Korean Hydrofluoric Acid Accident
Graham Marshall - Tuesday, November 06, 2012
There have been plenty of incidents
recently where fire officers responding to fire’s have poorly positioned
fire apparatus resulting in loss of the fire trucks and in some cases
loss of life.
But toxic gas releases can be just as deadly - as highlighted by the CCTV footage shown below.
To watch the footage, click here.
The incident shows how anhydrous hydrofluoric acid (HF) was released from the liquid valve as two workers were on top of a truck mounted tank preparing to connect the ISO Tank for offloading.
They accidently fully opened the quarter turn valve.
About eight tons of HF was released into the atmosphere.
Five people including the two workers on top of the ISO tank perished. two Another two workers at ground level for pump repair and one officer at an office building close to tank lorry also died.
Eighteen emergency responders, workers, and a news reporter ended-up in the hospital, and almost 3,000 villagers from two villages downwind of the facility were treated for irritation and exposure.
Some pre-report key issues in my mind are:
1. Both workers had no chemical protective clothing or SCBA;
2. Emergency response equipment/systems to mitigate the leak were inadequate;
3. Emergency Responders were not aware of the treatment for HF;
4. Calcium Gluconate was not readily available; and
5. Valving on the ISO should be reviewed.
This has been reported to be the worst chemical accident in Korean history.
But toxic gas releases can be just as deadly - as highlighted by the CCTV footage shown below.
To watch the footage, click here.
The incident shows how anhydrous hydrofluoric acid (HF) was released from the liquid valve as two workers were on top of a truck mounted tank preparing to connect the ISO Tank for offloading.
They accidently fully opened the quarter turn valve.
About eight tons of HF was released into the atmosphere.
Five people including the two workers on top of the ISO tank perished. two Another two workers at ground level for pump repair and one officer at an office building close to tank lorry also died.
Eighteen emergency responders, workers, and a news reporter ended-up in the hospital, and almost 3,000 villagers from two villages downwind of the facility were treated for irritation and exposure.
Some pre-report key issues in my mind are:
1. Both workers had no chemical protective clothing or SCBA;
2. Emergency response equipment/systems to mitigate the leak were inadequate;
3. Emergency Responders were not aware of the treatment for HF;
4. Calcium Gluconate was not readily available; and
5. Valving on the ISO should be reviewed.
This has been reported to be the worst chemical accident in Korean history.
RPL for the Common Safety Training Program
Graham Marshall - Thursday, August 16, 2012
APPEA and the Common Safety Training
Program (CSTP) Independent Reviewer have both confirmed that Australian
energy sector workers who have attended the Hazard and Risk Management Training Program offered by the Risk Tool Box
over recent years shall have "recognized prior learning" (RPL) status
for the CSTP module called "Identify Hazards and Assess Risk".
The RPL element within the Risk Tool Box training program covers Step-back 5X5 and JHA or JSA as well as Qualitative Risk Assessment to allow for working safely within the CSTP framework.
APPEA's confirmation of RPL status for our program will apply to over ten-thousand workers who have attended our training course.
Workers in the following organization's should check with their training or records keeping department for evidence of attending Risk Tool Box's industry leading training program since 1998:
+ Woodside Energy between (1998 and 2007);
+ BHP Petroleum (Griffin Venture);
+ Chevron (Barrow Island);
+ ENI Australia (2005 - 2011);
+ Hess Corporation (2008 - present);
+ Santos (2007 - present); and
+ A range of other small contractors and suppliers who work in the offshore oil and gas industry.
The RPL element within the Risk Tool Box training program covers Step-back 5X5 and JHA or JSA as well as Qualitative Risk Assessment to allow for working safely within the CSTP framework.
APPEA's confirmation of RPL status for our program will apply to over ten-thousand workers who have attended our training course.
Workers in the following organization's should check with their training or records keeping department for evidence of attending Risk Tool Box's industry leading training program since 1998:
+ Woodside Energy between (1998 and 2007);
+ BHP Petroleum (Griffin Venture);
+ Chevron (Barrow Island);
+ ENI Australia (2005 - 2011);
+ Hess Corporation (2008 - present);
+ Santos (2007 - present); and
+ A range of other small contractors and suppliers who work in the offshore oil and gas industry.
Use of Angle Grinders on Propane Tanks
Graham Marshall - Friday, July 06, 2012
A worthy nomination for a Darwin Award here
when a workman in the UK was seriously injured whilst removing the top
of a full propane gas tank with an angle-grinder! We're not sure why
anyone would actually want to do this?
In a prosecution by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE), Southampton magistrates heard that the 29-year-old worker suffered serious burns to his arm and body after propane caught fire. Now there is a surprise!
The employee was lucky not to have been killed. Yes, indeed.
Jamie Jewell, a Company Director of a company known as Suffix Pre-Cast, who was "supervising" the workman admitted breaching the UKs Health and Safety at Work Act. He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,451.
The UK HSE prosecution alleged that Jewell did not know enough about the hazards of handling propane gas to carry out the work competently or supervise others.
The incident, which involved a full tank of propane gas, occurred at Jewell’s Calmore home on September 2nd 2011.
