Fire

• Combustion process requires Fuel and Oxidant, e.g.:

CH4 + 2O2 2H2O + CO2

• Flammability Limits: lowest and highest concentration of fuel in air which will support continuous combustion

• Depend on pressure, temperature, &c

Explosion

• Can be based on combustion:– Wave of high pressure from rapid expansion

• Could be mechanical (e.g. bursting vessel)

• Explosives Chemicals combining both fuel and oxidant

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Hazard Parameters

• Volatility (vapor pressure and boiling point)

• Flashpoint

• Flammable vs. Combustible liquids (flash point below or above 100 F, respectively)

• Autoignition temperature

• LFL/UFL

• LEL/UEL

Dust Explosions

• Suspended particles of reactive materials can combust/explode like vapors and gases

• Coal dust in mines and fiber dust in granaries are common examples

• Particle surface area is an important variable

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A burning bag-house

Example: Sugar Plant Explosion

AP: updated 7:07 p.m. ET, Fri., Feb. 8, 2008:

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. - Volatile dust was blamed Friday in an explosion that leveled a sugar refinery, and crews pulled four bodies from tunnels beneath the mangled mass of metal and beams left by the blast. At least four people known to be inside during the explosion were missing.

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Firefighters on Friday battle a fire at the Imperial Sugar Co., a day after a blast ripped apart the plant on the Savannah River in Port Wentworth, Ga.

Thu, Sep 24 2009:

ATLANTA (Reuters) - An explosion at Imperial Sugar's plant near Savannah, Georgia, in 2008 that killed 14 people was "entirely preventable," the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said in a report on its investigation.

Imperial Sugar had been aware of the hazard of combustible dust for decades before the accident that also caused 36 injuries, mostly related to burns and many of which were life-threatening…

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CTA Acoustics Explosion

On February 20, 2003, an explosion and fire damaged the CTA Acoustics manufacturing plant in Corbin, Kentucky, fatally injuring seven workers. The facility produced fiberglass insulation for the automotive industry. CSB investigators have found that the explosion was fueled by resin dust accumulated in a production area, likely ignited by flames from a malfunctioning oven. The resin involved was a phenolic binder used in producing fiberglass mats.

BP Plant ExplosionEHSToday (3/25/10): On March 23, 2005, tragedy struck

BP’s Texas City, Texas, refinery when a cloud of hydrocarbon vapor exploded, killing 15 workers and injuring more than 180 others. Perhaps the real tragedy is that federal investigators believe that the accident – like so many other workplace accidents – was entirely avoidable.

In 2005, following an investigation, OSHA hit BP with what was, at that time, the largest fine ever: $21 million. A February 2007 internal BP report commissioned by top BP brass concluded that four members of management should be held accountable for the blast.

BP (cont’d)

OSHA, however, didn’t let up on the company and in October 2009, the agency announced it was fining BP Products North America Inc. again, this time for $87.4 million, “for the company's failure to correct potential hazards faced by employees.”

Victims of the blast and their family members sued the company, and in 2007, BP acknowledged it had set aside $1.6 billion to cover compensation claims related to the blast.

Coors Plant Gas ExplosionDaily News-Record March 16, 2004:

ELKTON -- The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health organization determined earlier this month that last fall's deadly explosion at the Coors Brewing Co.'s Shenandoah plant occurred because of on-site hazards that Coors and E.A. Breeden Inc. failed to address. The explosion killed two workers from E.A. Breeden Inc. on Sept. 9, 2003. They were welding atop [tanks containing methane.]

WHSV August 5, 2005:

The Coors Brewing Company has agreed to pay nearly $71,000 in state fines stemming from a fatal explosion at its Rockingham County plant in 2003.

Combustion Products

• CO2 and CO

• Particulates

• SO2 and H2S

• Hydrogen Chloride and Phosgene

• Hydrogen Cyanide

• Metals

Prevention

• Leak control

• Temperature control

• Fuel deprivation (e.g. housekeeping)

• Ventilation

• Spark suppression

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Operational Analysis and Control (OAC)Model

Analyse the Operation

Manage the Operation

Effectiveness Review

What can cause harm?What are you doing about it?Is it enough?

What has to be done?What resources do you need?When does the operation need reviewed?

Has the operation progressed as planned?Detail the changes needed?List the improvement actions?

Safe Working Procedures

Set your work objectives to include:

“...tasks/ activities are to be completed on time and in a manner that does not cause harm to the employees, customers, other non-employees, or the company/ organisation.”

Three key questions to start with are…

• What can cause a fire or explosion?

• What are you doing about it?

• Is it enough?

Safe Working Procedures

Know where the harm is;

Identify the key hazards & outcomes of exposure to fire or explosion.

Source of Hazards(non-exhaustive list) • Flammable materials & substances• Hot work• Ignition sources• Pressurised gas containers & vessels• Dust• Explosives• Explosive substances

Outcomes of exposure(non-exhaustive list) • Burns• Amputations• Noise induced deafness• Respiratory damage• Death

Safe Working Procedures

Emergency procedures• Develop and communicate fire safety & bomb alert plans

• Have emergency fire fighting equipment (appropriate to hazards)

• Inspect and maintain fire fighting equipment

• Carry out periodic emergency evacuation drills

• involving all personnel and visitors

• Have fire safety and bomb alert notices

• clearly visible and easily understood

• multi-lingual

• Clearly mark all fire doors and escape routes

• Keep escape routes free from obstructions

• Inspect and test all emergency equipment and alarms

• Competent and authorized persons should carry out inspections, tests and maintenance

• Maintenance may need to be carried out using a permit to work system

• Keep a record of every inspection

Inspections, tests and maintenance

Roles and Responsibilities

Business Activity Managers

Safety Managers

Managing Director

Employees

Duty Holders

Ensuring compliance.

Providing professional safety advice.

Complying with the requirements.

Responsible for…

Co-operating with the requirements.

Documentation

• Emergency Plans

• Emergency evacuation routes and warning notices

• Inspection log

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Fire Control

• Oxygen deprivation (e.g. CO2 and foam extinguishers)

• Cooling to below ignition temperature (e.g. water extinguishers)

• Training on use of extinguishers, and on evacuation and damage control techniques

• Make sure available extinguishers match likely fire hazard (class A-D)

Fire Classification

• Class A: ordinary combustible materials (e.g. paper, wood, cloth, some rubber/plastic)

• Class B: flammable or combustible liquids, gases, greases, and some rubber/plastic

• Class C: energized electrical equipment

• Class D: combustible metals (e.g. sodium, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, lithium, potassium)

Fire Diamond

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• Fire Diamond page

Fire Suppression

• All employees can help a little…• …but for larger fires you need

pros• Your site might have a “fire

brigade”• If so, they should regularly train

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Chemical Safety Board Video

http://www.csb.gov/investigations/detail.aspx?SID=35