Fire in petrochemical plant kills 12

News reports coming in of a fire in Jubail United Petrochemical Plant in Saudi Arabia, during maintenance, which has killed 12 people and injured others. 3 Indians are reported to be among those killed. I know that these companies follow very good safety management systems and this serves as a reminder about how careful we must be.

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The use of Residual current circuit breakers

The use of 30 milliampere RCDs has been commonplace.RCDs used to be called ELCBs – earth leakage circuit breakers.
Safety switches monitor the leakage of electrical current to earth through faulty appliances or incorrect wiring and disconnect the power quickly.
A safety switch can cut off power in 30 milliseconds - a 30th of a heart beat.
If a fault occurs in an appliance or wiring causing current to flow to earth - perhaps through a person - the switch's earth leakage sensor responds to the imbalance of current and cuts the power.
However, the passage of 30mA through a person, even for only 30 milliseconds, may be painful. Unfortunately, for the RCD to work when a person is involved, this has to happen! If the person affected is on a ladder or in a similar elevated situation this shock may cause a fall, which could lead to further injuries!
Over the years the mining and quarrying industry has become familiar with, and in some cases, over-dependent, on these devices. It appears as if people are relying purely on the RCD to protect them rather than ensuring that the equipment is being used correctly. One incident occurred recently where a contractor using a portable device which had no "Test or Tag" label stated emphatically that it was not necessary as the outlet he was using was protected by a 30mA RCD! There have been several reported incidents where portable appliances and/or their power leads have been subject to excessive moisture and the operator felt a tingle. Fortunately the RCD worked and no long-term ill effects occurred.
An RCD is an electro-mechanical device that is inherently extremely reliable, however, they can fail and in this case the tingle may become more serious!
An RCD is there to isolate faulty electrical items; the primary barrier to prevent inadvertent contact with dangerous electrical conductors is the integrity of the insulation.
The users of portable electrical appliances and/or electrical leads must ensure that they are not subject to mechanical abuse or the ingress of water. Testing and tagging should weed out damaged items but will not eliminate misuse particularly if moisture is present. The user has the primary responsibility and obligation to visually check and use portable appliances in a safe manner.
NB: An RCD will not provide protection against a live to neutral fault!

Courtesy: Queensland department of mines:




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What if somebody opens a door during flight?

What if somebody opens a door during flight?


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Explosion-at-petrobras-oil-refinery/

http://www.inquisitr.com/2859213/explosion-at-petrobras-oil-refinery/

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PROCESS SAFETY CULTURE POSTER

 https://store.iomosaic.com/docs/whitepapers/Process%20Safety%20Culture%20poster_CCPS%20Europe%20watermark.pdf

 
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http://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/2016/04/01/dupont-closing-texas-plant-where-4-died/82512270/

 http://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/2016/04/01/dupont-closing-texas-plant-where-4-died/82512270/


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Emergency Preparedness and Response | Safety and Health Guides - Critical Incident Stress Guide

When I investigate fatal accidents in chemical industries, I often see the witnesses are traumatized due to the horrific nature of the incident and the persons who are gravely injured or killed may be their colleague.

OSHA has published a critical incident stress guide which must be made part of every organisations emergency response recovery phase. You can read it in the link given below:

Emergency Preparedness and Response | Safety and Health Guides - Critical Incident Stress Guide


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Poignant message!

 




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The Link between Reliability and Safety

The Link between Reliability and Safety

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Incorrect rotation of positive displacement pump

 Incorrect rotation of positive displacement pump

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Interesting presentation on human factors by NTSB

 http://www.ntsb.gov/news/speeches/RSumwalt/Documents/Sumwalt_140112.pdf

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Seafood Company Had History Of Violations, Including Ammonia Concerns

Seafood Company Had History Of Violations, Including Ammonia Concerns: The seafood company where an employee was killed in an ammonia leak that prompted a large Hazmat response Wednesday had a history of OSHA violations.



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University of Hawaii researcher loses arm in lab explosion | Chemistry World

University of Hawaii researcher loses arm in lab explosion | Chemistry World



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Automatic mustering and personnel locating system

Automatic mustering and personnel locating system
Note: The above is for information purposes only

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Safety in oil movement and storage

Safety in oil movement and storage

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Remote Safety Shower Monitoring Using Wireless Transmitters

 Remote Safety Shower Monitoring Using Wireless Transmitters

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Eight killed in Thai bank chemical accident

Eight killed in Thai bank chemical accident:

At least eight people were killed and seven others injured after fire suppression chemicals were accidentally released at a bank in Thailand's capital Bangkok, the media reported on Monday.
This incident has lessons for us in CPI- what is your control room fire suppression system? Do you practice drills in case the system is activated? Does the timer for evacuation allow enough time for all people to escape?


