, oral interviews, forensic examination," and not "a onenote, quickie conclusion designed to incriminate, to indict, to dazzle the media, & to inflate one's standing in a community of committed health & safety professionals seeking some truth rather than flash ...."

"I would be a poor investigator indeed if I were to climb onto the bandstand early & loudly with my uninformed OPINION, only to be constrained to retract my bombast later on," she said. "Without putting too fine a point on it, it is unwise, incautious, prejudicial, & likely ultimately not helpful to pursue the 'ready fire aim' strategy."

The saga took another turn Thursday, however, when Cal/OSHA publicly announced that it had officially ruled out Chevron's fire truck - which was stationed within 70 feet of the leak - as the source of ignition of the giant vapor cloud. The agency said the rig was equipped with an emergency shutoff valve designed to prevent the problem.

However, safety board officials said they could make no such conclusion because no one had examined the truck or verified it had such a valve or that it worked properly.

"Determining the exact ignition source," the safety board said, "may never be possible."

But, the agency noted, the engine was apparently still running at the time the cloud formed.

Deciding whether the truck triggered the fireball "would at a minimum require a detailed scientific examination of internal engine components, which has yet to be conducted by any party. The remains of the fire engine are currently in their original location and are protected by evidence preservation orders."

Dean Fryer, the Cal/OSHA spokesman, would not say how the agency had already concluded that the diesel rig was not the ignition source. He did say the agency had reviewed inspection reports of the company's fire trucks.

"When the case is closed, we will make clear what the evidence revealed and how we made this determination," he said.

Conflict a first

Kim Nibarger, a safety expert with the United Steelworkers union, said he has been involved in a number of accident investigations involving both agencies, and this is the first one in which the two agencies appear to be at such odds.

"We would encourage both sides to resolve their differences and move forward on the investigation," he said. "Our concern is that the cause of this gets identified as soon as possible and recommendations get put forward to stop these events from happening again."

In the statement announcing Friday's agreement with Cal/OSHA, the safety board said it also "looks forward to the inclusion of Chevron and the United Steelworkers Union in the agreement, which will provide a blueprint for the orderly conduct of the various investigations and inspections. Future agreements should cover the independent testing of the pipe that failed and any other key pieces of evidence. All parties continue to cooperate."

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Chevron-probe-produces-Facebook-grousing-3797458.php

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