|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The most recent report on a fire nearly two years ago at the Martinez Renewable Fuels facility that left one worker hospitalized says the facility needs to fill gaps in its culture and communication going forward.
The facility, a joint venture partnership between Marathon Petroleum and Neste, is “seemingly constrained by shortcomings” in proactive safety management and communication and is ranked below industry benchmarks for some metrics, according to a Contra Costa Health-commissioned safety culture assessment discussed at a Monday public hearing hosted in Martinez by Contra Costa Health.
The assessment was performed by consultants Motive Power and B-Safe Management Solutions, which looked to evaluate the safety culture of the Martinez facility following the fire on Nov. 19, 2023.
The fire was the result of a tube rupturing as a recycle furnace was being started up, according to a previous report by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Refinery worker Jerome Serrano was injured in the fire, with much of his body being burned. He was in critical condition for more than six months before being transferred to a rehabilitation center, according to the report.
The latest assessment commissioned by the county recommends nine steps the facility should take to improve safety. Of those, three are of the highest importance: prioritizing safety and resource allocation, fostering a work environment where employees feel comfortable reporting safety issues, and improving communication.
Working through the steps recommended in the assessment is “a pathway to move forward,” Contra Costa County Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston said at the hearing.
Monday’s public hearing drew only three public comments, two of which were from the Martinez facility and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
“The safety of our employees, our contractors and neighbors remain our highest priority,” said Chris Staats, the plant manager at the facility.
“We understand that trust is earned through action. That’s why we remain focused on listening, learning and doing the work” to ensure transparency and collaboration, he said.
The hearing also comes months after the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board published its final report into the fire.
The assessment and a summary of the fire can be viewed on Contra Costa Health’s website at together.cchealth.org/marathon-hazmat.
The public comment period for the assessment began on July 7 and is open until Aug. 21. Comments can be made through email at hazmat.arpteam@cchealth.org or by mail to the Contra Costa Health Hazardous Materials Programs at 4585 Pacheco Blvd., Suite 100, Martinez, CA 94553.
— Story by Samantha Kennedy, Bay City News
Community Briefs: Tango and Jazz at City Center | Alamo and Danville road closuresApril 3, 2026 9:31 am
