Unsafe line break into an Anhydrous Ammonia line results in three workers hospitalized and more than $55,000 in fines – and some valuable lessons for emergency responders.
A processing vessel was underway when the crew discovered a tiny leak in their ammonia line. They tried to empty it out, and called welding contractor to patch the hole. “The ammonia line would have been, or should have been, evacuated,” says OSHA Area Director. “In this case, the valve was not locked out, and they cut into a live line.” That oversight is one of five worker safety violations that OSHA found. All five were rated “serious,” and one was a repeat offense. That added up to $50,000 in fines for the seafood company that owns the vessel. In all, two welders and a crew member were exposed to a cloud of ammonia. They were sent to the hospital, where one welder was treated for serious lung damage. The rest of the ship’s crew was evacuated. OSHA found that the welding contractor didn’t have the right permits or properly-fitted safety equipment when they took on the welding job. Their fine was only $4,000, but they’ve spent five times that amount on new safety programs and permits. Going forward, the Welding contractor has a new rule when working on refrigeration systems. They won’t make the first cut into a pipe that could potentially contain ammonia. Instead, they’ll leave that up to the ship’s crew.
Source: http://www.ktoo.org/2012/11/16/osha-hands-out-55000-in-fines-for-ammonia-spill/