IOGP: External air supply lost in tank 11 October 2023
The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) has issued a safety alert following the loss of an external air supply in a tank.
While cleaning a tank, which involves entering the tank, the external air supply stopped and the reserve tank ran out of air without this being detected. The person immediately got out and there were no injuries. The alarm was triggered but the guards did not hear it due to high noise levels in the area.
What went wrong?
A fault caused an air compressor to stop and switch to backup air. The alarm signal could not be distinguished from the noise in the area and was not heard. This was not identified as a risk. The alarm panel on the air compressor was not continuously monitored, as it was trusted that the sound signal was sufficient. There were no established requirements for documented training. The unit did not have the opportunity to test that the alarm worked, and there was no secondary independent barrier.Corrective Actions and Recommendations:
Clarify requirements in governing documentation for monitoring air compressor. Dialogue with manufacturer to improve design - use another model that provides a light signal in addition to the audio signal. Ensure that contractor has training requirements for third party equipment. Review procedure and design for use for all fixed and removable air compressors in use.
Operations Engineer
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