BY JIM GOTESKY
SAN FRANCISCO - Facts are emerging slowly about the massive January 21 explosion and fire at the Tosco Avon refinery in Martinez, California, that killed one worker and injured 44 others. The explosion occurred about 7:40 p.m. in the hydrocracking unit. The blast incinerated Michael Glanzman, 41. Safety inspectors found Glanzman's charred remains among the rubble the following day. He had worked as a hydrocracking unit operator for four years, and was a member of Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) Local 1-5.

More than 200 friends and co-workers attended Glanzman's funeral January 24. At 10:00 a.m., during the funeral services, workers continuing to operate the refinery observed a moment of silence.

The blast rocked the refinery. The concussion blew office trailers on their sides, and blast reverberations were felt 20 miles away. Nearly 100 refinery workers who volunteer as firefighters fought the blaze into the night.

According to Contra Costa County health officials, the cause of the fire was a ruptured pipeline. The pipeline burst after a series of temperature spikes in the unit. The hydrocracker unit is where gasoline and diesel fuel are produced from heavier fuel oils in a process using hydrogen under pressures as high as 1700 pounds per square inch. These reactors are widely considered to be among the most dangerous oil refinery units because of the high temperatures and pressures used.

Glanzman was killed while checking the unit during the temperature spikes. Tosco continues to operate other process units at reduced production rates and schedule 12 hour shifts in units undergoing major maintenance turnarounds.

The full details of the accident may not be available for weeks to come. Refinery officials speaking to the television cameras on the night of the fire set the numbers of injured workers at six and one worker missing. By the next day the toll had risen to 24 injured and 1 dead. Within a week Tosco admitted that a total of 44 workers were hurt.

Tosco spokespeople claimed that the billowing clouds of smoke from the fire would have no toxic effects, but urged area residents to remain in their homes.

Dr. Wendel Brunner, Contra Costa County Director of Public Health told the San Francisco Examiner, "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to show . . . that during fires and explosions, there can be significant dangerous health effects to the community.

"Smoke in and of itself is toxic. It's also carcinogenic. Smoke inhalation can kill you. It can cause respiratory illness and eye and throat irritation, and exacerbate asthma."

In addition, on January 29, a lawyer representing the Contra Costa building trades unions told county supervisors that asbestos insulation covered piping in the hydrocracker. Tosco officials subsequently confirmed that fact but denied the asbestos posed any health risk to the public.

Contra Costa County health officials are particularly rankled. Tosco officials managed to notify the Sheriff's Departments of the explosion, but they failed to properly alert county hazardous material experts who are responsible for advising residents of potential health threats.

Richard Hallford, a Tosco environmental health and safety manager, said incoming calls overloaded the refinery phone system. It took 15 minutes to switch to a backup phone system. Plant security personnel locked out county inspectors dispatched to the blaze for 2+ hours. One Bay Area air quality district inspector gained access only after threatening legal action. The Avon hydrocracker explosion focused a spotlight on the growing number of refinery accidents in California. According to the California Public Interest Research Group, Contra Costa County ranked 17th of 3,000 counties nationwide in toxic chemical accidents, listing 169 incidents between 1993 and 1997 - seven accidents per month.

Contra Costa County rates sixth in the nation in accidents that result in injury, evacuation or death. Besides Los Angeles, the counties with the poorest safety records are in Texas and Louisiana, both centers of the chemical and oil industries.

The Avon explosion was a blow to Tosco owners, who have been riding high on a wave of profitable acquisitions. Most recently Tosco bought several Unocal California refineries, the Union 76 brand name, and the Union 76 distribution network of 1,350 service stations. Some analysts value the deal at $2.1 billion. Tosco stocks have soared as the company positions itself to become one of the largest independent gasoline refiner and retailer in the U.S.

Wall Street loves Tosco. Investment analysts Roger Perkins, Mario Gabelli, and Mike Price commented to the financial weekly Barron's, during a January investment roundtable:

"Price: But there's nobody in the industry like [Tosco CEO Thomas D.] O'Malley."

"Gabelli: He's terrific."

"Perkins: A great manager. . ."

Tosco built its reputation according to a Bloomberg Business News article, "using a combination of bare- knuckled union negotiations and savvy oil purchasing."

The Bloomberg Business News adds, "Tosco has wrung much higher profits from refining than competitors such as Unocal and Diamond Shamrock."

Tosco eliminated one-third of the job positions at its Trainor, Pennsylvania, refinery after locking out members of the OCAW. CEO O'Malley told Unocal refinery workers in a series of "townhall" style meetings that union contracts would be voided at the successful completion of Tosco's purchase of 76 Products. New contracts could be negotiated, but Tosco planned to rehire only the most productive former Unocal workers. Most workers expect significant cuts in both management and the hourly workforce.

Tosco's refinery fire and safety departments have come under the ax as well. A separate fire department at the Avon refinery was eliminated ten years ago. According to the union, Tosco plans to eliminate the fire and safety inspectors department at its 76 Products facilities. These key safety responsibilities will fall on unit operators. In addition, Tosco negotiators plan for operators to do mechanical maintenance in their units as well.

Jim Gotesky is a member of OCAW 1-326 at Unocal in Rodeo, California.

