Despite Safety Standards, Tragic Explosions Ensue
Justrite® has focused on flammable liquid storage and handling, environmental protection, and workplace safety for over one hundred years. When you’re in a business related to safety, tragic news about the recent explosions in Texas and Louisiana create a stir around the office. In April, a fertilizer plant in Texas exploded, killing fifteen and injuring over 200 people. Just two months later, two plants in Louisiana exploded just a day apart from each other—on June 15, a chemical plant, killing one and injuring seventy-three, and on June 16, a second unrelated explosion at a separate plant killed one person and injured seven.
With the fertilizer incident in Texas, for unknown reasons a fire broke out at the plant on an evening in April, triggering a massive explosion twenty minutes later. The plant stored large amounts of anhydrous ammonia, a liquid fertilizer, and ammonium nitrate, a dry fertilizer that can ignite in certain conditions. Now, still two months later, people are questioning how such an explosion could have occurred. Plants that hold more than 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate are legally obligated to inform Homeland Security and find safer ways to store the explosive material. Though many causes may be to blame, taking the initiative to ensure safety would have reduced the chance of a deadly explosion.
The first of the two explosions in Louisiana occurred at a chemical plant that produced highly flammable ethylene and propylene, chemicals used in antifreeze and automotive parts. The blast killed one. Louisiana’s second explosion occurred in an area of the facility shut down for maintenance. The incident reportedly came about after a manifold used to distribute gas to the facility failed. Investigations for the exact cause continue.
OSHA requires employers to provide all employees with a workplace free from hazards likely to cause death or serious harm. In 2011, 4,609 workers were killed on the job, equaling 13 deaths daily, a number too high. OSHA’s standards aim to reduce and eliminate this number. And despite these standards and oversight, fatal accidents continue to happen — most commonly due to preventable causes.
Justrite® is committed to working together, with NFPA, OSHA, and other authorities to help educate everyone to move toward an accident-free workplace. Safety is always the number one priority, and training is an integral part of safety. We offer free STUD-E surveys for: STORAGE, TRANSFER, USE, and DISPOSAL of hazardous liquids in an EVALUATION format. Recognized as a vital part of environmental, health, and safety programs by businesses worldwide, the STUD-E survey helps companies prevent fires, meet compliance standards, and most importantly: save lives! To learn more, visit our website at www.justritemfg.com.
With the fertilizer incident in Texas, for unknown reasons a fire broke out at the plant on an evening in April, triggering a massive explosion twenty minutes later. The plant stored large amounts of anhydrous ammonia, a liquid fertilizer, and ammonium nitrate, a dry fertilizer that can ignite in certain conditions. Now, still two months later, people are questioning how such an explosion could have occurred. Plants that hold more than 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate are legally obligated to inform Homeland Security and find safer ways to store the explosive material. Though many causes may be to blame, taking the initiative to ensure safety would have reduced the chance of a deadly explosion.
The first of the two explosions in Louisiana occurred at a chemical plant that produced highly flammable ethylene and propylene, chemicals used in antifreeze and automotive parts. The blast killed one. Louisiana’s second explosion occurred in an area of the facility shut down for maintenance. The incident reportedly came about after a manifold used to distribute gas to the facility failed. Investigations for the exact cause continue.
OSHA requires employers to provide all employees with a workplace free from hazards likely to cause death or serious harm. In 2011, 4,609 workers were killed on the job, equaling 13 deaths daily, a number too high. OSHA’s standards aim to reduce and eliminate this number. And despite these standards and oversight, fatal accidents continue to happen — most commonly due to preventable causes.
Justrite® is committed to working together, with NFPA, OSHA, and other authorities to help educate everyone to move toward an accident-free workplace. Safety is always the number one priority, and training is an integral part of safety. We offer free STUD-E surveys for: STORAGE, TRANSFER, USE, and DISPOSAL of hazardous liquids in an EVALUATION format. Recognized as a vital part of environmental, health, and safety programs by businesses worldwide, the STUD-E survey helps companies prevent fires, meet compliance standards, and most importantly: save lives! To learn more, visit our website at www.justritemfg.com.
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