In a prosecution by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE), Southampton magistrates heard that the 29-year-old worker suffered serious burns to his arm and body after propane caught fire. Now there is a surprise!
The employee was lucky not to have been killed. Yes, indeed.
Jamie Jewell, a Company Director of a company known as Suffix Pre-Cast, who was "supervising" the workman admitted breaching the UKs Health and Safety at Work Act. He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,451.
The UK HSE prosecution alleged that Jewell did not know enough about the hazards of handling propane gas to carry out the work competently or supervise others.
The incident, which involved a full tank of propane gas, occurred at Jewell’s Calmore home on September 2nd 2011.
Would you walk into a pool of gasolene?
Graham Marshall - Friday, June 29, 2012
How would you react if you observed a large pool of petrol escaping from a Petrol Tanker Truck?
The footage below shows an example of several people putting themselves in harms way by walking into a pool of gasolene pouring from a tanker. A cyclist even rides through the middle of the spill.
The video was used by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE) in a recent successful prosecution of a fuel terminal operator.
The footage shows - in stark form - how people can react when called upon to manage a known serious hazard event. In this case - amazingly badly!
To view the footage, simple click here. You'll be amazed!
The footage below shows an example of several people putting themselves in harms way by walking into a pool of gasolene pouring from a tanker. A cyclist even rides through the middle of the spill.
The video was used by the UK Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE) in a recent successful prosecution of a fuel terminal operator.
The footage shows - in stark form - how people can react when called upon to manage a known serious hazard event. In this case - amazingly badly!
To view the footage, simple click here. You'll be amazed!
Use of Gloves with Lathes
Graham Marshall - Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Today I'm posting a safety alert which
highlights the danger's associated with wearing gloves when working on
high speed rotating equipment - such as lathes - where there is a risk
of the glove being "pulled around" any high-speed rotating part.
This alert highlights how a lathe operator's hand was pulled into a lathe causing fractures to four fingers and the thumb on the right-hand as well as "de-gloving" the skin from the operators thumb. A very nasty consequence.
At the Risk Tool Box, we recommend the following safety practices when using lathes or working on other high-speed rotating equipment:
+ Ensure that a Safe Operating Procedure (SOP) is in place for operating lathes;
+ Have an SOP for performing maintenance on lathes;
+ Ensure personnel are competent to operate lathes;
+ Gloves should not be worn when operating the lathe (but wear gloves if contacting swarf);
+ Loose items of clothing, long hair, and loose jewellery should be removed to prevent entanglement;
+ Toolbox talks should be used to highlight the hazards of lathes; and
+ JSAs should be written for non-routine use of lathes or unusual maintenance tasks.
To view the safety alert, simply click here.
This alert highlights how a lathe operator's hand was pulled into a lathe causing fractures to four fingers and the thumb on the right-hand as well as "de-gloving" the skin from the operators thumb. A very nasty consequence.
At the Risk Tool Box, we recommend the following safety practices when using lathes or working on other high-speed rotating equipment:
+ Ensure that a Safe Operating Procedure (SOP) is in place for operating lathes;
+ Have an SOP for performing maintenance on lathes;
+ Ensure personnel are competent to operate lathes;
+ Gloves should not be worn when operating the lathe (but wear gloves if contacting swarf);
+ Loose items of clothing, long hair, and loose jewellery should be removed to prevent entanglement;
+ Toolbox talks should be used to highlight the hazards of lathes; and
+ JSAs should be written for non-routine use of lathes or unusual maintenance tasks.
To view the safety alert, simply click here.
Tips for Working on Hot Days
Graham Marshall - Friday, June 01, 2012
With the onset of summer across the
northern hemisphere, today is a timely date to remind all workers about
the dangers associated with working in the heat.
Below is an image showing the heat index which highlights how the air temperature can feel when consideration is also given to the ambient humidity.
As the index shows, the working temperature can feel a lot hotter than the thermometre may be showing if you're working on a humid day.
In response to high temperatures, always always use the hierarchy of control to select the best possible control mechanisms when working outdoors on hot days. These controls include:
+ Eliminate the hazard by canceling the work or re-scheduling to a cooler time of day (or cooler season);
+ Substitute the work by doing something else indoors in a cooler environment;
+ Engineer the environment to provide shade, air-moving fans or cooler units;
+ Administrate to ensure that plenty of water is drunk and regular rest breaks are taken in a cool spot;
+ Protect yourself with PPE using wide brimmed hats, long sleaved shirt and long pants, and sub block cream.
Below is an image showing the heat index which highlights how the air temperature can feel when consideration is also given to the ambient humidity.
As the index shows, the working temperature can feel a lot hotter than the thermometre may be showing if you're working on a humid day.
In response to high temperatures, always always use the hierarchy of control to select the best possible control mechanisms when working outdoors on hot days. These controls include:
+ Eliminate the hazard by canceling the work or re-scheduling to a cooler time of day (or cooler season);
+ Substitute the work by doing something else indoors in a cooler environment;
+ Engineer the environment to provide shade, air-moving fans or cooler units;
+ Administrate to ensure that plenty of water is drunk and regular rest breaks are taken in a cool spot;
+ Protect yourself with PPE using wide brimmed hats, long sleaved shirt and long pants, and sub block cream.
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