A new report indicates that the pumping of a wrong chemical into a pipeline that had just completed unloading of crude oil. The report states that "An investigation has found that a desulphurising chemical was mistakenly pumped into pipelines after a tanker had stopped unloading crude at the port city of Dalian last Friday, triggering the explosion, the State Administration of Work Safety said in a statement posted on its website.The 0.9-meter-diameter oil pipeline exploded at 6 pm on July 16, triggering a smaller adjacent pipeline to also explode, the statement said.
The explosion occurred as workers from the Shanghai-based QPRO Inspection and Technical Service. continued to inject desulfurizer into the pipeline after the 300,000-ton tanker had finished unloading its oil at 1 pm.
Produced by the Tianjin-based Huishengda Petroleum Technology, the desulfurizer was strongly oxidizing, according to the statement".
Read more of the article in this link
For a translation in English of the same accident, read about "Management of Confusion" in this link!.
July 31, 2010
July 30, 2010
Update on "Spraying of pesticides into AC ducts - possible cause of incident"
The pesticide involved in the incident I had mentioned in my earlier post is reported to be malathion. Read the MSDS of malathion in this link
Management systems - on paper or by commitment?
I have always been of the view that management commitment is something that cannot be spelt out on paper that we can expect top management to follow. Paper based management systems will remain on paper unless top management throws its full commitment behind it. Commitment is intangible. It is seen at the ground when decision are taken by managers that have an effect on process safety.Top management are also human. They also can succumb to pressure from stakeholders. I will give you an example. A leading chemical manufacturer I visited had all management systems in place and certifications.During my field visit, I observed a safety valve on an equipment isolated as it was prematurely lifting (popping) and causing loss of production. This safety valve had no redundancy. When I spoke to the Plant manager,he mentioned that all systems remain on paper and when the actual decision on safety is to be taken, he is expected to take action to maintain production targets!
Interestingly, BP, after the recent oil rig disaster itself is of the opinion that management systems alone cannot control risks. I am quoting from the article: BP said "there can be no assurance" that a major global deployment of its in-house Operating Management System would identify all risks or provide information on the right actions to take when things go wrong. The rollout will be complete this year.OMS was introduced as a key safety step following the large explosion in BP's Texas City Refinery in 2005, which killed 15 workers and injured 170. The system is being implemented across BP operations in locally-tailored modules, following global standards. It is now in all US sites and will be rolled out by the end of the year to the remaining few sites elsewhere that do not yet have it.
The OMS system, described by BP as the "cornerstone" of its safety efforts, was developed by BP in-house, built around Microsoft SharePoint and Performance Point. It helps integrate local standards and management systems, set priorities, define processes and measure performance, and is accessible on BP PCs as well as mobile devices used by engineers on the rigs.
But yesterday BP said: "Even after implementation of OMS has been completed, there can be no assurance that OMS will adequately identify all process safety, personal safety and environmental risk or provide the correct mitigations, or that all operations will be in compliance with OMS at all times." Read the full article in this link.
What is the solution to this problem? Top management should pay attention to external safety audits as they indicate things that may not be spotted by internal audit teams. I have also seen some managements asking the external auditors to tone down their findings. Now this is hara kiri!Here the moral ethics of consultants and auditors come into play. Whatever certifications or management systems the company employs, there must be a threadbare audit of decision making and management's tracking of safety management systems. Its only the acceptance of facts that will prevent an incident.
Interestingly, BP, after the recent oil rig disaster itself is of the opinion that management systems alone cannot control risks. I am quoting from the article: BP said "there can be no assurance" that a major global deployment of its in-house Operating Management System would identify all risks or provide information on the right actions to take when things go wrong. The rollout will be complete this year.OMS was introduced as a key safety step following the large explosion in BP's Texas City Refinery in 2005, which killed 15 workers and injured 170. The system is being implemented across BP operations in locally-tailored modules, following global standards. It is now in all US sites and will be rolled out by the end of the year to the remaining few sites elsewhere that do not yet have it.
The OMS system, described by BP as the "cornerstone" of its safety efforts, was developed by BP in-house, built around Microsoft SharePoint and Performance Point. It helps integrate local standards and management systems, set priorities, define processes and measure performance, and is accessible on BP PCs as well as mobile devices used by engineers on the rigs.
But yesterday BP said: "Even after implementation of OMS has been completed, there can be no assurance that OMS will adequately identify all process safety, personal safety and environmental risk or provide the correct mitigations, or that all operations will be in compliance with OMS at all times." Read the full article in this link.
What is the solution to this problem? Top management should pay attention to external safety audits as they indicate things that may not be spotted by internal audit teams. I have also seen some managements asking the external auditors to tone down their findings. Now this is hara kiri!Here the moral ethics of consultants and auditors come into play. Whatever certifications or management systems the company employs, there must be a threadbare audit of decision making and management's tracking of safety management systems. Its only the acceptance of facts that will prevent an incident.
July 25, 2010
Spraying of pesticide in AC ducts - a possible cause of an incident
The Hindu Newspaper has reported that employees in a manufacturing unit had to be hospitalised due to the possible spraying of pesticides into an AC duct.The root cause is still being investigated. This raises a larger question of product stewardship. Pesticide Manufacturers in India do post all the warnings in their product but how do we ensure that they are all followed?
Read the article in this link.
Read the article in this link.
Process safety -Humidity causes an incident!
An incident where humidity was the main cause of an incident involving ammonium persulfate has been reported. The incident occurred in a blender in which ammonium persulfate absorbed moisture and started decomposing. This forced the evacuation of 500 workers. See the MSDS of ammonium persulfate in this link.
