Character and culture

I was going through a book titled 'Turning Point - Enlightening Essays on Life Part 1' published by Swaminarayan Aksharpith, Ahmedabad. In this book, there is a chapter on Character in which the quotation of Dwight L Mody is stated as 'Character is what you are in the dark'. 

National Petroleum Offshore Authority in its information booklet (A98443, Revision 1, Oct 2009) defined safety culture as 'Safety culture is how the organisation behaves when no one is watching'. From these two statements we can say that safety culture of an organization is the outcome of character of the individuals responsible for running the organization. Individuals makeup the organization and thus organization's culture is defined.

What we are doing in our day to day activities is not new to us. It is routine and we know how to do it safely. Still, we don't for various reasons. Nobody needs to supervise/watch us and tell us how to do a work in a safe manner. One need not tell us to read the established procedure, know the hazards, wear personal protective equipment, and so on. We know. Some of the tasks were known to us by our intuition / common sense. Still we ignore  for quick gains. We may complete a job without getting hurt ourselves or others. But, a day will come when we become victims of our own actions and that day we repent for our actions. 

Two sewage workers die in a sump of 6 feet depth

A worker engaged in routine maintenance of a pump located six feet below in a sump inhaled poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas and collapsed. Another person who tried to rescue the exposed  was overcome, collapsed and died. Shift supervisor who tried to rescue the persons also lost his life. Four others who tried to rescue were also exposed to the poisonous gas.

This incident shows lack of use of self contained breathing apparatus by the workers involved in such jobs and supervision. Whether the work atmosphere is monitored for toxic gases and sufficient ventilation is provided is to be ascertained.  Even if the work is required to be done only for few minutes, people involved should use necessary safety gear, as many think it is a short job and thus don't need self contained breathing apparatus. Rescue procedures in such incidents also need to be planned before start of work so that there will not be any delay to save the lives. It should form part of procedure to inform fire service crew and doctors before taking up any such work that help can be rendered in shortest time possible during any eventuality. 

Though, these procedures are made and followed in industrial establishments, similar procedures should be made compulsory in departments where persons are likely to be exposed to hazardous environment, where person have to work in confined spaces and so on. If somebody has to work at a place which is not meant for regular use, it should be treated as confined space and safety procedures for confined space should be followed.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Toxic-gas-kills-2-Delhi-Jal-Board-men-safety-suspect/articleshow/14190479.cms

Blast and fire in Vizag Steel Plant

In an incident of explosion and resultant fire in Vizag Steel Plant, 16 persons died and  property worth crores of rupees is damaged. It is reported that the incident happened in oxygen plant of the recently commissioned steel melting shop-II during trials. The hot metal from blast furnace will be sent into a mixer where oxygen will be blown at 17 kg/cm2 pressure to remove impurities and then convert into blooms. It is reported that the back pressure caused the explosion.

As per the reports, following are my observations:

1. Impurities from hot metal will be burnt in the mixer with oxygen.
2. Operators could not get the oxygen pressure of 17 kg/cm2 and instead they got about 14 kg/cm2.
3. They tried to admit oxygen at this lower pressure 2-3 times.
4. While people went closer to the unit to see reasons for low pressure, explosion occurred.
5. The pipeline for oxygen is of 5 mm thick instead of 10 mm
6. The oxygen container and associated piping got burst
7. The fire after explosion led to fire causing injuries/fatalities and property damage
8. Vehicles flew of about 50 m from the incident site

The above indicate nonavailability or failure of check valve / non-return valve in the connecting line; non-availability or failure of safety relief valve in the oxygen container and or mixer. The back pressure could be due to sudden reaction of impurities like carbon, etc with more oxygen supplied (2-3 times as low pressure was there) and the reaction product gases could have builtup pressure and non-venting of these gases as they are formed could have led to pressure buildup and back pressure.

As the plant is being commissioned/started for trial runs, many people including top level management was present and so many people thus got exposed.

Why so many vehicles including autorikshaws and scooters were available near the site is not known.

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/eight-killed-in-explosion-at-vizag-steel-plant/20120614.htm

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-13/hyderabad/32214943_1_oxygen-plant-sms-wing-blast-furnace

Operators are important for safety

In an article in Times of India today, an air safety consultant (former member of NTSB) John Goglia said that 80% airline accidents can be attributed to pilots, 40% to maintenance problems. He also suggested to have fatigue management system for efficient job performance like environment management system for improving environmental performance.
We may say that in any activity, the person actually doing the job is an important person and thus his knowledge, skill and interpretation/analysis of data he sees/receives in his job is most important. With poor control on operators regarding their punctuality and discipline, operators already in place may be forced to continue till reliever comes and this may lead to fatigue and errors in his judgement.
Proper selection of the man-power, training, establishing safety procedures, planning of shift duties, procedures for intimation about absence/change of timing well in advance can handle such issues and help in smooth operation of plant.

