This is another case of a PLASTIC tote being used for a NON-CONDUCTIVE Flammable Liquid and a serious incident occured due to the failure to control the ignition source… STATIC ELECTRICITY! SAFTENG Members be sure to check out the posts earlier this year of a very similar incident that was caught on camera (Transferring flammable liquids without a deadman valve can be deadly indeed!). That incident involved a plastic tote (e.g. Intermediate Bulk Container or IBC) and static ignited the vapors.
A HAZ Waste facility was fined $230,000 for an offense under section 12(1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, for failing to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of its employees at its hazardous waste treatment facility. On 23 February 2017 at 6.10am, a worker was discharging recovered liquid Hexane from a product tank into a PLASTIC Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) through a flexible metallic hose, when a flash fire broke out.
Attempts by nearby workers to extinguish the flash fire failed, and the localized flash fire quickly spread into a site-wide fire due to the presence of other flammable solvents. All workers were safely evacuated from the affected premises, and the fire was brought under control by the Singapore Civil Defense Force at 11.00am. While no worker was injured, the hazardous waste treatment facility was badly damaged.
Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Investigation Findings
Investigations by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that the facility failed to conduct a risk assessment to ascertain the suitability of storing highly flammable liquid Hexane in plastic IBCs. The IBC used by the ECO SWM was not suitable as it could not dissipate the electrostatic charges generated during the discharging of Hexane, which ignited the flammable Hexane vapor- air mixture that resulted in the fire.
The company also failed to ensure that its workers adhered to safe operating procedures for dealing with hazardous products. Hexane and another flammable liquid, Xylene, were spilled onto the floor during previous work processes, and were not cleaned up immediately by the workers. The spilled liquids formed flammable vapors in the area, which fueled the spread of the fire.