Explosion from Unintentional Hydrogen Production
Employee used a small industrial vacuum cleaner on an unnamed process. During this process, hydrogen gas built up from a reaction between sulfuric acid and aluminum swarf. When the vacuum cleaner unit was switched on, the motor supplied the ignition source and the gas exploded in a series of smaller explosions followed by a larger one.
Event Date
December 10, 2001
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
Industrial vacuum cleaner.
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational Condition
Consequences
Number of Injured Persons
1
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Unknown
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Emergency action taken is not stated.
Emergency Evaluation
When the vacuum unit was switched on the motor supplied the ignition source and the gas exploded in a series of smaller explosions followed by a larger one.
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References
Event description provided by HSE, original source confidential