Safety
SAFETY is it just a word? Do we take it seriously? Are the people in charge really in control?
Here is a short story about a group of hardworking people caught in a classic catch 22 situation. It is A time when a person becomes nervous whilst going about his everyday duties as a plant operator. A time When he knows something is not right and protests about the situation that is about to be created. [But the worries were dismissed by the people in charge]. "Do not worry" they say. “Do not worry, nothing can go wrong.” The only trouble is I did worry all the time the situation was developing, but you dare not go on too much to the people in charge otherwise you are labelled a troublemaker, a worker who will not get on with the management even though he is good at his job and very safety conscious and always on time for work - qualities most firms would love their employees to have.
The scene is set in a chemical reactor department within a large International Chemical Company in England.
The Chemical Reactor is covered in red Under Permit Tags
Plant operator [one] starting his shift after his rest days notices scaffolding around reactor vessel one on the lower level, he is at the moment unaware of what is happening, he walks up the stairs also noticing various pieces of pipework disconnected and blanked off at the end.
Plant operator [one] Shouts "What is happening?" to Plant operator [two] "They are going to weld the reactor vessel [one] today." he replied.
Plant operator [one] "They cannot be welding because we are working down the other side, surely they will shut down while the vessel is welded!"
Plant operator [two] "Not according to the other shift." he said.
Plant operator [one] walks round the plant to see exactly what is happening. He goes down to the lower level where they will be doing the actual welding. He notices the splitter tank run off drum is empty. This tank fills up with solvent and water during the chemical process. With solvent being lighter than water it floats on top and then drains off into the drum. When the drum is full of solvent it is sucked up back into the system. But he also notices the pipework to suck the solvent back into the system has been blanked off and is under permit to work. "This could cause problems if that drum fills up." he thought. "Especially if they are making us work down one side. He knew he had to voice his worries about the splitter tank to the Chargehand when he saw him.
Solvent run off Drum Splitter Tank
The Chargehand says to plant operator [two] "Go downstairs and put a lid on all the drums except the one under the transfer line."
Plant operator [one] said to the Chargehand "Hang on Albert, surely we are not running the plant if they are welding reactor vessel one?" The Chargehand shouted, "We are running down one side."
Plant operator [one] "but what about the splitter tank, what about the solvent drum?"
The Chargehand shouted "Look it is empty, the drums have got lids on and the drains have been covered up with steel plates and sand to prevent sparks going down so do not worry."
Plant operator [one] "But if we are running, the drum will fill up and we cannot empty it because the pipework to suck the solvent back into the system is under permit and blanked off."
The Chargehand shouted, "look do not worry, we are running down one side, the drum will not fill up."
Plant operator [one] Knew different, he knew he previously had to drain the drum at least three times a shift when running down both sides, so it will fill up sometime this afternoon.
He told his Chargehand he was not happy about working the plant while people were welding it, but he knew he had no choice. All the Chargehand said was "not to worry"
Dinner time was approaching and the maintenance engineers were still preparing the vessel for welding, people were everywhere doing their preparations.
The welders have arrived. They do not look like the company’s engineers - probably outside contractors. They had specialist equipment set up and went for their dinner, and so did I.
Later that day approximately 2 pm a woman came running up the stairs towards the reactor vessel controls shouting. "There is solvent going all over the floor, it is everywhere!!!"
Plant operator [one] knew instantly what had happened. He ran toward the stairs and went down to tell the welders to stop. He was too late, he did not have chance to open his mouth. He saw the sparks head towards the solvent drum which was overflowing. It was steaming as if the solvent was coming out warm. The welders were oblivious to what was happening. As far as they were concerned it was hot water - but it was not and the resulting explosion when the sparks ignited the fumes from the solvent was totally devastating. The heat -incinerated- both of the welders and the people watching on and myself. The solvent washed away at the sand covering the drains. The sheets of steel also covering the drains were blown into the air tearing at service pipes with massive force, spewing caustic soda and solvent all over the area. The fire alarm started going at full blast. People in the distance trying to get away from the mayhem that was ensuing the initial blast. The bodies of the welders have vanished in the intense heat!! their souls have already gone into the bright light. My body is also ashes, but my soul is still there witnessing the total devastation. I can see explosions further down the works. Vessels seem to be taking turns to explode. The fire brigade have arrived only to witness a large vessel with solvent sludge inside, explode with such force the lid comes off and goes straight through the roof high into the air and lands on the train lines over half a mile away.
Smoke Billows out of the Department
The fire brigade were trying to contain the fire in the reactor department, but it is too strong. Foam is the only weapon they seem to be using. They start to drench the buildings at the side in an effort to stop the fire spreading but things keep exploding and sending debris high into the air and the wind is not favourable blowing towards the solvent storage tanks. If they catch fire they will have no chance. A pipe from the oxygen tank has split fuelling the fire and eventually exploding into one mass of unimaginable heat, destroying the whole side of the building. One of the solvent storage tanks has split, spilling forty tonnes of solvent into the yard, igniting instantly into one sea of liquid fire slowly moving towards other full tanks of differing types of chemicals, all extremely inflammable liquids. The fire brigade are losing the fight. They have already lost one appliance and have two injured firemen. Employees have died and the fire rages on, moving slowly but surely towards the other solvent and oxygen storage tanks.
In the background you can hear the sound of a train. It seems to be getting nearer. I remembered the solvent sludge lid blowing off and landing on the train line. The train is heading straight for it. No one knows about the lid. The driver is unaware. His train is doing 85mph, it is dark, He has no chance of avoiding it. The train is carrying three white steel reinforced containers, but no passengers, just the driver and two guards. The train crashed into the lid. The explosion can be heard for miles. The train leaves the line and crashes into the bridge. The containers divide and go in different directions. One goes into a tree and comes to a halt, another goes over the train engine and lands on top, both have stood up to the impact and haven’t leaked their deadly cargo.
The third travels towards the embankment at great speed. Over it goes, picking up speed as it travels down the steep hill towards the motorway. The motorway is busy with people trying to get away from the toxic smoke created by the chemical fire. It reaches the motorway and crashes into a petrol tanker head on. The driver dies instantly. The tanker explodes, violently engulfing the tank from the train in petrol. The heat melts the aluminium cab of the tanker. The steel reinforced tank cannot take the stress from the impact and the incredible heat, it starts to leak its lethal cargo of deadly radioactive waste. A cloud was soon formed and life nearby was quickly put to death. Cars and other vehicles started piling up on top of each other. The cloud of deadly radioactivity moving towards other traffic on the other side of the motorway is killing the drivers in their seats. It did not take long before both sides of the motorway were blocked. The authorities decided to declare the whole of the county a disaster zone and started to evacuate thousands of people from their homes to a safe area in designated places in several counties.
It was utter chaos. That would take years to sort out.
A bright light started to shine down from the sky. It was time for my soul to leave. I floated towards the light. I noticed a body in the driving seat of a car at the side of the motorway. The car was not damaged. The driver was the Chargehand at the chemical factory. He had escaped the fire but the deadly radiation had claimed his life. If only he had listened to my fears about working down one side. If only plant operators had more say in the way safety is put into practice. If only.
The
Tormented Soul