Tesoro Appeals $2.39M Fine for WA Refinery Blast

Tesoro Corp. is appealing the $2.39 million fine issued by Washington state to an independent board, after the state Department of Labor and Industries affirmed the penalties and violations in December 2010.

The company filed an appeal with the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals. The three-member board is an independent state agency that is appointed by the governor.

In October 2010, Tesoro was cited by the Department of Labor and Industries for 39 willful and five serious violations of state workplace safety and health regulations. The citation was issued after a six-month investigation into a deadly explosion at Tesoro’s Anacortes oil refinery in April. Seven workers were killed.

Labor spokeswoman Elaine Fischer says her department was notified.