On January 7, 1983, at approximately 12:15 am EST, a massive explosion, ignited by an overflowing gasoline storage tank at the Texaco storage facility in Newark, NJ, and a nearby incinerator, destroyed three tanks, killing one person and injuring 24, while the blast was felt up to 100 miles away. Cause:The explosion was said to…...
Providence Fire Department Field Notes Date: 26Dec2024 Time: 15:04 Address: 130 Terminal Rd Incident No.: 2024-45273 Investigator: Eric Pedro SUMMARY OVERVIEW… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Gasoline (UN1203) is a NON-conductive flammable liquid. These liquids, as all liquids, generate static electricity as they flow through hoses, piping, and free fall into tanks and containers. Since the liquid is non-conductive, it can not conduct the static charge to the hose/pipe/container so the charge can be dissipated to the “ground”. Authorities say quick…...
Another incident where the lack of respect for static electricity and flammable atmospheres results in severe injuries. A Teflon bristle brush generates a lot of static electricity; coupled with the low flashpoint of Naptha (73F) and we have a serious hazard. At 5:30 a.m. on February 24, 2020, an employee, 42, was scrubbing interior surfaces…...
FACT: Most flammable liquid vapors have a Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) of less than 1 millijoule (mJ). Most of us do not even feel static which is less than 15 mJ. So the amount of energy necessary to ignite most flammable vapor atmospheres is not even observable by humans. At 6:15 p.m. on October 30,…...
At 2:45 p.m. on May 31, 2024, Employee #1, 39, was performing welding work on a diesel fuel tank. During the welding process, an explosion occurred, resulting in the employee’s fatal injuries. The explosion was caused by overpressure inside the tank, which caused metal parts to be ejected. Emergency services responded to the scene, but…...
I have spent my career working with flammable liquids, and those who have followed my writings on the topic understand why I have stopped using 1910.106 as my baseline flammable liquid safety standard and instead began using either the IFC or NFPA 30. I have been involved in several serious events where atmospheric storage tanks…...
An investigation into an industrial explosion at an oil and gas facility has led to significant fines being laid by WorkSafe BC. A contractor who handles oilfield waste, has been ordered to pay just over $42,000 for safety violations. Two welders, working directly above a fluid tank, were injured after an explosion inside a shaker…...
I teach about a dozen flammable liquid courses annually, and it is one of my favorite courses to teach, as I love the technical side of hazardous materials. And my course always starts with a discussion around the 1st step in making a flammable liquid a hazardous material… FLASH POINT. And over the 30+ years,…...
Flash-fire incidents occurred during multiple types of operations, including maintenance on a control panel when natural gas was being vented, flammable fluids being drained into a bucket, or flammable liquids being transferred between containers. A static discharge can occur when an electrical charge accumulates on the surfaces of two materials, one with a positive charge…...
The 2018 IFC has some great design requirements for flammable liquids (as does NFPA 30). Abiding by this 2018 IFC, Chapter 57 would provide a much higher degree of safety as compared to meeting OSHA’s 1910.106. So I have broken down and discussed these IFC requirements for those looking to improve their flammable liquid piping…...
