[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H1451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         EXPLOSION AT PHILLIPS PETROLEUM PLANT IN PASADENA, TX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight with a great deal of 
sorrow and concern because yesterday an explosion and fire occurred at 
Phillips Petroleum Company plant in Pasadena, Texas, which is part of 
the district that I represent. This tragedy resulted in the death of 
one worker and the injury of 71 others.
  According to the Houston Chronicle, at least three of the injured 
were listed in critical condition, and six were listed in serious 
condition. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the men and women of 
the Phillips plant and their families.
  The cause of this accident has not been determined. In fact, just 
today were they allowed to go back into the plant except for the 
suppression personnel.
  About 850 Phillips employees and about 100 subcontractors work at the 
Pasadena plant complex. Phillips Petroleum officials said about 600 
workers were on duty when the explosion occurred yesterday afternoon 
about 1 p.m.
  As a result of the fire and smoke, 23 campuses in the Pasadena 
Independent School District and 8 campuses in the Galena Park 
Independent School District were forced to turn off their air 
conditioning and close their doors and windows and keep the children 
inside.
  According to Phillips, the chemicals that burned in the fire could 
irritate one's eyes and nose and throat if inhaled in high 
concentrations, but the air monitors that were around the plant and in 
the community found no signs that anyone outside the plant was exposed 
to these toxic chemicals.
  The explosion occurred in the section of the Phillips plant that 
produces K-Resin. K-Resin is the chemical used to make cups, lids, 
toys, shower doors, coat hangers, and clear packaging materials, such 
as shrink wrap that we wrap our groceries in and leftovers, bread 
wrappers, bottles for drinking water, clear boxes and trays.
  I have visited the Phillips plant on several occasions and have met 
numerous times, not only with the management, but with the employees 
who are represented by PACE, the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and 
Energy Workers, International Union, formally, known as the OCAW.
  I have also attended annual events, including the annual memorial 
that both the industry and the union plan every year in tribute to 
workers who have lost their lives in workplace accidents.
  The work of the chemical plant is dangerous. The employees who work 
at the Phillips plant and the many others along the Houston Ship 
Channel know the impact an explosion can make.
  That is why we need stronger worker protections. We cannot prevent 
every accident, but we can ensure that every worker has a reasonable 
expectation that he or she will be safe.
  The Phillips Petroleum plant has a long history of accidents that 
have resulted in facilities and many safety violations. We hope that 
again we learn from our experiences.
  In the last year, this facility has experienced three other 
explosions. The worst of these occurred last June and resulted in the 
death of two employees. The other two explosions occurred in August and 
April of last year.
  By far the deadliest year for Phillips Petroleum was in 1989. On 
October 23, 1989, an explosion resulted in 23 deaths and 130 injuries. 
A few months before this explosion, six employees were injured when a 
natural gas pipeline near the plant's boiler room exploded. Two of the 
injured workers later died of their injuries.
  Producing the products that our Nation and our world require is 
inherently dangerous. It is important that OSHA inspectors move quickly 
to investigate the cause of this most recent explosion. We need to do 
everything we can to ensure that accidents like this will never happen 
again.
  In closing, our prayers are for the speedy recovery for those injured 
and also for the loss of that one life. The loss of one life is one too 
many.

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