Organisational and human factors Archives - Page 10 of 32 - La référence du retour d'expérience sur accidents technologiques

Discharge of ammonia water and dispersion of an ammonia cloud

20/12/2007
FRANCE

Within a chemical plant producing sodium carbonate, 45 m³ of ammonia-laden water at a concentration of 22 g/l accidentally spilled into the site's 23-ha settling basin. The ammonia cloud (NH3) that formed by means of vaporisation above the basin did[...]

Hydrogen leakage on a pipeline

12/10/2007
PAYS-BAS

Fire broke out along a "transition corridor" combining several underground pipelines transporting hazardous substances, including hydrogen, kerosene and ethylene oxide. The fire was brought under control within a few minutes thanks to the limited size of the leak. Though no[...]

Accidental generation of chlorine in a chemical industry

05/10/2007
ALLEMAGNE

A cloud of chlorine gas was accidentally generated around 10.30 am while transferring hydrochloric acid (HCl) into a tank containing sodium hypochlorite (NaClO or liquid bleach) in a chemical wholesale company. The accident happened during a period of rebuilding of[...]

Sudden degassing of a road tanker in a special waste treatment centre

31/07/2007
FRANCE

At an industrial waste treatment centre, a pressure surge due to the decomposition of wastes contained inside a tanker truck accepted into the site broke the manhole lid on the backside of the tanker, which abruptly discharged its gaseous contents.[...]

Fire in a food manufacturing plant

30/07/2007
FRANCE

A fire broke out at around 2.00 am in a 10,000 m² cake and confectionery manufacturing plant. The video surveillance company informed the maintenance manager. Around hundred fire-fighters arrived onsite with 27 fire engines. The fire-fighters cut off the gas[...]

Sinking of a twin-deck floating roof of crude oil tank

18/07/2007
FRANCE

The sinking of a double-deck floating roof on the 70-m diameter B962 tank containing over 62,200 m³ of crude oil was detected on July 18, 2007 in a refinery. No product had been transferred from this tank since July 2,[...]

Leakage on a pipeline and water pollution

23/03/2007
BIELORUSSIE

In Belarus, a leak was detected in a 377 mm diameter pipeline carrying gas oil causing 120 tonnes of hydrocarbons to be spilled in the DAUGAVA river for 5 hours. The emergency services contained the most of the gas oil[...]

Breakage of an oil tank

12/01/2007
FRANCE

The bottom of a 13,500 m³ containing 12,000 m³ of light crude oil tank ripped open at 8:00 am within an oil depot. The earthen dikes surrounding the retention basin withstood the wave effect; 2,000 m³ of oil still overflowed[...]

Release of sulphur dioxide in a cellulose factory

16/08/2006
ALLEMAGNE

In a cellulose manufacturing plant, sulphur dioxide leaked following a loss of air tightness of a cover of a reactor. Cellulose is manufactured in a process where wood chips are heated in a vessel containing sulphuric acid and sulphur dioxide.[...]

Fire on a burning area in a pyrotechnic plant

28/07/2006
FRANCE

In a company dedicated to producing hunting ammunition, fire broke out on a pyrotechnic waste burning zone, on a day when the production facility was closed for annual holidays. A single entrance provided access to this excavated (50 x 30[...]