Incomaptibile chemicals cost you!

A radiation leak from a drum containing radioactive waste at an underground nuclear waste dump in New Mexico was caused by “chemically incompatible” contents, including cat litter, that reacted inside a barrel of waste and caused it to rupture. It is reported that cat litter containing silicates is purposely used as a stabilizing agent in nuclear storage for stabilizing radioactive nitrate salts. A scientist inadvertently used an organic brand of cat litter which does not contain silicates. After some days, the nitrate salts in the barrel heated up, releasing hot gases, pressurised the drum and ruptured it.
 The damage caused a  radiation leak that will cost approx. USD 240 million to clean up!
Read the report in the Telegraph in this link


This is not an April Fools day joke!!!!!

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Access and Accidents

The German wings plane that crashed in the Alps on Tuesday killing all onboard is being attributed to the co pilot intentionally crashing the plane, when the pilot went out of the cockpit. The pilot was not able to regain access to the cockpit as the copilot is alleged to have locked the door from inside. There is an interesting video from popular science about how the cockpit door locking arrangement works.

Coming back to our industry, more and more electronic access systems are being installed in chemical plant control rooms and hazardous chemical storages to prevent unauthorized access. But have you thought about everything including emergency response or evacuation requirements in case of malfunction of these access control systems?

See the video about how the cockpit door locking arrangement works in this link.

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Trinidad and Tobago incidents

Fire incidents in oil and gas sector


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Worker Safety | Silence Kills | Chemical Processing

Worker Safety | Silence Kills | Chemical Processing



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Could a Texas City blast happen again? Read the investigation at HoustonChronicle.com

Ten years after a Texas City refinery blast killed 15 and rattled a community, workers keep dying. The Houston Chronicle and The Texas Tribune investigate.
 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/texascity



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Major mishap averted - The Hindu

Major mishap averted - The Hindu



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Chemical Disasters | Bhopal Leaves a Lasting Legacy | Chemical Processing

Chemical Disasters | Bhopal Leaves a Lasting Legacy | Chemical Processing



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Don't Fall For Common Myths About Hot Oil Systems | Chemical Processing

Don't Fall For Common Myths About Hot Oil Systems | Chemical Processing





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Golden Rules of Total

 Total, the oil and gas multinational has Golden rules for safety in its website which can be accessed in this link

 
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Confined space fatality in chemical tanker - lessons to learn

A confined space fatality incident in a chemical tanker highlights the dangers when we take safety precautions and permits lightly. This can happen to even the most experienced persons. Discuss this incident with your personnel and the lessons learnt. The incident case study is in this link.

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Hazards of overfilling vessels

 Hazards of overfilling vessels - good lessons to learn


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Chemical Safety Board Under Fire

Chemical Safety Board Under Fire



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