Two explosions occurring two hours apart sent two workers of a storage tank sales and servicing company to the hospital, one with serious burns, prompting the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries to fining the Des Moines, Wash. business $166,423.
A resort on the Kitsap Peninsula hired Calhoun Tanks & Services Inc. to inspect an 18,000-gallon underground propane tank and determine if could be put back into use.
When two Calhoun workers cut open piping to the underground tank, propane leaked, causing flammable gas and vapor to spread throughout a fenced area where above-ground tanks are sited, according to L&I.
The gas and vapor eventually reached a vaporizer unit that converts the liquid propane in the above-ground tanks into gas. The vaporizer’s battery powered auto-ignitor was not locked out to prevent it from turning on, and when it kicked on, the propane in the air ignited, causing an explosion, according to L&I.
No one was hurt in the first explosion, and the owner of Calhoun Tanks looked at the vaporizer unit, and did not modify the settings. He reportedly told inspectors he did not see the button to shut off the ignitor.
Work continued with and two hours later the workers removed the cover of the underground tank, causing propane gas and vapor to leak again. Minutes later the auto-ignitor sparked a second explosion, shown in this security video, badly burning two workers, according to L&I.
One worker was reportedly hospitalized with burns to 30% of his body and spent more than a month in intensive care. The other reportedly suffered burns to his arms and was treated and released from the hospital the same day.
L&I cited Calhoun Tanks for disregarding the rules for accessing the confined space of the underground tank and failing to control the source of ignition where flammable gas was present. L&I also cited Calhoun Tanks for three serious violations including lack of training for its workers.
The company is appealing L&I’s decision.
Topics Washington
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