Read the article about the incident in this link
Read the article about the incident in this link
July 23, 2010
Two day Process Safety Management Training at Chennai on August 12th and 13th
I am pleased to announce a two day training session on Process Safety Management on August 12th and 13th,2010 at Chennai. The course is a highly practical one and the participants can implement what they have learnt. For further details please see this link
If you want the brochure and booking form to be sent to you, please contact me at bkprism@gmail.com
If you want the brochure and booking form to be sent to you, please contact me at bkprism@gmail.com
Hazardous waste facility explosion report
"A U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) case study released today on the 2009 explosion and fire at the Veolia ES Technical Solutions L.L.C. facility in West Carrollton, Ohio, calls on the industry to improve safety standards covering hazardous waste processing, handling, and storage facilities. The Board also recommended that fire protection codes be revised to require companies to determine safe distances between occupied buildings and potentially hazardous operating areas.
The accident occurred on May 4, 2009, when flammable vapor was released from a waste recycling process, ignited, and violently exploded. The blast seriously injured two workers and damaged 20 nearby residences and five businesses. CSB investigators found that the north wall of the lab and operations building – where the victims were injured –was less than 30 feet from the waste recycling processing area where the flammable vapor was released.
CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said, “This accident should not have happened. Our report notes that OSHA cited the company for inadequate attention to process safety management practices in the handling of flammable liquids. But in case of an accident, I believe it is absolutely critical that buildings at chemical facilities be sited safe distances from process equipment to maximize the safety of workers. We are making recommendations that would help ensure that operating areas with occupied buildings such as control rooms be sufficiently separated from process areas containing flammable liquids and gases that have the potential to explode.”
Read the report in this link.
The accident occurred on May 4, 2009, when flammable vapor was released from a waste recycling process, ignited, and violently exploded. The blast seriously injured two workers and damaged 20 nearby residences and five businesses. CSB investigators found that the north wall of the lab and operations building – where the victims were injured –was less than 30 feet from the waste recycling processing area where the flammable vapor was released.
CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said, “This accident should not have happened. Our report notes that OSHA cited the company for inadequate attention to process safety management practices in the handling of flammable liquids. But in case of an accident, I believe it is absolutely critical that buildings at chemical facilities be sited safe distances from process equipment to maximize the safety of workers. We are making recommendations that would help ensure that operating areas with occupied buildings such as control rooms be sufficiently separated from process areas containing flammable liquids and gases that have the potential to explode.”
Read the report in this link.
July 22, 2010
Labs are as dangerous as process plants
Do not ignore safety in laboratories when concentrating on process safety. Many incidents occur in labs and R & D facilities. An incident in an university lab killed a girl when the pyrophoric chemical she was handling ignited. Investigate any incident in the lab or R & D with the same focus as an incident in the plant. Read more of the unfortunate incident in this link.
July 21, 2010
Update on Phosgene hose leak incident
A news report indicates that OSHA has cited DuPont and proposes fines for the phosgene hose leak incident that killed one employee. It is also interesting to note that one of the factors for the leak was physical corrosion below the manufacturers sticker label on the failed hose.
"OSHA said DuPont failed to:
-Properly inspect piping used to transfer phosgene.
-Perform a thorough process hazard analysis for its phosgene operation.
-Train workers on hazards associated with phosgene.
-Thoroughly inspect all high-risk sections of piping used to transfer oleum.
-Properly install energized electrical conductors.
The agency issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard the employer knew or should have known about".
Read more in this link
"OSHA said DuPont failed to:
-Properly inspect piping used to transfer phosgene.
-Perform a thorough process hazard analysis for its phosgene operation.
-Train workers on hazards associated with phosgene.
-Thoroughly inspect all high-risk sections of piping used to transfer oleum.
-Properly install energized electrical conductors.
The agency issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard the employer knew or should have known about".
Read more in this link
July 19, 2010
Gases can be deadly - Blast in coke oven
Thanks to Abhay Gujar for sending me this news to share with you.An explosion in a coke oven battery near Pittsburgh has reportedly injured 20 persons. "To make coke, coal is baked in special ovens for hours at high temperatures to remove impurities that could otherwise weaken steel. The process creates what's known as coke gas — made up of a lethal mix of methane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide".. Read more of the accident in these links:
Explosion At Pa. Coke Plant Under Investigation
Experts: Coke plants full of dangers, can be safe
Explosion At Pa. Coke Plant Under Investigation
Experts: Coke plants full of dangers, can be safe
Two people die in fertiliser plant fire
There are news reports that two people died and two were injured in a fertilizer plant fire in Libya on 11.7.10 when maintenance work was on. Work permit systems are enforced to prevent such loss of lives and I will post more details if I get it.
July 18, 2010
Cabon Monoxide - a deadly gas
A recent incident in the Durgapur steel plant highlights the danger of Carbon Monoxide (CO). Carbon monoxide is produced in ammonia, methanol plants, in refineries and in blast furnaces. Any improper combustion of fossil fuels will also lead to the generation of CO. CO binds with blood hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin. Carboxyhemoglobin cannot take part in normal oxygen transport, thus reducing the blood’s ability to transport oxygen. Depending on levels and duration of exposure, symptoms may include headache, dizziness, heart palpitations, weakness,confusion, nausea, and even convulsions, eventual unconsciousness and death.Recently in the newspapers, there have been incidents of fatalities in cars where occupants have kept the AC running when the car was stationary. Leaks in the exhaust system allowed CO to enter the passenger cabin thus killing occupants. Read the report of the incident at the Durgapur steel plant in this link.
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