Page 32 - Serious Incident Prevention How to Achieve and Sustain Accident-Free Operations in Your Plant or Company

CH01pp001-020 4/10/02 12:49 PM Page 14
Remote-operated emergency shut-
More effective permit system for
More effective prestartup inspec-
lines/equipment prior to start of
tion and test practices for tanks
Process to positively identify
off valves on wellheads.
maintenance activities
Adequate diking
work
standard hydrostatic test practices
Failure to use the most stringent
Cutting into line that contained
Failure of tank
pressure
Specific loss estimate not avail-
able. Fees for cleanup and legal
Known Consequences 14 Potential Preventative Probable Cause Actions Serious Incident Prevention prior to filling with diesel (tested by filling only 5´ of tank with water instead of entire tank) Accurate process for monitoring Failure of system designed to au- Fatalities: 3 (off-site) cavern inventory level tomatically close va
claims were substantial.
Property damage:
$43 M
Incident Description A contractor accidentally cut into a 10˝ propane line at a storage terminal. Flammables from 5 un- derground storage caverns were released, and a large vapor cloud formed and exploded. An estimated 3.9M gallons of diesel fuel spilled when a 40- year-old 120´ diameter tank that had recently been reassembled sud

Location and Year (References) Hydrocarbon Storage Terminals Texas USA 1985 (38) Pennsylvania USA 1988 (39) Texas USA 1992 (40, 41)