J.M. Brennan Inc. and Rexnord Corp.

Milwaukee, WI: (Sep-21-07) The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) brought charges against J.M. Brennan Inc. and Rexnord Corp., following an explosion at Falk Corp.'s Menomonee Valley plant that killed three workers. In a settlement reached, J.M. Brennan agreed to a $5,600 fine, considerably less than the $16,800 that OSHA levied on the mechanical contractor in May 2007. The fines were issued in the wake of the blast caused by a propane leak that ripped through Falk's Menomonee Valley plant on Dec. 6, 2006. The explosion killed Falk employees Curtis Lane, Thomas Letendre, and Daniel Kuster. The reduction came after OSHA dropped a claim that J.M. Brennan improperly installed the underground propane pipe implicated in the explosion. J.M. Brennan was the contractor hired by Falk to install the propane pipe. The fines related to the two remaining OSHA citations against Brennan on emergency response planning and training were reduced by 50%.

As part of the settlement agreement reached with West Milwaukee-based Rexnord Corp., the company agreed to a $40,000 payout. The amount was reduced from an original $56,000 judgment. OSHA issued eight citations against Rexnord of failing to properly maintain the pipe and failing to meet training and emergency response standards. [MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL: PROPANE EXPLOSION]

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Published on Sep-24-07