Gas cylinder safety

Following link is about BOC guidelines for gas cylinder safety.

http://www.uq.edu.au/ohs/pdfs/OHYG-BOCGasCylinderSafety.pdf

Location of transformers closer to buildings, walkways - a hazard

In an article, it is reported that many transformers located adjacent to foot paths or closer to buildings though as per Petroleum Act, atleast 9 m gap should be maintained. As per Indian Electricity Act, at least 2.5 m vertical and 1.5 m horizontal clearance should be maintained for 11 kv lines which is hardly followed. Read the full information in the following link.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Transformers-buildings-too-close-for-comfort/articleshow/13678673.cms

Wrong chemical mixing - gas leak - 11 injured

In an incident, the truck driver connected connected a wrong hose pumping acid into a tanker already containing some caustic solution. This resulted in chemical reaction, raising the temperature to 120 deg C and the driver saw yellow gas leak. 11 persons were injured in the incident. It is not clear who cleared the tanker driver to connect a wrong hose.

Following procedures/precautions can avoid such chemcial accidents/incidents.

1. Ensure the fitness of the vehicles by checking for valid certificates before permitting the vehicle into premises.
2. Ensure the contents and volume in the tanker by checking the records from the driver.
3. Ensure the availability of TREM card for the chemical in the tanker.
4. Ensure supervision for the job.
5. Label the hoses with chemical names apart from proper colour coding of the hoses.
6. Ensure connecting of earthing lines (depending on the chemicals handled) to the tanker.
7. Ensure connecting of correct hose to the tanker.
8. Instruct the operator to pump required volume by proper setting.
9. After pumping, disconnect and wait for backflow of chemicals from hoses, if any and wash the area.
10. Disconnect the earthing connections from the tanker.
11. Enter the volume pumped  or the level in the tank after pumping, in the records of the truck driver.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/At-least-three-people-injured-during-hazardous-materials-incident-Portland-155757555.html

A video is also available in the above link about the incident.

Treatment to blindness caused by chemicals

An eye hospital in Hyderabad, L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, is restoring the blindness to persons caused during chemical accidents. A person lost his eye sight due to splashing of sodium hydroxide. By growing stem cells in the lab, a technique developed by Italian scientists and improvised by scientists in this institute, the doctors are able to restore the eye sight in quick time.
http://www.theworld.org/2012/05/stem-cells-india/

Workers may be complacent not to wear goggles while working with chemicals, assuming that the job is simple or short time job. Chemicals, particularly alkalies can cause retina damage when fall into eyes and not washed immediately and treated. Some workers wash with water for few minutes until they feel better instead of the recommended time period of atleast 15 minutes. Later these people develop complications and may risk their eye sight. One has to wash 15 minutes atleast because, studies say, even after this much period of washing, only about 95% of the chemical is washed and this should be followed with treatment/consultation from the doctor. Any neglect will prove costly.

Person consumes cow dung powder and dies

A woman consumes cow dung powder and dies on the way to the hospital. She did this as her husband found that she had drawn Rs 50,000/- from his bank account using his ATM card without his knowledge and came to know later. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Wife-who-defrauds-husband-kills-self/articleshow/13577962.cms

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=9&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=TOIH&mydateHid=28-05-2012&pubname=&edname=&publabel=TOI

I am unable to find the words of consuming cow dung powder in the above links, but in print version it is mentioned.  Myself  and my friends too are totally surprised that cow dung consumption can cause death. We tried to find the reason unsuccessfully. Now, we have to keep cautioning the persons about possible contamination of food with cow dung also to avoid illness/deaths. 

Dust explosions: little known hazards

Hazards of dust and consequences arising out of dust explosions are still little understood by manufacturing facilities that handle dust of variety of materials, let it be, sugar, plastic, floor (wheat/maize/corn/...), metals (iron, zirconium, thorium,uranium, titanium,...), etc. Otherwise, there would have not been so many incidents every year leading to injuries and deaths of so many.
Proper measures like closed ventilation, maintaining humidity, earthing and bonding, flameproof electrical fittings, static discharge stations, cotton uniforms, periodical cleaning,etc will prevent dust explosions and its consequences.
Proper collection and disposal of dust needs to be given due attention.
An article in the following link is good reading material. There are few reports and video in www.csb.gov on the same subject.
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/05/29/8957/unchecked-dust-explosions-kill-injure-hundreds-workers?utm_source=iwatchnews&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=rss