Employee #1, the lead operator of a sewage treatment plant, noticed that the residual levels had dropped in the tanks, and he decided to add more ammonium hydroxide to increase the residual levels. Employee #1 removed the camlock fitting and line from an empty 335 gallon tote and installed it to a full 335 gallon tote containing ammonium hydroxide solution. While installing the camlock fitting and line onto the full tote, he failed to secure the camlock fitting latches into the valve coupling grooves.
As Employee #1 turned the valve to the open position, the camlock fitting and line sprung off the coupling and sprayed ammonium hydroxide onto his upper legs and groin area. Employee #1 immediately turned off the valve and secured the camlock fitting latches into the coupling grooves. He then went to the emergency eyewash/shower, approximately 120 feet away, to rinse off the ammonium hydroxide. Employee #1 rinsed for approximately 15 minutes, but did not take off his clothing.
He then drove a golf cart to the administrative building, to notify management of the accident. Management summoned emergency medical services at approximately 9:45 a.m. and rinsed Employee #1 with an emergency eyewash/shower, located in the administrative building, until the ambulance arrived. Employee #1 was transferred to the hospital via ambulance at approximately 10:00 a.m. He was hospitalized for two days for treatment of chemical burns to his upper legs and groin areas.
The use of ammonium hydroxide to control residual levels in tanks was a new process at the facility. No written procedures or hazard assessments were completed for the assigned task. Employee #1 was wearing safety glasses but no other form of PPE during the accident. Employee #1 said he was in a hurry and normally would have worn rubber gloves and a respirator while transferring the camlock and line from one tote to another.
Source: Fire Analysis and Research Division,National Fire Protection Association
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Mobile Phone usage in restricted area inside control building
Shankar Bhosale
Saudi Aramco Total Refinery and Petrochemical Company
http://www.exponent.com/files/Uploads/Documents/CellPhoneReport.pdf
Also, you can find a very good explanation of minimum ignition energy (MIE) in the CCPS text "Guidelines for Determining the Probability of Ignition of a Released Flammable Mass". Although in this case it was generally agreed that cell phones present an extremely low risk as an ignition source, the company decided it was not worth the risk and upheld the rule to ban cell phone use in the plant.
In addition to the potential ignition source issues, the question of distractions always arises. Yet, at the same time, most organizations have so integrated cell phone use into their daily business that lack of access is a definite reduction in efficiency. The impossible (or at least very difficult) issue to address is how to allow normal company business while excluding needless distractions. Most organizations have some restrictions in place at least on paper.
1. distracter for operations: can you imagine an operator control panel working and talking on the phone at the same time? ¿Differentiating between sounds alarm signals and tones phone?
Simply because of the sensitivity of the operations control room, should minimize the factors which could cause distraction operators control panel. This is the main reason for the restriction.
2. Possibly the emission of signals or other cellular radios, instruments may alter operating wirelessly, which generate false signals and the problems that we know that these can generate.
3. The cell phone is not a certified electronic equipment for hazardous areas and remember that by the characteristics of the control room, they can be exposed to flammable gases and vapors, and cell element could be the initiator of an explosion or fire.
Happy day.
In unrated control rooms or break rooms - There are numerous other unrated electrical devices in these rooms, so they do not create an increased ignition risk. It is a management issue to make sure employees are not using them excessively, and that they do not carry them outside into the classified area.