Disclaimer: The Lessons Learned Database includes the incidents that were voluntarily submitted. The database is not a comprehensive source for all incidents that have occurred.
Refueling operations need to be conducted in a careful and attentive manner, and operators need to be aware of the potential consequences of their actions.
Proper bolt identification can prevent similar occurrences in the future. This can be achieved by simply painting the critical bolt heads a certain color (or by purchasing bolts with painted bolt heads). An explanation form should then be clearly…
Extra caution should be taken when working around elevated pressure storage tanks. Pressure relief valve settings should be checked and then verified by a second party if possible. Proper procedures need to be followed at all times.
Normally hydrogen fires are not extinguished until the supply of hydrogen has been shut off due to the danger of re-ignition and explosion. During a gas leak/fire, it is important to shut off the source of the hydrogen if it is safe to do so. If…
Lessons Learned The site initiated the establishment of a field patrol and strengthened their onsite monitoring of mechanical equipment during a plant-wide temperature rise.
Hazard analysis should consider potential leak locations, potential ignition sources in the vicinity, and the potential for accumulating flammable gases in that area.
Users should leak-check all cylinders upon installation. This event…
No Lessons Learned, Specific Suggestions for Avoidance, or Mitigation Steps Taken.
Procedures will be revised to include specific information about hydrogen sensors and alarm controls. Caution will be added about sparks and flames in the fuel cell operation area. Workers will be cautioned that shunt resistors may reach high…
Management should ensure that a complete and thorough review of the previous work activities identified in the work package is performed at the pre-job briefing for the planned work. Work activities should be discontinued if any confusion exists…
This occurrence highlights the need for ensuring work is organized and planned in a manner that is practical and efficient. The primary lesson learned from this occurrence is that personnel must be cognizant of the impact of their actions on…
In this case, failure to recognize a run of tubing still maintaining pressure could have been avoided if such information was provided in a safety briefing. Knowledge of any job is the utmost importance in promoting and maintaining a safe working…
This incident highlights the need to ensure that the performance of special procedures does not place facility equipment in a condition that could lead to entry into a LCO.
Installation
The practice of making gas mixtures in the laboratory should be eliminated, and gas mixtures with a known low hydrogen concentration should be purchased for use. The concentration of hydrogen used should be such that it is not possible to form an…
After this accident, a safety inspection team was organized. An investigation of this incident and an inspection of all other experimental equipment was conducted by the team. As a result of this inspection, the heaters are now hard-wired to the…
When performing maintenance evolutions, proper work control processes must be in place to insure that process systems are adequately prepared, remain in a safe energy state during the maintenance evolution, and are properly restored afterwards.…
The primary lesson learned was that the active hydrogen facility and existing operating procedure, at the time of the accident, were sound. While this now has been determined, the previous form(s) of this system, associated documentation, and…
Although most of the hydrogen fluoride piping system was open to the atmosphere before the elbow was cut, the lines were not purged. Two plugs of residual material on either side of the elbow remained in place, thus allowing hydrogen to be…
Work pre-planning is essential whenever maintenance or work activities may have an adverse impact on everyday operations. When there are changes to the operational status of any critical system, especially a safety critical system, those changes…
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