BP Withholds Oil Spill Facts — and Government Lets It

[tekisui]

Source: McClatchy

WASHINGTON — BP, the company in charge of the rig that exploded last month in the Gulf of Mexico, hasn't publicly divulged the results of tests on the extent of workers' exposure to evaporating oil or from the burning of crude over the gulf, even though researchers say that data is crucial in determining whether the conditions are safe.

Moreover, the company isn't monitoring the extent of the spill and only reluctantly released videos of the spill site that could give scientists a clue to the amount of the oil in gulf.

BP's role as the primary source of information has raised questions about whether the government should intervene to gather such data and to publicize it and whether an adequate cleanup can be accomplished without the details of crude oil spreading across the gulf.

Under pressure from senators, BP released four videos Tuesday, but it hasn't agreed to better monitoring.

The company also hasn't publicly released air sampling for oil spill workers although Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the agency in charge of monitoring compliance with worker safety regulations, is relying on the information and has urged it to do so.

"It is not ours to publish," said Dean Wingo, OSHA's assistant regional administrator who oversees Louisiana. "We are working with (BP) and encouraging them to post the data so that it is publicly available."

Much of the worker exposure data is being collected by contractors hired by BP.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/18/94415/bps-secrecy-keep-facts-on-gulf.html#ixzz0oPJbRtA9

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Are they legally required to publish the information?

[skeptical cynic]

2. They are legally required to provide it to the employees

Employees may release the information if they choose to.

[skeptical cynic]

3. Releasing the data

The question was raised regarding whether BP is legally required to release the data. This is only part of the issue.

Employees working on the spill response are entitled to see not only their own exposure data, but the exposure data of other employees engaged in similar tasks. Unions representing employees are also entitled to see the data.

As a simple matter of preserving what little bit of credibility BP may tenuously cling to, it should release the data as a matter of good faith.

As terrible as this situation is, it's giving the public a clear picture of how the oil industry puts profit before human life and environmental protection, and who ineffectively a government controlled by corporations fulfills its most legitimate function--to defend and protect citizens.

[truedelphi]

4. Thankyou for that decent explanation. n/t

[Catherina]

5. I hope the public is paying attention

Your last sentence is very important

"As terrible as this situation is, it's giving the public a clear picture of how the oil industry puts profit before human life and environmental protection, and how ineffectively a government controlled by corporations fulfills its most legitimate function--to defend and protect citizens".

Under our current system, whoever controls the capital controls our fate. This can not stand.

[Rex]

6. It must be bad. Really, really bad.

If the government is going along with this, we have a major problem and they don't want to cause widespread panic or hysteria. So everyone panic!!! JK

My 2 cents.

[amborin]

7. NOAA, too:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/18/oil-s...

[Catherina]

8. Mother of God!

"It is not ours to publish," said Dean Wingo, OSHA's assistant regional administrator who oversees Louisiana. "We are working with (BP) and encouraging them to post the data so that it is publicly available."

What surreal dream is this? Is this America or British Petroleum Land?

Why don't we just ask BP how much of a token fine they'd like to pay?