In a cattle-feed plant during the ensilage of rape oil cakes, an explosion occurred on the return leg of a bucket elevator inside a horizontal silo while maintenance works (grinding and welding on a Redler conveyor) were ongoing in a[...]
While re-starting the acrylonitrile units of a synthetic fibre plant, the facilities were flooded with water for 2 hours to test the resistance of equipment. A leak was observed in a steel pipe. Since chlorine was present in the heat[...]
In an oil depot, an explosion was followed by fire inside an empty tank allocated to storing premium unleaded gasoline and equipped with a stationary roof and a 5,000-m³ diaphragm float. The accident occurred while 2 subcontractors were scraping the[...]
Gases with hydrogen sulphide (H2S) contents killed 2 employees at a plant producing algae-based natural food additives. The insoluble fractions stemming from the extraction of gelling agents with no direct usability were being treated on a porous soil (composed of[...]
Within an agro-pharmaceutical industry, phytosanitary products packaged in small quantities and palletised (1-ton loads) ignited underneath an awning positioned against an empty building that had previously contained sulfur in bulk storage. The first alarm sounded at 7:30 pm; for 3[...]
A butadiene leak occurred inside a chemical plant; its origin was a flare pipe break on a butadiene workshop reboiler. The gas alarm was immediately activated as was the internal emergency plan. 7 tonnes of butadiene escaped, a vehicle crossing[...]
An explosion and fire occurred around 10 am in a glue factory. A large black smoke cloud formed and partially drifted over the neighbouring urban area. Since atmospheric conditions were unfavourable for the plume to rise and disperse, rescue services[...]
Inside a synthetic fibre and plastics factory, a 600-litre leak of raw acrilonitrile (ACN) containing 10% hydrocyanic acid (HCN) spilled from a black steel (black PVD) tank located in a retention basin and fitted with a stainless steel extension and[...]
In a synthetic rubber plant, a valve broke on a 12.5 m³ tank half filled with butadiene; 5 m³ of the substance were released into the atmosphere. Production was halted and the internal emergency plan activated (under the scenario of[...]
At a sugar refinery, the operator determined the presence of legionella in its cooling circuit; results indicated a high rate of bacteria. The operator immediately decided to notify personnel and mark off the zone around the base of the cooling[...]
