Here issued by the Canadian Petroleum Safety Council we have the classic
example of poor management of hazardous chemicals. Are you sure you have
adequate controls in place when dealing with hazardous chemicals? Do you
have a register of all chemicals used by your staff (with MSDS) and are
these safely stored?
Description:
The rig personnel realized that they were getting low on boiler compound
and ordered more. They had always used powdered boiler compound. When
the new order came in it was in the form of a five gallon pail of dark
brown fluid. The motor hand placed the pail into the boiler and told
his relief to put some boiler compound in a smaller jug so to make it
easier to handle. Shortly after crew change, the cross shift motor hand
went to the Rig Managers shack and asked him if he had any empty bottles,
without explaining what he wanted them for. The Rig Manager gave him
an empty 3.78 litre jug which previously held "white cranberry
juice" without asking him what it was to be used for. The motor
hand went out to the boiler and filled the cranberry juice bottle with
boiler compound and used the smaller container to add boiler compound
to the chemical pot on the boiler. The motor hand then placed the cranberry
juice jug on the shelf in the corner of the boiler shack near the entrance
and left. The derrick hand then came into the boiler and noticed the
jug that still had the "white cranberry juice" label on it
filled with the dark brown fluid, and assuming it was cranberry juice
took a drink. The derrick hand then realized that this was not cranberry
juice and immediately sought medical attention. |
