Iowa plant had no working fire alarm, sprinkler system or emergency plan at time of Dec. explosion
Records KCCI Investigates received through a public records request show C6-Zero did not take precautions to prevent vapors from igniting, employees were not given proper training on hazardous chemicals and the plant had no working emergency action plan at the time of the explosion.
Records KCCI Investigates received through a public records request show C6-Zero did not take precautions to prevent vapors from igniting, employees were not given proper training on hazardous chemicals and the plant had no working emergency action plan at the time of the explosion.
Records KCCI Investigates received through a public records request show C6-Zero did not take precautions to prevent vapors from igniting, employees were not given proper training on hazardous chemicals and the plant had no working emergency action plan at the time of the explosion.
An Iowa company was fined $95,711 and had no working emergency plan, fire alarm or sprinkler system at the time of an explosion that hurt several employees, newly released records show.
C6- Zero exploded on Dec. 8, sending a plume of smoke seen for miles. Fire departments and first responders from as far as 50 miles away responded to the scene.
The company, according to its website, broke down roofing shingles into three different products, sand, oil and fiberglass and recycled them.
Once the fine was given by Iowa OSHA and the case was closed, KCCI Investigates filed a public records request for documents and photos related to the case and penalties issued by OSHA. The 389-page document describes the infractions and fines the company received, along with email correspondence between the state and the company.
C6-Zero received two citations that were later deleted after an informal settlement, they were for not having a fire alarm and not notifying OSHA of the hospitalization of an employee within 24 hours. The company received 13 other infractions, including not having a proper sprinkler system, not having an emergency action plan, not taking the proper precautions to prevent vapors from igniting, not properly training employees for handling hazardous chemicals and more.
State investigators say the fire was accidental and started after flammable vapors ignited and exploded due to a mechanical failure. Employees, and people on a tour inside the plan, were hurt.
Records also show OSHA investigators were notified about the explosion through reporting on KCCI.
Email correspondence between the company and the state shows the company was not fully operational at the time of the explosion and was still testing and evaluating its process.
"C6-Zero has not begun full production," the company's HR director wrote to the state in an email dated Dec. 20, 2022. "We have been piloting the process and the equipment since October 2022. The machines were not running on a consistent basis or at high volume. They were routinely shut down for testing, evaluation, and adjustment."
KCCI Investigates called and emailed lawyers for the company, but none responded as of 5:00 on Thursday evening.
Photos released by Iowa OSHA show the aftermath near what appears to be the explosion area.