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EPA safety alert on applicability and limitations of excess flow valves

 EPA safety alert on applicability and limitations of excess flow valves


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Sewage systems and H2S

Plant and housing colonies sewer systems must be treated as a confined space entry with permit requirements as they may contain hydrogen sulfide. Read about a warning in this link

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Hydrotest fatality

 Hydrotest fatality incident

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The Value of Machine Criticality Ratings

The Value of Machine Criticality Ratings


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OSHA QUICK CARD: Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram

OSHA QUICK CARD: Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram


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Confined space hazard alert

Confined space hazard alert

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Baffles Needn't Be Baffling | Chemical Processing

Baffles Needn't Be Baffling | Chemical Processing

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Work permit incident

A hot liquid sulphur splashed in the surrounding area as a maintenance technician opened a filter cover on a live line. Fortunately, no injuries happened.
Operations raised notification to clean the filter in the molten sulphur line. A work permit was raised by maintenance personnel. Shift Supervisor approved the permit without asking the field operator to isolate the equipment. Field operator also signed the hard copy of the permit without isolating the equipment. However, the field operator told the maintenance foreman that the line is not yet isolated and it would be isolated when he was ready to carry out the job. The maintenance foreman gave the permit to the technician but forgot to tell him that it was still live. The technician opened the drain blind flange and opened the drain valve. On finding nothing coming out, he opened the filter cover. Since the line was not isolated hot liquid sulphur sprayed all over the area. Fortunately nobody was injured.

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Inside the control room of the future: Experion Orion Console [VIDEO]

Inside the control room of the future: Experion Orion Console [VIDEO]: Honeywell Process Solutions offered a rare insight into the development work being done in Australia to create the advanced display technology that brings the plant control room of the future to life.


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IOCL Paradip Refinery: An Engineering Marvel IOCL

Read about the details of the recently commissioned Paradip refinery in this link. The CCR is blast proof.

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Massive fire at steel plant in UK caused by lightning

 News reports coming in of a massive fire at a steel plant in UK, attributed to lightning. See the news and pictures in this link

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The Chemical Engineer | News | Three killed in Pemex rig fire

The Chemical Engineer | News | Three killed in Pemex rig fire


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6 burnt alive in factory blast

6 burnt alive in factory blast:
Six workers were burnt alive and one sustained injuries in a fire following an explosion at around 6.30 a.m. in Hasita Aromatics Private Limited factory, at Maheshwaram, located in Telegana.


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TransAsia Airways slammed for poor flight safety management | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

Lessons to learn:
TransAsia Airways slammed for poor flight safety management | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS


'Though the council put most of the blame for the accident in Penghu on the pilots, it said the airline was also responsible, citing numerous flaws in the carrier's management, including inadequate risk management processes and ineffective safety meetings.
It also questioned senior management's commitment to safety."

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Propane incident

Read about a propane explosion in the incident available in this link.
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Handling of a cyclone with high wind speeds

I was recently talking to the Unit Head and Head-EHS of a large chemical company which had safely managed a cyclone of wind speeds upto 220 KPMH. They had warning about the cyclone and had planned very well, safely shutting down the plants ahead of the cyclone. Their lessons learnt are summarised as follows:
There is no greater safeguard than pre planning to the last detail before the cyclcone hits.
You must have alternate means of communication (radio) ready
Big trees should be avoided near OHC, Fire station, emergency control centres, main entrances etc as they may fall and block access.
Access to JCB's which can be used to clear pathways is necessary.
Remember every cyclone has an eye. Once the initial phase passes, there will be a calm when the eye passes, followed again by ferocious winds, when the rest of the cyclone passes through.
Insulation damage is inevitable and a plan to restart the plant with partial insulation should be discussed and a management of change done.

The unit managed the cyclone safely without a single injury. Hats off to them!

