CSB Safety Video: Safety Pays Off - The Value of Vigilance

Facing a potential shutdown due to a proposal to eliminate its funding for the 2026 fiscal year, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has released a new video outlining the importance of safety at chemical facilities and the significant role that the CSB plays in protecting the American people and improving safety in the chemical industry. Titled, “Safety Pays Off: The Value of Vigilance,” the video includes animations from several recent incidents investigated by the CSB, as well as commentary from CSB Chairperson Steve Owens.

With fewer than 50 employees and an annual budget of just $14.4 million, the CSB plays a critical role in driving chemical safety excellence in the United States. Over its 27-year history, the CSB has investigated nearly 180 major chemical incidents that have resulted in more than 200 fatalities, over 1,300 serious injuries, and billions of dollars in damage to property and the environment, including damage to chemical facilities and nearby homes and businesses. The incidents have harmed communities and caused significant business disruptions, including job losses and reduced earnings for the American chemical industry.  

The CSB has shared lessons learned from those tragedies through the agency’s many investigation reports, recommendations, and safety videos. In response to the incidents investigated by the CSB, the agency has issued over 1,000 recommendations to make the chemical industry safer, while maintaining economic productivity, protecting jobs, and keeping workers and communities safe. The CSB’s work has resulted in significant safety improvements at facilities throughout the country across a wide variety of industries. 

In the video Chairperson Owens states, “There’s a saying among safety experts that, if you think safety is expensive, try having an accident." Chemical incidents are always costly, but several of the recent incidents investigated by the CSB have resulted in incredible economic losses for chemical companies and local businesses, caused deaths and serious injuries, and put nearby communities and workers at serious risk.

The incidents addressed in the video include:

• The January 24, 2020, explosion at the Watson Grinding facility in Houston, Texas, that fatally injured three people and resulted in approximately $90 million in settlements and judgement amounts.
• The November 27, 2019, explosions and fires at the TPC Group chemical plant in Port Neches, Texas that injured three people, and caused $450 million in on-site property damage, and $153 million in damage to nearby homes and businesses. 
• The June 21, 2019, fire and explosions at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that caused $750 million in property damage and ultimately led to the refinery’s closure and the loss of more than 1,000 jobs.
• And the April 26, 2018, explosion and fires at the Husky Refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, that injured 36 people and caused more than $550 million in property damage to the facility.

Chairperson Steve Owens concludes the video by stating,

“If the CSB’s many safety lessons have prevented at least one catastrophic chemical incident, the money saved by protecting lives, preventing serious injuries and damage to facilities, safeguarding surrounding communities, and avoiding costly litigation and legal settlements far exceeds the CSB’s modest annual budget. The CSB more than pays for itself in costs saved by preventing serious chemical incidents.”

About the CSB

The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency whose mission is to drive chemical safety change through independent investigations to protect people and the environment. The agency’s board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical incidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems. The CSB does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. For more information, please visit www.csb.gov.