Common root causes of incidents are: (in no specific order)
- Lack of training, leading to insufficient Manager/Supervisor/Operator awareness of risk or competence in risk management.
- Use of contractors who are not aware of the risks or how to manage them
- Poor communication both internally and with contractors. Communication is particularly important after process changes. The consequences of poor communication can be catastrophic Ref 10.
- Low understanding of how and where flammable atmospheres could occur
- Low understanding of the importance of safeguarding against electrostatic discharges
- Poor control of solvent use, especially in hot areas
- Heating solvents without adequate controls
- Poor housekeeping
- Poor implementation of control measures such as restricting the release of flammable vapours or eliminating ignition sources
- Poorly designed equipment or installation, leading to unnecessary emissions or leaks
- Using equipment not suited to the job: use only ATEX approved equipment selected according to the zoning defined in the ATEX workplace directive
- Poorly designed tasks that either create hazards or leave excessive scope for human error (e.g. lack of controls to prevent overfilling)
- Inadequate or poorly managed maintenance activities
- Equipment failure
- Badly managed transfer operations such as the filling and emptying of equipment
- Loading and unloading solvents without adequate precautions
Source: Flammability: A safety guide for users (ESIG) – FREE Publication