Summary Bullets
Hot-air balloonists trapped in cooling towers updraft
Finite fuel supply leads to emergency landing
Plant workers emergency response actions save the day
Background
A group of balloonists were participating in a hot-air balloon festival featuring balloons designed to look like cartoon characters and toys. The wind carried them over a large chemical complex, where they found themselves caught in the rising column of warm air coming off the plant’s cooling towers. While the updraft did not affect the balloons’ ability to float, it did prevent them from drifting with the wind. The plant could not shut down its cooling towers, and the balloonists only had a finite supply of fuel, so there was no alternative: the hot-air balloons had to be brought down inside the plant. (Ref E.10)
What Happened
The balloonists and plant personnel had to guide the balloons down in an orderly fashion between buildings, pipe racks, stacks, flares, and ponds without damaging the balloons or plant equipment, and taking care that the balloons’ burners did not trigger any fires. Teams of employees spontaneously coordinated with the plant emergency management team to choose landing sites, guide balloons to them, deflate the balloons, and move them to clear the landing sites for the next balloons’ descents. All balloons were landed safely, with no damage to the plant and no injuries, even to Mr. Potato Head. What positive safety culture dimensions did the plant demonstrate in this unusual situation?
It is easy to imagine plant workers laughing at the balloonists being stuck over the plant, or even for them to view their predicament as a special show just for them. What culture attributes led workers to quickly understand this was a potentially dangerous situation?
Even though plant workers took the situation seriously, they laughed about the situation as they went about their rescue work. To what degree is good-natured humor an indicator of a strong safety culture? This was clearly not the kind of emergency response that anyone in the industry would plan for or train. Yet, the response was executed flawlessly. What culture dimensions help made this possible?
It is easy to imagine plant workers laughing at the balloonists being stuck over the plant, or even for them to view their predicament as a special show just for them. What culture attributes led workers to quickly understand this was a potentially dangerous situation?
Even though plant workers took the situation seriously, they laughed about the situation as they went about their rescue work. To what degree is good-natured humor an indicator of a strong safety culture? This was clearly not the kind of emergency response that anyone in the industry would plan for or train. Yet, the response was executed flawlessly. What culture dimensions help made this possible?
Safety Culture Focus
Workers with a strong safety culture are prepared for and able to respond to the unexpected.
Effective communications enabled workers to successfully respond to and mitigate the hazard.
Mutual trust leads to a well coordinated and executed response.
Safety Culture Focus Note
**Only 33% of those surveyed indicated emergency response was a strength in their organization.**
Source File
E.44.pptx
(326.54 KB)