The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog has
posted incidents in the past of fires and explosion involving cylinders. The majority
of these incidents involve gas cylinders. Why? Because many parts of the world
do not have underground gas lines servicing aluminium plants. Instead these
plants have gas cylinders to feed their various equipment. The loading,
unloading, storage, hook-up of cylinders in aluminium plants is a hazard that
many overlook. Here is a recent incident highlighting the hazard of gas
cylinders in our plants.
At least three labourers were
killed when a cylinder exploded in an aluminum factory in South Asia one day
during the week of May 10, 2020 local media reported.
According to details, cylinder explosion occurred at an aluminum
factory. The roof of the factory collapsed, burying four labourers under the
debris.
Rescue teams reached the spot after being informed and retrieved
two dead bodies from the rubble while two other labourers were rescued in
injured condition.
The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital where another
labourer succumbed to his wounds. The deceased were later identified. The dead bodies
were later shifted to a nearby town.
We pray for all of the deceased
workers’ families, friends, and coworkers.
Though the news media does not go
into any detail on what occurred. We can assume from our past experience that either
the connection to a tank or the hose running from the tank leaked. The leaking gas
found an ignition source and exploded.
It is recommended that any loading,
unloading, hooking up, disconnecting of
gas cyclinders be done as per procedure and by experienced workers. In addition
the gas line running from the cylinders to the machinery needs to be protected
from physical damage. Long ago when the editors of the Aluminium Plant Safety Blog worked in a factory that had portable gas
cylinders we would protect the gas lines with a section of steel channel.
We will update this story as
information comes forth.
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