Explosion at CF Industries

[BOSS351]

Another fatal explosion in our chemical sector..Pray for the families involved. Unbelievable--two in as many days.

http://theadvocate.com/home/6255031-125/explosion-at-donaldsonville-plant-kills

 

[Metryshooter]

It's surprising it hasn't happened there sooner. It's been a few years since I've been there, but that place was a joke for safety. I'm waiting to hear about Georgia Gulf next. I've had operators tell me they let some things go unreported for dear if losing their job. Sad.

 

[oleheat]

Damn....Those poor families. What a sad week this has been....

 

[sgt z]

Operators will choose being blown up over unemployed? I don't understand that rationality.

 

[Emperor]

I assume this was "liquid" nitrogen!?! And if so, egad!

Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[SVTFreak]

I'd better not find out one of my techs looked past something they felt was unsafe out of fear of retribution.

 

[jmcrawf1]

It's surprising it hasn't happened there sooner. It's been a few years since I've been there, but that place was a joke for safety. I'm waiting to hear about Georgia Gulf next. I've had operators tell me they let some things go unreported for dear if losing their job. Sad.

I have a buddy who was saying that same thing. *I don't work in a plant* but he was saying that every accident, no matter how small is to be reported (paper cut, bee sting, bump on the head, small cut etc.) He was saying if it isn't a mis-engineering on the part of the plant, they classify it a your fault and fire you for it.

 

[Emperor]

It's surprising it hasn't happened there sooner. It's been a few years since I've been there, but that place was a joke for safety. I'm waiting to hear about Georgia Gulf next. I've had operators tell me they let some things go unreported for dear if losing their job. Sad.

I have a buddy who was saying that same thing. *I don't work in a plant* but he was saying that every accident, no matter how small is to be reported (paper cut, bee sting, bump on the head, small cut etc.) He was saying if it isn't a mis-engineering on the part of the plant, they classify it a your fault and fire you for it.

There are people you can call to stop this!

 

[andimthejr]

I knew a guy who ran a scaffold crew and he literally saved one of his workers life but since he endangered himself they considered him risk and fired him

 

[Btl_Rkt_Sci]

FWIW, I heard this was a tank-truck explosion. So I wouldn't chalk it up to negligence or faulty engineering in the plant just yet.

And I'm hoping some of these safety stories I'm hearing are embellished. I've been in and out of several plants and never felt in danger of being kicked out/fired for reporting a safety incident. Now, that being said, there have been instances where people have been let go for endangering themselves and others by intentionally breaking the rules (taking governors out of golf carts and driving them recklessly, not following procedure for confined space entries, etc..). I've also been in situations where an employee, say, broke a nipple in a combustible service line, reported it, and was not let go.

 

[charlie12]

From the news last night

http://www.wafb.com/category/195952/video-landing-page

 

[Emperor]

FWIW, I heard this was a tank-truck explosion. So I wouldn't chalk it up to negligence or faulty engineering in the plant just yet.

And I'm hoping some of these safety stories I'm hearing a embellished. I've been in and out of several plants and never felt in danger of being kicked out/fired for not reporting a safety incident. Now, that being said, there have been instances where people have been let go for endangering themselves and others by intentionally breaking the rules (taking governors out of golf carts and driving them recklessly, not following procedure for confined space entires, etc..). I've also been in situations where an employees, say, broke a nipple in a combustible service line, reported it, and was not let go.

I'm with you! This crap is insane! I completely understand a man feeling obligated to do certain things beyond normal to hold on to a good job, but this kind of stuff ain't cool.

Any of you plant guys in this situation need to weigh your options against your priorities.

 

[RStewart]

Almost as many people get hurt or killed trying to rescue someone without proper training or equipment. That's why you never try to do a resue unless you are trained and properly equipped. It's hard standing by, but it's even harder notifying 2 families of an injury, than one.

 

[Richard in LA]

He was saying if it isn't a mis-engineering on the part of the plant, they classify it a your fault and fire you for it.

Not true, at least in the plant I work at. If it is a reoccurring theme of multiple safety violations/injuries, different story, but not for one or two accidents.

 

[troy_mclure]

as a diver i worked on several platforms/facilities that we were run off from for refusing to work until a safety issue had been corrected.
instead of correcting the issue(usually not clearing/flushing a line, refusing lockout tagout, or even securing a 2" line with a pretty bad gas leak 30' from our work site) they just told us to leave, usually with lots of screaming/threats involved.

 

[scooterj]

FWIW, I heard this was a tank-truck explosion. So I wouldn't chalk it up to negligence or faulty engineering in the plant just yet.

.

Shure could be negligence. If the truck was not propperly grounded, static electricity could have been the ignition source.

 

[dothadewman]

I thought nitrogen was not flammable

 

[RStewart]

I thought nitrogen was not flammable

It's not.

 

[scooterj]

Anything flowing through a hose will produce static.

 

[RStewart]

Anything flowing through a hose will produce static.

Correct. However, a nitrogen tank cannot burn or explode from static electricity. It can explode from overpressure, which appears to be the case here.