May 04, 2023

Warren, Markey Moulton Demand Answers Following Explosion at Newburyport Pharmaceutical Chemical Plant

Boston, MA — Following a chemical explosion this morning at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Newburyport, Massachusetts that killed one worker and left four workers injured, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Seqens North America, the facility’s owner, demanding answers about the explosion and the facility’s history of serious and repeated safety violations. The explosion at the Newburyport facility is one of several safety failures at the site in recent years—including documented safety violations in 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2021, which have resulted in repeated fines from federal safety officials.

“This explosion is only the latest avoidable disaster at this facility, following years of serious safety violations, multiple fines, and other explosions,” wrote the lawmakers.“We write seeking the explanation as to why this latest incident occurred and how, after years of fines and regulatory enforcement actions, Seqens could have allowed unsafe conditions to persist.”

“Five workers were at the facility when the explosion happened, four of whom were injured and taken to the hospital. One worker remains missing. This is an unacceptable and tragic outcome—every worker is entitled to a safe workplace and the knowledge that they will return home unharmed after a shift at work,” the lawmakers continued. “It is now painfully apparent that your company has failed to create any meaningful or effective safety culture.”

Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Moulton called on the company respond in writing to the following questions by May 9, 2023:

To the best of your current understanding, please detail the timeline and cause of the explosion on May 4, 2023, including identifying the systems and chemicals involved in the explosion.
Did Seqens personnel or anyone else knowledgeable about the chemicals that may have been present in the facility and dispersed by the explosion alert the first responders about those chemicals?
In 2015, OSHA cited PCI Synthesis for four workplace safety violations, two of which were “serious” violations and two of which were “repeat” violations.

Please describe all four violations.
On what grounds did PCI Synthesis appeal the OSHA fines, lowering the total from $44,550 to $23,880?
What did PCI Synthesis do to remediate the safety hazards and protect the health and safety of its workers?

In 2019, OSHA cited PCI Synthesis for eleven workplace safety violations, nine of which were “serious."

Please describe all eleven violations.
On what grounds did PCI Synthesis appeal the OSHA fines, lowering the total from $86,266 to $50,000?
What did PCI Synthesis do to remediate the safety hazards and protect the health and safety of its workers?
To the best of your knowledge, why were these safety measures insufficient to prevent the subsequent chemical fire at PCI Synthesis in February 2020?

In 2020, OSHA cited PCI Synthesis for ten workplace safety violations, eight of which were “serious."

Please describe all ten violations.
On what grounds did PCI Synthesis appeal the OSHA fines, lowering the total from $53,436 to $28,000?
What did PCI Synthesis do to remediate the safety hazards and protect the health and safety of its workers?
To the best of your knowledge, why were these safety measures insufficient to prevent the subsequent chemical fire at PCI Synthesis in June 2021?

In 2021, OSHA cited PCI Synthesis for three violations, one of which was “serious."

Please describe all three violations.
On what grounds did PCI Synthesis appeal the OSHA fines, lowering the total from $18,023 to $8,000?
What did PCI Synthesis do to remediate the safety hazards and protect the health and safety of its workers?
To the best of your knowledge, why were these safety measures insufficient to prevent the most recent explosion at the facility in 2023?

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