To the editor:
Why did three people die at the Salem power plant? What caused the explosion and who was to blame?
The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety issued its report on July 31, and did not mince words in describing the neglect and mismanagement that resulted in the tragic deaths of three workers. Here are some excerpts:
"Boiler #3 was routinely operated at a capacity above the rated steam flow for the boiler... [which] can have a negative effect on the life of the boiler."
Dominion pushed the boiler beyond its capacity.
"All 4 boilers at the Salem Harbor station were in a dangerous condition. ... It was common knowledge that the area was packed with ash. Sixteen locations across the commonwealth with the potential of having dead air spaces where ash could build up and create a problem... had those spaces inspected within the past year."
This accident was predictable and preventable. Dominion acted less responsibly in Salem than other plants have.
"Plant control room operators admitted to cooling down the boilers without following manufacturer procedures and did not take measures to ensure the boilers were not cooled too quickly... creat[ing] unnecessary and excessive thermal stresses on boiler components."
Speed, not the safety of workers, was the priority.
"A review of... outstanding work orders demonstrated a large backlog of approximately 2,500 work orders on plant equipment. ... Several witnesses stated that the boiler outages were reduced from 6 week outages down to 2-4 week outages. ... This made it difficult for the plant to take care of all the outstanding maintenances and the plant went from a preventive maintenance mentality to 'putting out fires.'"
Dominion decided to cut time and funds for maintenance.
"Massachusetts General Law states that 'all steam boilers and their appurtenances ... shall be thoroughly inspected externally and internally at least once a year.' Engineer-in-charge ... reported seeing documents that demonstrated that work had been performed in the ... space in approximately 1999."
For nine years Dominion knew that they were breaking a law designed to provide a safe workplace.
"The report reports practices that are known to increase corrosion to metal parts ... like washing them down with water and allowing ash buildup, with the result that all 4 boilers were in a dangerous condition."
Years of neglect, abuse of equipment, and ignoring safety laws, killed workers who trusted their employer.
This power plant was not safe — and is not safe — for its workers, for its immediate neighbors, and for the community.
Lynn Nadeau
Co-founder and treasurer
Healthlink
Marblehead
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