CCP

CCPS
CENTER FOR
CHEMICAL PROCESS SAFETY

An AIChE Industry
An AIChEAlliance
Industry
Technology
Technology Alliance

Process Safety Beacon

http: //www.aiche.org/ccps/safetybeacon.htm

Messages for Manufacturing Personnel

Overflow + Ignition Source = Tank Farm Fire

Sponsored
by
CCPS
Supporters

September 2004

This is what can happen when a tank containing a flammable liquid overflows!

What Happened?
Late one evening, a large storage tank containing a flammable liquid began to overflow. It was
not detected until a security guard noticed a strong odor. He immediately called the area
operations personnel to report his concern. Two operators responded by driving a truck to the area
to investigate. Within minutes, there was a loud explosion and fire. (It is believed that their truck
provided the ignition source that caused the initial deflagration and ensuing fires.) It took plant
and civic personnel a day and a half to extinguish the fires which moved from one tank to the next.
More than a dozen employees were
What YOU Can Do
hospitalized and there was significant
Transferring flammable liquids is always a risk with
property damage.
potentially significant consequences. Monitor transfers

How Did it Start?

The tank was being filled but the operators did
not know that the level indication AND the
safety alarm systems had failed. They did not
monitor the filling operation closely because
they believed that the tank still had plenty of
capacity remaining. And, they did not take the
security guard seriously or respond promptly
when he reported the strong odor since he was
new on the job. Like most significant events, a
number of things failed all at the same time!

closely so you can detect and respond to spills and leaks

early!!!!
Never drive into a flammable cloud! Vehicles can
provide ignition sourcessuch as a hot engine manifold
or muffler. These are often well above the autoignition
temperature of many flammables. Remember, if a cloud is
ignited by the vehicle you are driving, you will have a
front row seat and be the center of the explosion.
Take every report of an unusual occurrence or odor
seriously and respond quickly and thoroughly. Note: If

the engine of the vehicle you are driving begins to

rev up on its own, shut it down and get out
immediately.
You may have driven into a
flammable atmosphere.
PSID Members See Free SearchTank Fire

Whenever Flammables are Released, a Fire is Just a Spark Away !

AIChE 2004. All rights reserved. Reproduction for non-commercial, educational purposes is encouraged. However, reproduction
for the purpose of resale by anyone other than CCPS is strictly prohibited. Contact us at ccps_beacon@aiche.org or 212-591-7319
This edition is also available in German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. Contact CCPS at ccps_beacon@aiche.org for information.

CCP
CCPS
CENTER FOR
CHEMICAL PROCESS SAFETY

An AIChE Industry
An AIChEAlliance
Industry
Technology
Technology Alliance

Process Safety Beacon

http: //www.aiche.org/ccps/safetybeacon.htm

Mensajes para Personal de Manufactura

Desborde + Fuente de Ignicin = Fuego en Tanques de Almacenaje

Sponsored
by
CCPS
Supporters

Septiembre 2004

Esto es lo que puede suceder cuando se desborda un tanque que contiene un lquido inflamable!

Qu Sucedi?
Tarde una noche, un tanque de gran capacidad que almacenaba un lquido inflamable comenz a
desbordarse. No fue detectado hasta que un guardia de seguridad not un fuerte olor. El lo report
inmediatamente al personal de operaciones. Dos operadores respondieron conduciendo un camin
al rea para investigar. En slo unos minutos, ocurri una fuerte explosin y un fuego. (Se cree
que el camin proporcion la fuente de ignicin que caus la deflagracin inicial y los fuegos
subsecuentes.) Le tom a personal de la planta y de la comunidad da y medio para extinguir los
fuegos que se propagaron de tanque a tanque. Mas de una docena de empleados fueron
hospitalizados y hubo daos materiales
Qu USTED Puede Hacer
significativos.
Transferir lquidos inflamables es siempre riesgoso y

Cmo empez?
Al llenar el tanque los operadores no saban que
la indicacin de nivel Y los sistemas de alarmas
de seguridad haban fallado. No supervisaron la
operacin de cerca porque creyeron que el
tanque todava tena suficiente capacidad
restante. Y, no tomaron al guardia de seguridad
seriamente ni respondieron con rapidez cuando
l report el fuerte olor, puesto que l era nuevo
en su trabajo. Como en la mayora de los
accidentes, un sinnmero de cosas "fallaron" todas al mismo tiempo!

con posibles consecuencias significativas. Supervise las

transferencias de cerca para poder detectar y responder a
derrames y escapes con rapidez!!!!
Nunca conduzca en una nube inflamable! Los
vehculos pueden proporcionar la fuente de ignicin.
Partes del motor estn a menudo sobre la temperatura de
autoignition de muchos inflamables. Recuerde, si una
nube es encendida por el vehculo que usted est
conduciendo, usted tendr un asiento de primera fila y
ser el centro de la explosin.
Tome cada informe de una ocurrencia o de un olor no
usual seriamente y responda rpidamente y a fondo.

Nota: Si las revoluciones del motor en un vehculo

comienzan a aumentar por si mismas, apguelo y
salga inmediatamente. Usted puede estar en una
atmsfera inflamable.
Miembro PSID Vea Bsqueda GratisTank Fire

Siempre que se Escape un Inflamable, un Fuego est tan Slo a una Chispa!
AIChE 2004. Todos los derechos reservados. Le animamos reproducir este artculo para propsitos educacionales no comerciales.
La reproduccin para la venta es estrctamente prohibida. Comunquese con nosotros: ccps_beacon@aiche.org 212-591-7319
Edicin disponible tambin en Alemn, Francs, Ingls, Portugus y Chino. Para ms informacin: CCPS: ccps_beacon@aiche.org.