Document dY1EZMrqV7MDNdV77NaqOE4pB

cc: ETHYL CORPORATION INTER-OFFICE Mr. H. 0. Bourque Mr. D. M. McDonald M&C Supervision Maintenance Committeemen Central Safety Committee To Mr. L. R. Parker Addrsss From R. J. Guillot Subject Near Serious Accident Address Date February 15, 1983 Investigated by: R. J. Guillot, E. McGeorge and F. D. Roberts INCIDENT: On January 2k, 1983, in the Hopper Shop, an ironworker was attempting to straighten a piece of bent l", schedule 80 pipe, approximately 3' long which had been heated at the mid-point by a welder's torch. As the ironworker raised the pipe to strike it on the metal table, an explosion took place within the pipe. Dirt and debris impacted in the end of the pipe was projected upward striking a flourescent tube above the table completely destroying it. The repercussion knocked the ironworker back against the wall but did not cause any bodily harm. INVESTIGATION: The piece of pipe in question had previously been driven in the ground and used as a support for the plastic chain fence immediately east of the No. 3 Change House Lunch Room (northeast corner). The pipe and residue from the explosion (deposited in the metal table) were brought to the Development Laboratory for analysis along with core samples taken from the earth in the near vicinity of the pipe location. The samples were analyzed by R&D and other than moisture, a trace of methane was all that was found. CONCLUSION: It is strongly suspected that water was trapped between two plugs of dirt in the pipe. When the pipe was heated, steam was produced eventually forcing the dirt plug out with great velocity. RECOMMENDATION: Clean, flush and decontaminate any such pipe prior to heating. Publicize this incident plant-wide. RJG:pmk R. J. Guillot F-01042 ETC 14828