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Agencies need to address ammonium nitrate safety, report on West Fertilizer explosion says | AgriPulse

Agencies need to address ammonium nitrate safety, report on West Fertilizer explosion says | AgriPulse


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Hazards of aerosol cans

 "Two electricians suffered singeing burns when residue in an electrical switchgear cubicle was ignited shortly after an electrical contact cleaner aerosol had been used. In another case  solvent from a pressure can was ignited by a heat gun. A safety risk exists where any aerosol container with flammable contents is used in a confined space or near an ignition source, whether this is electrical switchgear or some other source of raised temperature.
As they are used so frequently, it is important to refer to information on the can itself or preferably to the appropriate material safety data sheet regarding the flammability of the contents or any other restrictions on usage. Some material safety data sheets state that the aerosol container must not be used in confined spaces or may burst if exposed to temperatures exceeding 50°C.Incorrectly used or stored aerosol containers may represent a safety risk. It is important that material safety data sheets are available" Courtesy Queensland Government - department of mines

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Fire at Deccan Fine Chemicals unit

Fire at Deccan Fine Chemicals unit: Creates panic in Vizag villages

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Updated: Worker injured as high-pressure hose ruptures at Cassar Ship Repair - The Malta Independent

Updated: Worker injured as high-pressure hose ruptures at Cassar Ship Repair - The Malta Independent


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Common sense is not so common

 I was chatting with a Plant Manager recently when he lamented the fact that his operators believed the instrumentation rather than common sense. A pump was not delivering the required flow, even though the current drawn by the motor was normal. The operators checked the position of the recirculation control valve in the DCS and it indicated close. They then requested maintenance to replace the pump twice but the problem remained. Finally they found out that the recirculation valve was open in the field though it was indicating close in the DCS.
I see similar things happen in complicated PSM systems where poeple loose sight of what is the objective of PSM. PSM is common sense applied to keep the hazardous chemicals where they belong.


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Deadly accident sounds alarm for safety in Chinese labs | Chemistry World

Deadly accident sounds alarm for safety in Chinese labs | Chemistry World

Good article on why lab safety needs to be focussed on .



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One dead, three injured in plant accident

One dead, three injured in plant accident: One person is confirmed dead and three others injured following an incident Saturday afternoon involving a chemical explosion at a Pasadena chemical plant.


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Explosion report issued - Vernon Morning Star

Explosion report issued - Vernon Morning Star

The above news item about an incident investigation is worth reading as an explosion occurred in a dryer furnace because the combustion air fan was shut off before the furnace was cooled adequately. When the furnace was opened, an explosion occurred. This incidents highlights the importance of following SOP's

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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Finds Multiple Safety Deficiencies Led to February 2015 Explosion and Serious Near Miss at the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Torrance, California - General News - News | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board

Initial findings seem familiar!

U.S. Chemical Safety Board Finds Multiple Safety Deficiencies Led to February 2015 Explosion and Serious Near Miss at the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Torrance, California - General News - News | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board



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Maintaining old assets

An interesting article has been published in Offshore Engineer, titled "Tackling the backlog".
It talks about how many assets in the UK oil exploration industry is more than 25 years old and  that critical maintenance backlogs have been going up since 2010. It mentions "Safety critical maintenance backlog has increased from just above 700 man hours per installation to more than 4000, as at Q3-4 2014, with the increase having started from 2010, and the greatest rises in 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile, unplanned losses account for the greatest increase in the lost production efficiency, with planned shutdown time also increasing” . The article is worth a read. Please google "Offshore Engineer Tackling the backlog"

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Skyscraper blaze in Persian Gulf raises questions about safety | The Japan Times

Skyscraper blaze in Persian Gulf raises questions about safety | The Japan Times



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Explosion in plant injures 4

 http://www.breakingnews.com/t/IKq

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Human error by a Pilot

On 08.08.2014, an Indian commercial passenger jet was involved in loss of altitude incident during cruise over Turkish Airspace. The incident occurred after the aircraft had flown for 04 hours 43 minutes from Mumbai. The aircraft was flying on westerly track which was between 230 and 300 degrees and was flying on auto pilot at a height of 32000 feet. The Pilot in command was undergoing controlled rest as per statutory requirements and the controls were with the First Officer.

The First Officer, while updating the direction heading 292 degree, instead turned the altitude knob to 292 FL (29000 feet) and pressed thereby causing the aircraft to descend as the auto pilot obeyed the order to descend to 29000 feet. The Turkish Air Traffic Controller noticed the aircraft descent and called through radio about the unauthorized descent. Subsequently, the First Officer pressed ALT HOLD and climbed back to FL320 (32000 feet). The First Officer then woke up the Captain who was undergoing controlled rest and informed him of the incident. (Source: DGCA incident report).

In our industry, there have been numerous incidents where wrong setpoints or outputs have been entered by the DCS operator, leading to plant upsets. Do you consider this in HAZOP's?

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One man dies in water-treatment plant explosion - MRT.com: Top Stories

One man dies in water-treatment plant explosion - MRT.com: Top Stories



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OSHA Announces Top 10 Safety Violations for 2015

OSHA Announces Top 10 Safety Violations for 2015



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WISH ALL MY READERS AND THEIR FAMILIES A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS 2016!

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