Fire & explosion
Managing fire and explosion risks is a critical responsibility for safety leaders tasked with protecting both personnel and high-value industrial assets. By implementing robust mitigation strategies, you can effectively minimize hazardous incidents and ensure continuous operational integrity.
About 92% of related real accidents concentrate in these types.
Key prevention
- Conduct regular hazard assessments to identify and isolate potential ignition sources near flammable materials.
- Maintain strict control over hot work permits and ensure all welding or cutting activities are performed in designated safe zones.
- Implement comprehensive housekeeping protocols to prevent the accumulation of combustible dust and debris.
- Ensure all electrical systems and equipment are rated for the specific environmental conditions of your facility to prevent sparking.
- Provide ongoing specialized training to staff so they remain vigilant in recognizing and reporting early warning signs of process instability.
Related accident cases
A fire occurred during gas welding operations when flames were observed at the welding point, but it was quickly extinguished by on-site personnel.
A fire occurred when the rubber lining of a belt conveyor ignited due to overheating during welding operations. This incident happened during maintenance, where welding heat transferred to the conveyor belt, causing the fire.
During welding, sparks rolled off the welding blanket and ignited a methane pilot fire, which was immediately extinguished by an automatic fire extinguisher.
A fire occurred due to leaked oil while welding a bracket onto a loader, resulting in facial burns to the worker.
A small grease fire started during welding operations, and during suppression, extinguisher powder was inhaled, triggering an asthma attack.
A gasoline fire resulted in one employee fatality and one injury. The specific work content or area was not recorded.
A fire and explosion occurred during gas welding operations, resulting in one fatality and three injuries.
A fire started when sparks from welding fell onto a conveyor belt during a welding operation. The fire, which was difficult to extinguish due to the metal housing surrounding the belt, was put out after 45 minutes.