Hydrogen Tank Flare Displaces Workers at Refinery
The event occurred at a hydrogen tank, causing a flare and a displacement of air that threw the contract workers against the refinery's metal structure.The workers were using an electric rotary sander on the inside the tank which had been had been drained three days before. The workers had already done previously the same work without incident.
Event Date
January 18, 2015
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
According to P. Kannan (2016), the possible cause could have been inadequate maintenance, failure of following procedures, lack of work procedures or procedures.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
hydrogen tank
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Pre-event Summary
Maintenance work was ongoing.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Unknown
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Unknown
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Length (m)
1.00
Source Category
References
References
REUTERS news of January 19, 2015
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N0UY0K720150119
The incident is also listed in
P. Kannan, A web-based collection and analysis of process safety incidents
Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries 44 (2016) 171-192