Chemical manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones LLC is set to pay $1.3 million in penalties following a fatal explosion at its Waukegan plant in May 2019, which resulted in the deaths of four workers. This settlement comes after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revealed that the company failed to ensure compliance with electrical equipment standards and used propane-powered forklifts for transporting flammable liquids.

The agreement requires AB Specialty Silicones to halt production and use of silicon-hydride emulsions across all facilities until a new process area is designed by an engineering firm. OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan commented, “This agreement will never replace the four workers lost in this preventable tragedy, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

On October 1, 2024, an Administrative Law Judge from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission accepted the settlement notification, ending legal proceedings. The agreement outlines several safety measures that AB Specialty Silicones must implement, including developing a comprehensive safety management system, conducting evacuation drills, providing multilingual safety training for employees, and ensuring management receives specialized training on handling flammable materials.

The company has also agreed to purchase industrial trucks suitable for handling flammable materials and conduct audits of its occupational health and safety systems at all facilities. Additionally, third-party consultants will assist with analyzing electrical classifications and hazards for any future or rebuilt facilities.

AB Specialty Silicones will make penalty payments over 12 quarterly installments through September 1, 2027. A missed payment would result in the entire penalty becoming due immediately.

AB Specialty Silicones is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, where it manufactures and distributes specialty silicone chemicals.