OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14498331

ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,E GI VII,EXPLOSION,BURN,CLOTHING,FIRE,FRACTURE,MAINTENANCE

1985-10-24T00:00:00

Event: ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,E GI VII,EXPLOSION,BURN,CLOTHING,FIRE,FRACTURE,MAINTENANCE
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14498331
Report ID: 626600

Event description

EXPLOSION AND FIRE - FLAM VAPOR PRESSURE VESSEL RUPTURED

Investigation abstract

AN ALKYLATION PROCESS UNIT WAS SHUT DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE. WHILE TWO PRESSURE VES NO RELATION TO THE EXPLOSION OR FLASH FIRE. SELS CONTAINING LPG WERE BEING DEPRESSURIZED, AN EXPLOSION AND FLASH FIRE OCCURR ED. THE EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY A PLUGGED FLARE LINE THAT LEAD TO THE OVERPRESSU RIZATION OF A NEUTRALIZER DRUM AND SUBSEQUENT RUPTURE. THE FLASH FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE IGNITION OF THE HYDROCARBONS RELEASED BY THE EXPLOSION (RUPTURE) OF THE NEUTRALIZER DRUM. THE IGNITION SOURCE WAS FOUND TO BE AN ARC BETWEEN TWO POWER L INES IN THE VICINITY OF THE UNIT. TWELVE EMPLOYEES OF THREE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT ORS SUSTAINED INJURIES. SIX REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION. TYPES OF INJURIES WERE BUR NS, ABRASIONS, SPRAINS AND A FRACTURE. THE WORK BEING DONE BY THESE WORKERS HAD

Victims (13)

#1 Hospitalized Age 31 M

Nature of injury
20

Part of body
15

Event type
14

Source
42

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#10 Non-hospitalized injury Age 45 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
15

Event type
6

Source
42

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#11 Non-hospitalized injury Age 40 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
3

Event type
14

Source
42

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#12 Hospitalized Age 55 M

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
15

Event type
5

Source
27

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 29 M

Nature of injury
20

Part of body
3

Event type
14

Source
42

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 30 M

Nature of injury
7

Part of body
16

Event type
14

Source
42

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
1
#4 Hospitalized Age 39 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#5 Hospitalized Age 60 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
2

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#6 Hospitalized Age 60 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
12

Event type
2

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#7 Hospitalized Age 50 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
2

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#8 Non-hospitalized injury Age 42 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
13

Event type
2

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#9 Non-hospitalized injury Age 41 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
9

Event type
2

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
15

Task assigned
1
#981 Degree 0 Age 0

Nature of injury
0

Part of body
0

Event type
0

Source
0

Occupation code
0

Human factor
0

Environmental factor
0

Task assigned
0

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