Oxygen-containing air released from his breathing air helmet came into contact with the catalyst on top of him, causing it to ignite.
On the morning of Friday, February 3, 2023, an employee of XXXXXX Service Catalyst Handling (the contractor) lost his life in an accident at the oil refinery. This happened while removing the catalyst from a reactor. Catalyst used in a reactor must be replaced periodically. There are various methods for doing this, and they are often used in combination. One of those methods involves an employee entering the reactor to vacuum up the catalyst with a vacuum hose and to chip it off if necessary. The employee is referred to as a ‘diver’. Because spent catalyst ignites if it comes into contact with oxygen, the reactor must be made oxygen-free before the work begins. This involves filling the reactor with nitrogen, thus creating an inert atmosphere. To be able to breathe in that inert atmosphere, the diver requires breathing apparatus.
