Chapter 13 – Lessons from Incidents

Publisher Summary This chapter provides some of the typical causes of and contributory factors to serious incidents on process plants, and some of the early warning signs to be watched out for on operating plants. . The incidents described in the case studies are very influential in leading to the development of regulations aimed at improving the safety of the installations capable of generating serious offsite impacts. The important incidents mentioned in the chapter are the vapor cloud explosion at Flixborough, the United Kingdom, 1 June 1974; the reactor release at Seveso, Italy, 10 July 1976; the toxic gas escape at Bhopal, India, 3 December 1984; explosion and fire at Phillips 66 plant, Pasadena, Texas, 23 October 1989; contamination of the Rhine by a warehouse fire, Switzerland; explosion of a printing ink tank; explosion of a “slops oil” tank; repeated explosion of a varnish kettle; explosion of a “fuel oil” tank; fire on the Piper Alpha offshore oil and gas platform; Bleve at an LPG rail tanker unloading bay; and vessel rupture and fire at a gas processing plant. This chapter discusses some of the features of the situation leading to the incidents and possible contributory factors. A summary of the findings of the Royal Commission of Enquiry is also included in this chapter.