Case Study 2: Flash Fire in Pontoon Tank

Summary

In a tragic incident, a team of six workers experienced a flash fire while roller painting in a confined space. Despite having a gas test and entry permit for painting and cleaning, an accumulation of flammable solvent vapors led to the fire. A risk assessment was overlooked, proper gas monitoring equipment was absent, and incorrect lighting was used. Essential lessons include the importance of mixing hazardous materials outside confined spaces, constant monitoring of flammable gases, using flame-proof lighting, and employing proper ventilation methods to ensure safety in confined workspaces.

Highlights

• A flash fire occurred due to flammable vapor accumulation in a confined space. 🚨
• The mixing of paint and hardener inside contributed to the fire hazard. ⚠️
• Lack of portable gas detectors and monitoring exacerbated the risk. 📉
• Exposed lighting and electrical wires were potential ignition sources. 💥
• Risk assessments and proper safety measures can prevent such incidents. 🛡️

Key Takeaways

• Always conduct thorough risk assessments before working in confined spaces! 🛑
• Mix hazardous materials like paint and hardener outside to prevent vapor build-up inside. 🎨
• Portable gas detectors are essential to monitor flammable gases and ensure safety. 🔥
• Flame-proof lighting and maintained electrical systems can prevent ignition sources. 💡
• Proper ventilation is crucial to dilute and remove flammable vapors in confined spaces. 🌬️

Overview

In a poignant case study, a team of workers experienced a devastating flash fire while painting inside a confined space. Despite approvals and safety checks, the lack of continuous gas monitoring and improper safety equipment contributed to this tragic event. The incident underlines the critical nature of risk assessments and the constant monitoring of environmental conditions in such hazardous work environments.

Key missteps that led to the incident included the in-situ mixing of flammable substances and the absence of adequate portable gas detectors. This oversight allowed dangerous vapors to build up, creating a volatile atmosphere within the workspace. Additionally, the use of lighting equipment with exposed filaments increased the chances of ignition, showcasing the importance of using specialized, flame-proof fixtures in such settings.

From this incident, several lessons emerge for ensuring worker safety. It's crucial to conduct thorough risk assessments, employ proper ventilation strategies, and use the right safety equipment, like flame-proof lighting and portable gas detectors. These measures will help mitigate risks, protect workers, and prevent the occurrence of tragic incidents like the flash fire in the painting workspace.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Flash Fire Incident Overview A flash fire incident occurred while a team of six workers were roller painting in a confined space. The incident resulted in one fatality and injuries to three workers. An entry permit for painting and cleaning work in confined spaces was filed before the work began.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Initial Safety Measures and Preparation This chapter covers the initial safety measures, including conducting a gas test that showed the confined space was safe for entry. The permit was endorsed two days before the incident. It also mentions that workers began roller painting and conducted another gas test on the morning of the incident.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Work Progress and Inspection The chapter titled 'Work Progress and Inspection' describes a series of steps taken by workers and safety assessors during a work process. Initially, abnormalities were noticed, and an entry permit was endorsed. The workforce used flammable thinner for vacuuming and cleaning tasks. At midday, a second gas test was performed, followed by an inspection of the painting quality in a confined space. The inspection revealed a need for touch-ups, and workers were tasked to make corrections after another safety-relevant gas test. Drums were brought in subsequently.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Commencement of Painting and Flash Fire Incident The chapter titled 'Commencement of Painting and Flash Fire Incident' describes a tragic event where a worker mixed paint and hardener in a confined space. After distributing the mixture into empty drums, roller painting began 30 minutes later, leading to a flash fire. This incident resulted in the death of one worker and injured three others. The main issue identified was the accumulation of flammable vapors in the confined space.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Causes of Flash Fire Incident The chapter discusses the causes of a flash fire incident, focusing on the accumulation of flammable solvent vapors in a confined space. Activities contributing to this risk included mixing paint and hardener, distributing the mixture into empty drums, and drying paint, all conducted without adequate safety measures. There was an absence of gas monitoring, as portable gas detectors were not provided to track the concentration of flammable gases, and lighting posed additional risks due to its exposed nature.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Ignition Sources and Maintenance Issues The chapter titled 'Ignition Sources and Maintenance Issues' discusses the hazards associated with poorly maintained electrical components like filament wires and light bulbs with exposed filaments. It emphasizes the risk these pose as ignition sources when maintenance protocols are ineffective or not in place. A lesson learned from this chapter highlights the importance of conducting risk assessments before commencing any work, especially in confined spaces, to prevent accidents and ensure safety.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Lessons Learned: Risk Assessment and Vapor Management The chapter focuses on conducting risk assessments to identify safety and health hazards. It emphasizes the importance of implementing measures to minimize these risks, specifically concerning the accumulation of flammable vapors.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Additional Safety Measures and Ventilation The chapter discusses additional safety measures for working in confined spaces, focusing on vapor concentration control, lighting, and ventilation. It emphasizes that vapor concentrations should not exceed 10% of their lower explosive limits to prevent hazards. Flameproof lighting is recommended for these environments, and a regular maintenance routine should be established to ensure that lighting and electrical wires are well maintained. Additionally, the chapter underscores the importance of utilizing either dilution or forced ventilation to manage air quality in confined areas.

