Pocatello, Idaho – Loren Kim Jacobson, 65, of Pocatello, and owner of a tanker testing and repair company, KCCS Inc., pleaded guilty to violating safety standards and making false statements to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigator.
According to the plea agreement, the KCCS employee’s welder flame pierced the skin of the tanker, which contained residual flammable material, resulting in the tanker exploding on August 14, 2018. The explosion severely injured a KCCS employee.
After the explosion, an OSHA investigator interviewed Jacobson about the circumstances surrounding the accident, as part of an investigation into whether Jacobson had violated OSHA safety standards for cargo tanker repair work. Jacobson made a materially false statement to the OSHA investigator during that interview, namely that his employee was merely an ‘observer,’ not an employee, and that KCCS did not have any employees.
“The terrible injuries involved this case are a stark reminder of the need for workplace safety requirements and enforcement,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. “I commend the investigators at OSHA, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency for uncovering the evidence in this case.”
Jacobson also admits in the plea agreement that he did not possess the necessary certification to conduct cargo tanker repairs that he regularly conducted. Under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, all repairs to the skin of a cargo tanker require that the repairperson hold an ‘R-stamp,’ which can be obtained only after meeting extensive training requirements.
Defendant: Loren Kim Jacobson, 65, of Pocatello, Idaho
Criminal Charges: Violating safety standards and making false statements to OSHA investigator
City and State: Pocatello, Idaho
Exact Date: August 14, 2018
Sentence or Outcome: Jacobson pleaded guilty to the charges
Dollar Amounts: None mentioned in the source
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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