Red oil explosion (?) in a different form?? - cat litter causes radiation leak in nuclear waste dump

In an incident on 14.02.2014 in nuclear waste isolation pilot plant, cat litter containing organic matter used for stabilization of nuclear waste with nitrates, before storage, caused a chemical reaction generating heat and gases, bursting of lid off the drum and radiation leak.  The temperature was at 1600 degrees (Celsius or Fahrenheit?) causing melting of plastic and rubber (from drums or nearby?). 22 workers were exposed to the incident but without any harmful effects. The cost of cleanup is estimated at USD 240 million.

As per practice, the cat litter with silicates is used for stabilization of the volatiles in the nuclear waste to prevent reaction with others. However changing the cat litter from clay based to organic based (corn/wheat) is suspected to have caused the exothermic reaction, failure of containment of the drum and radiation exposure.

We learnt about red oil explosion which can result from reaction of nitrates and organic and temperatures of above 135 deg C (generally) though it is possible at temperatures as low as 45-50 deg C.

We have to know many things before we do something. Definitely, this incident in New Mexico nuclear waste isolation plant is a clear case study for all of us to learn.

Please see the following links on the above incident.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/27/8299325/kitty-litter-nuclear-waste-accident-wipp

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/05/23/315279895/organic-kitty-litter-chief-suspect-in-nuclear-waste-accident

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10842691/Cat-litter-may-have-caused-nuclear-leak-in-New-Mexico.html

http://motherboard.vice.com/en_au/read/a-scientist-bought-the-wrong-brand-of-kitty-litter-caused-a-nuclear-accident?trk_source=recommended

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11499595/Wrong-kitty-litter-led-to-radiation-leak-at-New-Mexico-nuclear-waste-dump.html

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/special_reports/from_lanl_to_leak/lanl-officials-downplayed-waste-s-dangers-even-after-leak/article_54d7f3d2-8c99-5793-8c17-c4bdb0b72ef1.html?mode=jqm

http://www.currentargus.com/carlsbad-news/ci_25750452/doe-examining-possibility-kitty-litter-contributed-radiation-leak

http://www.livescience.com/50286-kitty-litter-to-blame-for-nuclear-waste-leak.html

2 page report:
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/03/f20/TAT_Fact_sheet%2032615%20FINAL.pdf

277 page report on the incident:
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/03/f20/MARCH%202015%20-%20FINAL%20TECHNICAL%20ASSESSMENT%20TEAM%20REPORT.pdf

At least four killed in PEMEX explosion in Gulf of Mexico - World Socialist Web Site

At least four killed in PEMEX explosion in Gulf of Mexico - World Socialist Web Site

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/02/us-pemex-fire-idUSKBN0MS4MU20150402

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/save-the-arctic/blog/52512/

Few incidents occurred earlier also in PEMEX operations. The famous and widely referred in text/reference books and websites including Loss Prevention by Frank P Lees is the one that happened in 1984 where about 500 persons died. This 1984 accident happened just before another accident in Bhopal.

Teacher gets burns during demo in the chemistry class

In a fire incident, a teacher got first and second degree burns while conducting an experiment in front of the students in a chemistry class. The school science classrooms had emergency showers and the teacher doused flames by using it.
It is highly appreciable that the school management has kept emergency showers in the classroom which is rare.
However, one could have checked the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for the chemicals handled before the experiment. Or, was there any slip during the experiment, though the hazards are known?

An article in Yahoo - Forbes on assessment of continuing our present job

In an article that I saw in Yahoo, six points are listed as checkpoints to see whether our present job is suitable or not to continue.

Some of the points are like, no more impact, people are not liking the ideas, don't like going to the work, etc which are mostly faced by safety professionals. Unless safety culture is introduced from day one of the factory started, people don't like to follow safety principles, as they feel that they are imposed. With people around not liking/listening means no impact in safety culture in the factory inspite of best efforts by the safety professional making him feel irrelevant, no job satisfaction, and don't feel like going.

But, this will be the situation generally everywhere as there will be hard nuts everywhere and if one keeps changing the job, finally the person will be branded as rolling stone and will not be considered for jobs at all. Possibly, one should do more research on the company he intends to join before and try to settle.

Accident prevention - sharing of information between the Japan factories

A news item on the above subject is interesting to read.

A good effort by Japanese factories to share information to prevent accidents. It is worth emulating by others also. Only that, the participants should not criticize the speakers for sharing the information about the accidents in their facilities. The speakers and their factory management should be appreciated that they came out boldly to tell about accidents  and the lessons learnt to others with a godly view of preventing such accidents in other facilities.

Fire during welding

A fire incident took place while welding work was in progress. The sparks caused fire involving combustibles nearby. The incident was brought under control within 10 minutes and no casualty is reported.

As a general principle, it is suggested to keep 15 m from any hot work area to keep free from combustibles to avoid sparks that can fly off that much distance. Though, this may look silly to many working agencies, but occasional fire incidents like these prove the point.

See the video , video here.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fire-breaks-out-in-parliament-complex-10-fire-tenders-sent-to-control-blaze/article1-1329269.aspx

Safety Rules and Regulations - there will be blood stains behind

It is quite common for safety professionals to be at receiving end, bombarded with questions, when suggestion / advice is given based on rules and regulations. Leave apart general advice when given, safety professionals are questioned for the basis. 

But, everybody should remember that nobody is interested in slowing down the work pace. Nobody is interested in doing additional work. Nobody wants to take blame, knowing fully well that any safety advice communicated will have questions directed back to them. Still, it is rendered for the reasons of doing their mandated job. A safety professional is not a namesake fellow  to be shown to factory inspectors during their visits. There are some good organizations, national and multinational, who follow safety in toto. And, they proved that in the end, safety aids in increased production. 

But, to realize this, we have to sweat initially, should have thinking and application in the conceptual and design stage itself. Okay, it is not there initially. Then, let us struggle for some extra time, to implement during operational stage. 

But, during this stage, if incharge sees this work of implementing safety retards production during his period and he will not be recognized, then it should be made known to this incharge by top management that goals will be set considering all factors. Give, sometime for seeing the results of implementation of safety procedures (if implemented late, not required if implemented during design stage itself). Do not encourage the ideas of shopfloor employees to bypass safety systems for achieving higher production in a short time. This will be shortsightedness. One will get higher production initially for some time, as there may not be deterioration of culture quickly. However, with time, with changing mindset and taking roots, joining of new recruits who learn such bad practices from first day, one can see the signs of near misses and later accidents resulting in injuries and property damage.

Study of such accidents leads to internal regulations which when published and / or goes to the notice of regulators, will turn into legislations. Slowly, one forgets the reasons for a rule or regulation and then questioning of basis for such rule begins (wheel needs to reinvented).

This becomes like one chanting mantras and then getting involved in all acts against the meaning of these great mantras (pseudoism).