The Occupational Safety and Health Administration handed down close to $100,000 in fines on Wednesday (8-20) to the group and the owners of the night club. 

The fines were for several violations in workplace safety regulations. This decision came six months to the day of the deadly night club fire. 

OSHA found the club owners Derco LLC, guilty of one ‘willful’ violation for installing an exit door that swung the wrong way. There were six additional serious violations including inadequate safety planning, the use of highly flammable foam on the walls as sound proofing and an exit door that was concealed by soundproofing foam.  Derco, which is ran by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian were fined $85,200 for these violations.

Great White was also fined. Jack Russell Touring Inc., was fined $7,000 for failing to protect employees from fire hazards. 

Both parties will have 15 days to appeal the OSHA ruling. 

Criminal Charges May Be Handed Down.

The Boston Globe reports that state prosecutors are close to completing their criminal investigation and are expected to ask a grand jury for involuntary manslaughter indictments against the club owners, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and the band’s tour manager, Daniel Biechele. 

The Globe article states that “lawyers say it is unlikely there will be indictments of the members of GREAT WHITE, who approved of Biechele's use of the pyrotechnics, and of the salesman and manufacturers of the highly flammable foam that lined the walls of the club and greatly accelerated the blaze.”

However, we will not know which parties will be indicted until the actual indictments are handed down. And that’s not to say that the prosecutors will get a conviction. The Globe reports that “The state would have to prove recklessness or criminal intent in order to win involuntary manslaughter charges against the Derderians.”

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