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Shell Says It Has No Plans To Close Beaver Co. Cracker Plant After 9th Worker Tests Positive For Coronavirus

BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Beaver County commissioner is sounding the alarm after a ninth employee at the Shell cracker plant tested positive for coronavirus.

Despite a growing number of cases, Shell says it has no plans to halt construction on the multi-billion-dollar plant.

But Daniel Camp, the chairman of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners, is concerned enough to call the state to investigate.

There are 3,500 employees currently working at the plant in Monaca. Of those, nine have tested positive and 38 are self-isolating.

"We have employees reaching out to us every day about things that aren't getting done," Camp said.

But Shell insists it is taking several steps to make the plant safe, including following CDC and Pa. Department of Health guidelines, social distancing, mandatory masks, sanitizing stations, temperature screenings and plastic dividers in the lunchroom.

But Camp isn't so sure. He wants the state to investigate before it gets potentially out of control.

"The commissioners have no authority," Camp said. "We need the state to step in. They need to go in and see what is happening there. This could be like Brighton Rehab. We don't want it to be too late."

Shell insists they have no plans to shut down, but they say they won't expand the workforce anytime soon.

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