Dear Honorable Lisa
Murkowski(R-Alaska);
On 5/26/20 the Department of
Labor/OSHA Enforcement cited the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company as “Operator”
of the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline for “31 Serious OSHA Violations”, in calling out on-the-job
worker exposure to BETX and asbestos and “Other” derelictions in regulated activities.
And following its enforcement investigation, Eugene Scalia’s DOL levied a
penalty of $404602, wherein a majority of the violations found the “maximum
penalty” applied, which is based on the gravity/seriousness of the individual violations.
It appears this DOL/OSHA inquiry came about by a “complaint” from a concerned
worker at the Valdez Marine Terminal. And because of the DOL/OSHA “transparency”
to WARN the public of entities that engage in egregious violations, the APSC
was listed on the DOL site for “Enforcement Cases with Initial Penalties of
$40,000 or Above”. At the same time, 4 other contractors at the Alyeska Valdez
facility faced similar “penalties”(26 Serious/$269633 fine) and in total the
combined penalty/fine approaches ¾ of a million dollars - in this day and age it
is bad business such blatant disregard “worker safety” in violation! This DOL
report finds the same type of violations that “whistleblowers” complained about
in the past and then found themselves targeted in a “Shoot the Messenger”
verdict and here we are déjà vu once again, especially with the cancer causing “BETX”
concerns in “worker exposure”. What is also of grave concern, the investigative
reporting of violations in “instances and worker exposures”! It appears from
the reports made public, that “crews” were exposed, not just a few individuals
in lab coats. This should not be happening with Alyeska after so many years in
operation and heavily regulated by outside oversight, supposedly! It appears
that it is more of the same with Alyeska not learning from past mistakes and
maybe the management thought that when Scalia was named as Donald Trump’s appointee
to the DOL that all “oversight” would end or loosen up, as the Governor of
Alaska is “pro-business pro-oil” and that is when “safety” goes by the wayside
- when “oversight” is remiss in its duties due political pressures. What else
has allowed this to happen, I reiterate “again”. Something has gone drastically
wrong with Alyeska’s management with respect to “worker safety” and the
influence that “management mindset” held upon its contractors to perform within
the intent of the law in regulation of “worker safety”. Like in an “our way or
the highway” for the contractors as they should know better to not deviate from
responsibilities, mostly Native Alaskan entities under such pressure. I believe
it may be time once again for Congress to get involved, with “oversight
hearings” as when we see this kind of malfeasance happening all over again, is
another EXXON Valdez on the horizon? So,
I request that as the senior U.S. Senator for Alaska, it is your due diligence duty
to get to the bottom of this latest DOL Enforcement
“mess” at Alyeska, as it seems to be once again worker safety in dereliction in
question. Please remember that when this happened back in the 80s and 90s, the
workers in concern had to resort to outside help because of no sincere interest
from Alaska’s very own delegation - specifically Don Young and his “beanie cap”
in disgrace the merits of Congress. Outside interference is not needed, but
someone in authority in representation needs to “prioritize” this latest
dereliction by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company its conviction upon worker
safety, as I am sure an expanded investigation would find the same safety concerns
all along that 800-miles of pipe, not just a localized concern in Valdez. Sincerely
submitted, S. Pam McGee - AMERICAN PATRIOT
