UK HSE Releases Intital Buncefield Report 2

[stookeyfpe]

Looks like a fire pump may have been the source of the VCEs ignition. Lots of questions still regarding containments.

http://www.buncefieldinvestigation.gov.uk/reports/initialreport.pdf

 

[ScottyUK]

The C&I engineers at petrochem sites might wish to check out the safety alert referenced within the HSE report:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/alerts/sa0106.htm#_ftn2

There must be a lot of these things out there on non-COMAH sites which won't have received direct notification from the HSE.


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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[Guidoo]

To me, the most worrying about the report is the fact that the explosion overpressures found at Buncefield were much higher than one would predict for such an unconfined Vapor Cloud Explosion. This may have considerable impact on similar storage sites where there are other buildings nearby.

 

[jamesbanda]

I agree: This may have major implications around the UK.. The COMAH report levels for consequences maybe significantly revised...subject to an understanding of the mechanism..

 

[MJCronin]

My two cents worth...

Based on my readings of the incident description, the response and the "post mortem" evaluation of the fire, there should be an engineering review of tank overflow designs for flammable liquids.

In my opinion, these tanks lacked both:

1) A well designed overflow system

2) Automated shutoff on high-high level


-MJC