Case Study 2: Flash Fire in Pontoon Tank Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 a team of six workers were roller painting in a confined space when a flash fire occurred one worker was killed and three others injured before work started an entry permit for painting and cleaning work in a confined space was applied the safety
• 00:30 - 01:00 assessor conducted a gas test the results of the gas test showed that the confined space was safe for entry and he endorsed the permit 2 days before the incident the workers started roller painting on the morning of the incident a gas test test was conducted no
• 01:00 - 01:30 abnormalities were observed and the entry permit was endorsed the workers carried out vacuuming and clearing work using thinner which was a flammable substance at noon a second gas test was conducted following the gas test the quality of the painting in the confined space was inspected to assess the quality of the work done the workers were then instructed to perform some touch-ups to the paint job after the safety assessor conducted another gas test test the workers brought in Drums
• 01:30 - 02:00 of paint and hardener into the confined space one of the workers mixed the paint and hardener in the confined space for 5 minutes he then distributed the mixture into the empty drums the roller painting commenced 30 minutes later a flash fire occurred painting in a confined space had resulted in the death of one worker and injured three others what went wrong accumulation of flammable Vapors the activities in the confined space had
• 02:00 - 02:30 accelerated the accumulation of flammable solvent Vapors in the confined space these activities include the mixing of paint and hardener in the confined space Distributing the mixture into empty drums drying of paint adequate measures were not in place to eliminate the accumulation of flammable Vapors no gas monitoring portable gas detectors were not provided to monitor the concentration of flammable gases in the confined space lighting with exposed
• 02:30 - 03:00 filament electrical wires not properly maintained light bulbs with exposed filaments and exposed electrical wires are sources of ignition no effective maintenance regime was in place to ensure that the lights and wires were in good condition Lessons Learned risk assessment before starting any work in a confined space always
• 03:00 - 03:30 conduct a risk assessment to identify safety and health hazards measures to minimize risks should be implemented avoid accumulation of flammable Vapors mix the paint and hardener outside and not in the confined space to avoid accumulation of flammable Vapors in a confined space provide portable gas detectors provide workers with suitable portable gas detectors to monitor the concentrations of flammable gases or
• 03:30 - 04:00 Vapors while working in confined spaces the concentrations should not exceed 10% of their lower explosive limits use flame prooof lighting flame proof lighting should be used in confined spaces establish a regular maintenance regime to ensure that lighting and live wires remain in good condition ventilation dilution or forced ventilation should be used to dilute
• 04:00 - 04:30 solvent Vapors to prevent accumulation of flammable Vapors within the confined space use a stronger Force to control air flow during increased painting activities ideally both exhaust and forced ventilation methods should be used together