The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing more than $3.5 million in fines against three companies for alleged worker safety violations connected to a sulfuric acid spill in Channelview late last year. The spill, which occurred in December 2025 at a BWC Terminals facility along the Houston Ship Channel, released approximately 1 million gallons of sulfuric acid.
Two people were hospitalized and 44 others were treated for injuries at the scene, according to Houston Public Media. Some of the spilled acid entered the Houston Ship Channel, prompting environmental concerns and a large-scale cleanup operation.
OSHA found that BWC Terminals employees mixed fresh and contaminated sulfuric acid, creating tank overpressure that caused a supply line to rupture. The agency is proposing a fine of $82,750 against BWC for six citations, including alleged failures to provide hazardous materials training and deficiencies in respirator usage.
BWC Terminals said in a statement that it is contesting OSHA’s findings. “BWC does not agree that it bypassed OSHA requirements or took actions that put workers at risk, and we believe the record will reflect that,” the company said, as reported by Houston Public Media. BWC contracted with Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc. to clean up the spill. Coastal Environmental then hired One Way Environmental Services LLC as a subcontractor to provide workers during the cleanup process.
The largest proposed fine targets One Way Environmental Services LLC. OSHA is seeking $3,045,452 for 18 willful egregious and five serious violations, alleging the company sent employees to clean up the spill without proper training, safety measures, or respirator fit tests. Coastal Environmental Solutions Inc. faces $392,501 in proposed fines for two willful and five serious violations, including alleged failures to properly train employees and create an emergency response plan for hazardous waste.
“Despite having full knowledge of the severe hazards involved in the spill and cleanup response, these three employers chose to bypass OSHA requirements and put their workers at serious risk,” Assistant Secretary for Occupational Health and Safety David Keeling said in a news release. “Their joint failure to protect workers was not an oversight, it was a choice that resulted in preventable employee injuries and environmental impacts.”
The Channelview spill and subsequent enforcement action highlight ongoing safety challenges along the Houston Ship Channel, one of the nation’s busiest industrial corridors. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo praised the investigation, calling it an important statement about worker safety in the county’s industrial sector. The three companies have 15 business days from the citation date to comply, request an informal conference, or contest the findings.
