ARCO CHEMICAL CO
SHELDON ROAD, Channelview, TX 77530
Having inspection records is common for businesses in regulated industries. Data and methodology
Inspection records
Oct 9, 1996#301305868Oct 9, 1996Monitoring (D) · Partial scope, Safety#301305868$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #301305868
Dates
- Opened
- Oct 9, 1996
- Closing Conference Date
- Oct 9, 1996
- Closed
- Oct 10, 1996
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 660
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- 2502 Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Monitoring Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a monitoring inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. The public DOL category label is preserved here without adding extra interpretation beyond the government label.
Chemical Exposure Sampling2 substances sampled
Air monitoring samples collected by OSHA during this inspection. Results grouped by substance.
| Substance | Samples | Result Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Butanone | 2 | 0.6253 - 0.8716 | ppm |
| Toluene | 2 | 0.2464 - 0.4737 | ppm |
Jun 9, 1994#123559569Jun 9, 1994Monitoring (D) · Partial scope, Health#123559569$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #123559569
Dates
- Opened
- Jun 9, 1994
- Closing Conference Date
- Jun 29, 1994
- Closed
- Aug 10, 1994
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 660
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- 2502 Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Monitoring Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a monitoring inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. The public DOL category label is preserved here without adding extra interpretation beyond the government label.
Oct 13, 1992#109452011Oct 13, 1992Monitoring (D) · Complete scope, Safety#109452011$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #109452011
Dates
- Opened
- Oct 13, 1992
- Closing Conference Date
- Oct 21, 1992
- Closed
- Nov 4, 1992
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 350
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- 2502 Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Monitoring Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a monitoring inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. The public DOL category label is preserved here without adding extra interpretation beyond the government label.
Jul 6, 1990#110318540Jul 6, 1990FatalityAccident (A) · Partial scope, SafetyFatality#110318540$3,481,300363 viol.363 violations$3,481,300 in penalties
Inspection #110318540
Dates
- Opened
- Jul 6, 1990
- Closing Conference Date
- Dec 20, 1990
- Closed
- Nov 7, 1996
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 350
- Related Activity
- 1 accident
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 363
- Violation Types
- 17 serious, 346 willful
- Initial Penalties
- $3,481,300
- Penalties on Record
- $3,481,300
- Site Address
- 2502 Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Accident Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as an accident inspection in the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data. Employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours, and work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye within 24 hours. An accident-related inspection does not by itself determine fault.
Incident Investigation Summaries
Incident investigation summaries linked to this inspection through OSHA's accident and injury enforcement data. These summaries describe the reported incident. The enforcement outcome for the linked inspection is in the inspection details above.
Over thirteen killed in explosion and fire at chemical plant
Enforcement Outcome
Final orders are recorded through Jan 3, 1991. Penalty changes shown on this page reflect the latest amounts published in OSHA's enforcement data.
Violations
Violation list (5 of 363 shown)
| Citation | Standard | Type | Instances | Exposed | Initial | Current | Abatement | Contest | Final Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01001A | 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA citation code: 19100120 P07 II | Serious | 1 | 20 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Jul 3, 1991 | - | - |
| 01001B | 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA citation code: 19100120 P07 II | Serious | 1 | 20 | $0 | $0 | Jul 3, 1991 | - | - |
| 01002 | 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA citation code: 19100120 P08 IIB | Serious | 1 | 20 | $600 | $600 | Jul 3, 1991 | - | - |
| 01003 | 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA citation code: 19100120 P08 IIF | Serious | 1 | 20 | $600 | $600 | Jul 3, 1991 | - | - |
| 01004 | 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA citation code: 19100120 P08 IVB | Serious | 1 | 20 | $500 | $500 | Jul 3, 1991 | - | - |
Showing the 5 violations listed first by citation identifier. This inspection has 363 total violations documented in the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement database. The complete violation list is available at enforcedata.dol.gov.
Sep 14, 1988#106848963Sep 14, 1988FatalityAccident (A) · Partial scope, SafetyFatality#106848963$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #106848963
Dates
- Opened
- Sep 14, 1988
- Closing Conference Date
- Sep 23, 1988
- Closed
- Jan 26, 1993
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 180
- Related Activity
- 1 accident
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- 2502 Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Accident Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as an accident inspection in the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data. Employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours, and work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye within 24 hours. An accident-related inspection does not by itself determine fault.
Incident Investigation Summaries
Incident investigation summaries linked to this inspection through OSHA's accident and injury enforcement data. These summaries describe the reported incident. The enforcement outcome for the linked inspection is in the inspection details above.
Employee killed when struck by exploding fire extinguisher
Oct 15, 1986#103570354Oct 15, 1986Complaint (B) · Partial scope, Health#103570354$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #103570354
Dates
- Opened
- Oct 15, 1986
- Closing Conference Date
- Nov 18, 1986
- Closed
- Dec 17, 1986
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- No
- Owner Type
- Private
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 800
- Related Activity
- 1 complaint
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- South Plant, Gate 4 Sheldon Rd., Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Complaint Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a complaint inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. OSHA can open complaint-driven inspections after receiving safety or health complaints from workers or their representatives.
