No Escape: Dangers of Confined Spaces

Summary

On October 2, 2007, a catastrophic chemical fire in a hydroelectric plant tunnel near Denver, Colorado, claimed the lives of five painters due to a lack of proper safety measures and emergency response. The tunnel's owner, Xcel Energy, and contractor, RPI Coating, failed to assess the risks of working with flammable solvents in a confined space. The incident underscores the critical need for stringent safety regulations, adequate training, and emergency preparedness in confined space operations.

Takeaways

• 🔥 On October 2, 2007, a chemical fire in a hydroelectric plant tunnel in Colorado trapped five painters, leading to a fatal tragedy.
• ⚠️ The plant owner, Xcel Energy, and the contractor, RPI Coating, failed to adequately assess the risks of working in the confined space of the tunnel.
• 🚒 There were no trained emergency responders on site, which hindered the rescue efforts and contributed to the workers' deaths.
• 🛠️ The workers used highly flammable solvents like methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) without proper safety measures, leading to the fire.
• 🚧 The penstock, a confined space with a single exit, was not designed for safe human occupancy, posing significant risks.
• 🆘 The emergency response was delayed due to the lack of specialized training and equipment among local responders.
• 📉 RPI was chosen for the project despite having the lowest possible safety rating in Xcel's evaluation, highlighting a flaw in the contractor selection process.
• 📝 The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) identified a lack of regulatory limits on flammable materials in confined spaces as a key safety issue.
• 🛑 The CSB recommended new training programs for emergency responders and stricter regulations on contractor safety records.
• 🌟 The incident underscores the importance of proper safety planning, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness in confined spaces.

Q & A

What was the date of the tragedy at the Cabin Creek Hydroelectric Plant?

October 2, 2007.

Which company owned the hydroelectric plant where the tragedy occurred?

Xcel Energy.

What was the primary cause of the fire inside the hydroelectric plant tunnel?

The fire was caused by combustible coatings and solvents, specifically methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), which were being used for cleaning and coating operations.

How far away was the only exit from the trapped workers during the fire?

The exit was more than 1400 feet away from the trapped workers.

What was the role of RPI Coating in the accident?

RPI Coating was the contractor hired by Xcel Energy to recoat a large steel section of the penstock. The workers from RPI were the ones trapped inside the penstock during the fire.

What was the main issue with the epoxy coating application that the workers encountered?

The epoxy was not adhering evenly to the surface, leading to repeated flushing of hoses and spray wands with MEK.

What likely ignited the vapors causing the flash fire?

The vapors were most likely ignited by static electricity inside one of the spraying machine hoppers.

Why were the emergency responders initially unable to reach the trapped workers?

The initial emergency responders were not equipped or trained to handle the hazardous conditions within the penstock and were forced to retreat due to the intense heat and thick black smoke.

What were the three key safety issues highlighted by the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) after the accident?

The three key safety issues were the lack of regulatory limits for bringing flammable materials into permit-required confined spaces, Xcel Energy's flawed process for contractor selection and oversight, and the lack of preparation for possible emergencies.

How did the CSB recommend improving the availability of specialized confined space rescue teams?

The CSB recommended that the State of Colorado develop a new firefighter training certification program for confined space rescue.

What was the outcome for the five workers trapped inside the penstock?

The five workers died of smoke inhalation before specialized rescue units could reach them.