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FEATURED PRESENTATION
Lessons Learned Regarding Industrial Gas Safety Practices
Track(s): Loss Control/Prevention

Audio Sample:




Rafael Moure-Eraso,
U.S. Chemical Safety Board

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigated the February 7, 2009, accident at Kleen Energy that fatally injured six workers. The accident occurred during a planned work activity to clean debris from natural gas pipes. To remove the debris workers used natural gas at a high-pressure of approximately 650 pounds per square inch. The high velocity of the natural gas flow was intended to remove any debris in the new piping. During this process, the natural gas found an ignition source and exploded. This presentation will describe the root causes of the CSB's investigation into the Kleen Energy natural gas explosion. The CSB issued recommendations in an effort to prevent the use of natural gas during cleaning of piping systems. The board's recommendations were issues to a number of recipients including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the State of Connecticut.

Rafael Moure-Eraso was nominated by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Chemical Safety Investigation Board in March 2010. He has been a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts for twenty two years --12 as an Associate Professor (1988) and 10 as a full Professor since 2000. Prior to joining the UMass Lowell, Dr. Moure-Eraso served for 15 years as an Industrial Hygienist Engineer with the national offices of two international unions: the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) and the United Automobile Workers (UAW). His ten years as an Industrial Hygienist of the OCAW gave him substantial field experience in the Chemical and Petro-Chemical industry.