Accident: Formosa Plastics Propylene Explosion
Location: Location: Point Comfort, TX
Accident Occurred On: 10/06/2005 | Final Report Released On: 07/20/2006
Accident Type: Chemical Manufacturing - Fire and Explosion
Investigation Status: The CSB issued a case study report about this incident at a news conference in Houston on July 20, 2006.
A forklift towing a trailer collided with a line containing highly flammable liquid propylene, causing a release and a vapor cloud explosion. Sixteen workers were injured, the process unit was heavily damaged, and a nearby school was evacuated
Incorporate guidance for vehicular traffic protection and remote equipment isolation into the next revision of the Center for Chemical Process Safety?s Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures.
Revise policies and procedures for process hazard analysis and pre-startup safety review to more fully evaluate vehicle impact hazards, passive fire protection, and catastrophic releases.
Require flame resistant clothing for workers in units at the Point Comfort complex where there is a risk of flash fires.
Communicate the findings and recommendations of this report to all companies that contracted with either M. W. Kellogg or Kellogg, Brown, and Root (KBR) for plant designs similar to the Formosa Olefins II unit.
Communicate the findings and recommendations of this report to your petrochemical process plant design engineers. Emphasize the importance of using current consensus safety standards when designing and constructing petrochemical process plants, including the earlier designs reused for new facilities.
Revise KBR petrochemical process plant design procedures to ensure they address the use of current safety standards for new designs and earlier designs reused for new facilities.