Chemical Exposure Sampling3 substances sampled
Air monitoring samples collected by OSHA during this inspection. Results grouped by substance.
| Substance | Samples | Result Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Particulates not otherwise regulated (Total Dust) | 1 | 0 | mg/m³ |
| Sodium Hydroxide | 1 | 0.049 | mg/m³ |
| Styrene | 2 | 0 - 26.5 | ppm |
Jan 25, 1983#16750200Jan 25, 1983Planned (H) · Complete scope, Health#16750200$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #16750200
Dates
- Opened
- Jan 25, 1983
- Closing Conference Date
- Jan 28, 1983
- Closed
- Feb 17, 1983
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- Not recorded
- Owner Type
- Not recorded
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 950
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- 8280 Sheldon, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Planned Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a planned inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. Planned inspections are part of OSHA's scheduled enforcement activity rather than being opened directly from a complaint or reported incident at that worksite.
May 9, 1977#16819773May 9, 1977Complaint (B) · Partial scope, Safety#16819773$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #16819773
Dates
- Opened
- May 9, 1977
- Closing Conference Date
- May 9, 1977
- Closed
- Mar 10, 1984
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- Not recorded
- Owner Type
- Not recorded
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 695
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Complaint Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a complaint inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. OSHA can open complaint-driven inspections after receiving safety or health complaints from workers or their representatives.
Sep 9, 1976#16793556Sep 9, 1976Complaint (B) · Partial scope, Health#16793556$01 viol.1 violation$0 in penalties
Inspection #16793556
Dates
- Opened
- Sep 9, 1976
- Closing Conference Date
- Jan 19, 1977
- Closed
- Jun 6, 1978
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- Not recorded
- Owner Type
- Not recorded
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 690
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 1
- Violation Types
- 1 other-than-serious
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Complaint Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as a complaint inspection in the DOL OSHA enforcement data. OSHA can open complaint-driven inspections after receiving safety or health complaints from workers or their representatives.
Violations
Violation list (1 of 1 shown)
| Citation | Standard | Type | Instances | Exposed | Initial | Current | Abatement | Contest | Final Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01001 | 1910.95 Occupational Noise Exposure OSHA citation code: 19100095 B01 | Other | 1 | - | $0 | $0 | Mar 1, 1978 | - | - |
Aug 20, 1976#16748527Aug 20, 1976Accident (A) · Partial scope, Safety#16748527$00 viol.0 violations$0 in penalties
Inspection #16748527
Dates
- Opened
- Aug 20, 1976
- Closing Conference Date
- Feb 7, 1977
- Closed
- Mar 10, 1984
Inspection
- Advance Notice
- Not recorded
- Owner Type
- Not recorded
- Union Status
- No
- Number of Employees
- 690
- Related Activity
- 1 accident
Violations and Penalties
- Total Violations
- 0
- Initial Penalties
- $0
- Penalties on Record
- $0
- Site Address
- Sheldon Road, Channelview, TX 77530
- Industry
- Not classified in OSHA's inspection record.
Accident Inspection: This inspection record is categorized as an accident inspection in the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data. Employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours, and work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye within 24 hours. An accident-related inspection does not by itself determine fault.
Penalty amounts may differ from final amounts after settlement or judicial review. How to read these records
About these records
A company page groups inspections with the same normalized employer name, city and state; it is not a legal-entity identifier (how pages are grouped).
This page displays public OSHA enforcement data. Status text follows the DOL inspection record first and may include citation-level context when the inspection feed and citation records are out of sync. Penalty amounts shown reflect the latest penalty amounts on record in the DOL database and may differ from initial assessments or final amounts. This is not an official OSHA resource.
OSHA's public enforcement data does not publish a "guilty" or "not guilty" field for inspections. The closest outcome fields available are the citation counts, penalty amounts, contest dates, final-order dates, and the inspection close date shown on this page. How to interpret these status fields. How initial and current penalties are recorded.
OSHA may publish multiple citation rows in the same inspection with the same standard and penalty fields. Separate rows can still differ in OSHA metadata such as citation identifier, recorded instance count, exposed workers, or gravity value. Contest and Final Order columns show citation-level dates from OSHA's enforcement record. A dash means OSHA's record does not currently show that activity for the citation.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA incident investigation data (`osha_accident` + `osha_accident_injury`). Linked via `rel_insp_nr` to the inspection activity number (exact government key). Injury, body part, source and event values are OSHA's own codes. OSHA states that these fields are not coded according to the requirements under the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS). Only the values present in the OSHA record are listed; an incident with no value that resolves in OSHA's code table shows "Injury details not recorded". Where a record covers several people, each field lists every value recorded across them.
Source: OSHA chemical exposure sampling data (OSHA Information System). P = Personal (worker breathing zone), A = Area (general air). Rows marked QC are analytical quality control measurements, not chemical exposures. OSHA PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) values from the OSHA Occupational Chemical Database, matched via IMIS substance code (analyte code) (exact government key).
Understanding These Penalties
The maximum penalty for a serious violation in 2025 is $16,550 per violation. For willful violations, the range is $11,823 to $165,514. The current penalty column shows the latest amount on record in OSHA's database for each citation. When the current penalty differs from the initial penalty, OSHA's records show that the amount changed during the enforcement process, but this page does not determine the specific reason for each change. Penalty amounts are set by OSHA and adjusted annually for inflation.
10 inspections, 1976 to 1996. Each row is one inspection; point at or tap a row for its dates and totals.
Source: DOL OSHA enforcement data (inspections and violations), linked via activity_nr (exact government key).
Penalty changes: Amounts shown reflect what OSHA's enforcement record publishes. The reason for any change is not stated unless OSHA's record explicitly says so.
Short cases: When a case closed soon after it opened, the closed marker is drawn slightly to the right so both markers stay visible. Each row's card shows the exact dates.
Standards cited
Chemical exposure sampling
Sample results are listed in the record of each inspection that collected them.