Event
- Event ID
- 686
- Quality
- Description
- A hydrogen leak occurred from a low temperature valve on an acetic acid plant. The leak ignited and the resulting fire burned for about an hour. There was considerable media attention, particularly from local radio. It was surmised that deterioration of the valves may have taken place shortly before the incident.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Fire (No additional details provided)
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Date
- Main component involved?
- Valve (Generic)
- How was it involved?
- Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
- Initiating cause
- Material Degradation (Generic)
- Root causes
- Unknown (No additional details provided)
Facility
- Application
- Chemical Industry
- Sub-application
- Acetic acid plant
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
- Valve
- Location type
- Confined
- Location description
- Industrial Area
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Number of fatalities
- 0
Lesson Learnt
- Lesson Learnt
This incident emphasises the need for efficient communications between shift staff and day staff .
There is also a need for standards for operations and maintenance staff, detailing key routine tasks, including the frequency of plant inspections.
Event Nature
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Presumed ignition source
- Not reported
References
- Reference & weblink
Event nr 10468 of the UK database ICHEME in PDF.<br />
https://www.icheme.org/knowledge/safety-centre/resources/accident-data/ <br />
(accessed October 2020)
JRC assessment
- Sources categories
- ICHEME
