Document remVN7GrN7EvnMppr25QMNpNa

/9 7"y/a ~&r / O _2T*- c , tV * -- IS F<> Gee^Mcli Claemlffil Cemg&siBa^ Intcr-Organi^ation Correspondence To H. P. McMath Location Louisville Date Efroxa May 2, 1972 Louisville ^ < Subject Repetitive Accident Type No. 10 - Gas Escape - On Monday, April 24, 1972, at approximately 6:00 p.m., "a helper with thirteen years experience, attempted to open the Lenaoe manhead on no. 30 latex poly.. At that time the poly was operating in about the twelfth hour with a 151 latex charge. The pressure on the poly was 50-60 psipf! A *+- w* . - stated he raised the cam lock lever with great difficulty and heard a loud noise from the poly as the lever was raised. Realizing he had opened the wrong poly, he attempted to push the lever back down and relock the manhead but was unable to do so. By this time the VC1 vapor was so strong he was forced to leave the building. In the meantime, the latex charging operator and the shift foreman shut off the VC1 and sope feed to the poly and left it to vent down. Approximately 800 gallons of 151 latex and 6qq pounds of unreacted VC1 vented into the building. An investigation of this incident was held by Shift Foreman W. Z. Young and by General Foreman R. S. Kinnamon. stated that just prior to the accident the recovery operator told him that no. ^2 polv was down and ready to be cleaned. . He said he proceeded instead to poly no. 30 and attempted to "open it. He could give no explanation for his actions. He stated he clearly understood the recovery operator say poly no, 32. Inspection of the poly immediately following the accident revealed that the latex polys are clearly numbered on the side of the polv .jacket, .lust below the Lenape manhead. These numbers were recently painted on with characters about ten inches high. In addition, the inspection of the poly revealed that the Lenape head had performed according to design. (The cam disengagement and fallaway of its linkage by clearance over the lid hooks cannot be achieved above 0.02 psi internal pressure.) The 0-ring gasket, however, had blown out on the latch side of the manhead, making it impossible to depress the locking lever and reseal the manhead- REDACTED MAY 3 1972 2 Corrective action to be taken includes the following: 1. Paint the poly number on the Lenape head as well as on the side of the nolv. (?). The incident will be covered in departmental safety meetings and the importance of alertness stressed again. feu r-' The recovery procedure is being reviewed to determine the feasibility of having the recovery operator, rather than the helper, open the poly manheads. Due to his past overall safety record, be transferred to a less hazardous job. / will R, S. Kinnamon T. C. Bolly ru Distribution: H. Waltemate D. L. Dowell - 0. F. Beckmeyer J. L. Nelson - R. D. Scott E. E, Mitchell - P. D. Terry E. W. Harrington - P. H. Lawrence W. E. Brodine G. Pow R. A. Kelley L. G, Crunkleton Department Managers General Foremen Supervisors NOC 15733