Long list of refinery accidents
SAN FRANCISCO - THE FOLLOWING PARTIAL LIST OF REFINERY ACCIDENTS IS TAKEN FROM LISTS COMPILED BY STAFF WRITERS DUKE HELFAND AND CHRIS KRAUL FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES AND STEVE KEARSLEY FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:
THERE ARE 5 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA REFINERIES: TOSCO, SHELL, CHEVRON, UNOCAL AND EXXON.

TOSCO, INC.:

JAN. 21, 1997 - EXPLOSION KILLS ONE AND INJURES 25.

JUNE 18, 1993 - PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE MALFUNCTIONS, RELEASING HYDROCARBONS AND SENDING SEVERAL PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND EYE IRRITATIONS.

APRIL 7, 1983 - CATALYTIC UNIT EXPLODES, KILLING ONE WORKER AND INJURING TWO.

SHELL OIL CO.:

APRIL 1, 1996 - SPECTACULAR EXPLOSION SENDS UP FIREBALL

FEB. 1, 1996 - HYDROGEN UNIT EXPLODES, INJURING TWO WORKERS.

SEPT. 5, 1989 - EXPLOSION INJURES TWO WORKERS.

UNOCAL:

JUNE 17, 1995 - TANK FIRE FORCES EVACUATION OF HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES FROM CROCKETT BECAUSE OF FUMES.

AUG. 22, 1994 - CHEMICAL CLOUDS RELEASED, COVERING CROCKETT AND OTHER COMMUNITIES. MORE THAN 1,000 SEEK TREATMENT FOR VOMITING, DIARRHEA AND OTHER AFFLICTIONS.

CHEVRON:

MARCH 10, 1994 - DANGEROUS H2S GAS EMITTED, SICKENING RESIDENTS FOR MILES AROUND.

DEC. 5, 1991 - TOXIC CLOUD EMITTED OVER POINT RICHMOND AREA, CAUSING RASHES AND OTHER AFFLICTIONS.

APRIL 10, 1989 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE INJURES NINE WORKERS, BLACK CLOUDS DROP RESIDUE ON AREA FOR DAYS.

EXXON:

AUG. 10, 1992 - FIRE SHUTS DOWN HYDROCRACKER UNIT, NOBODY INJURED.

FEB. 23, 1985 - STORAGE TANK FIRE INJURES FOUR WORKERS.

LOS ANGELES AREA:
LOS ANGELES IS HOME TO 13 REFINERIES: CHEVRON, ARCO, MOBIL, TEXACO, ULTRAMAR, FLETCHER, MACMILLAN, HUNTWAY, UNOCAL AT CARSON, UNOCAL AT WILMINGTON, POWERINE, PARAMOUNT, AND WORLD OIL.

ARCO:

JAN. 2, 1990 - FIRE ERUPTS WITH NO INJURIES.

AUG. 13, 1990 - FIRE ERUPTS WITH NO INJURIES.

NOV. 21, 1988 - FIRE INJURES ONE WORKER.

JULY 29, 1988 - FIRE CAUSES PARTIAL SHUTDOWN AT REFINERY. NO INJURIES.

OCT. 2, 1986 - FIRE CAUSES NO INJURIES.

AUG. 24, 1986 - FIRE ERUPTS, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THREE WORKERS.

CHEVRON:

JANUARY 1992 - STEAM BLAST INJURES 10 WORKERS.

NOV. 17, 1989 - BLAZE BREAKS OUT WITH NO INJURIES.

MOBIL OIL:

SEPT. 7, 1996 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE ERUPTS WITH NO INJURIES OR EVACUATIONS.

OCT. 19, 1994 - BLAST INJURES 28 WORKERS.

NOV. 5, 1990 - SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS SETS OFF FIRE SEVERELY BURNING AN EMPLOYEE.

FEB. 15, 1989 - SMALL FIRE WITHOUT INJURIES.

JULY 15, 1988 - TWO UNRELATED EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES OCCURRED ON THE SAME DAY, ONE WORKER DIES, 10 SERIOUSLY INJURED.

NOV. 24, 1987 - TWO-DAY FIRE SHATTERS WINDOWS IN NEARBY HOMES, INJURES 10 WORKERS AND CAUSES $17 MILLION IN DAMAGE.

POWERLINE OIL:

FEB. 19, 1990 - CHEMICAL LEAK INJURES SEVEN WORKERS.

SHELL OIL CO.:

MARCH 15, 1990 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE INJURES TWO WORKERS.

TEXACO, INC.:

NOV. 11, 1996 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE WITH NO INJURIES OR EVACUATIONS.

OCT. 8, 1992 - BLAST INJURES 16 WORKERS, 500 RESIDENTS EVACUATED.

ULTRAMAR CORP.

OCT. 24, 1996 - EXPLOSION INJURES ONE WORKER.

JUNE 23, 1995 - EXPLOSION SPARKS A FIRE WITH NO INJURIES.

FEB. 16, 1989 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE FORCED EVACUATION OF 750 WORKERS. NO INJURIES.

UNOCAL:

MARCH 17, 1991 - BLAZE BREAKS OUT WITH NO INJURIES.

- J.G.  
 
 
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