“As a result of these two regulations, there is now a higher likelihood for human errors entering into maintenance work performed by contractor resources,” the report said, also noting that one team of contract workers created the maintenance operation plan, while a different team executed it, without the necessary supervision.
TIMEC did not return a request for comment by publication.
Shortly after the Martinez refinery resumed operations in April, Valero announced it planned to close down its Benicia refinery, just across the Carquinez Strait, within a year, citing burdensome state regulations.
The report on the Martinez fire also emphasized that, despite these restrictions, PBF Energy must do more to ensure its operations are conducted safely.
The report noted that “operational presence from start of job until work is in a safe state is required but not always enforced, and was not in place.”
“As owners of the facility, operations cannot allow the poor performance of others to impact the safety and performance of the refinery,” it said, recommending that the refinery increase oversight of such operations and ensure that workers understand hazard risks before starting projects.
The February fire, which started around 1:30 p.m. on a Saturday, was the third major incident at the Martinez refinery since Shell sold it to PBF Energy in 2020 — including the release of nearly 50,000 pounds of powdered industrial chemicals into the air in 2022. The incident prompted a growing number of nearby residents to demand greater oversight of the facility, with some calling for it to be shut down altogether.
“It just seems like this kind of stuff is happening more and more, which is really scary,” Samantha Viano, who has lived in Martinez for 30 years, told KQED after the February fire. “How are they going to stop this from happening? Because I think the whole community is really scared now.”
KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti contributed to this report.
