Washington — Failure to properly identify and restrict access to faulty grating poses serious safety and health risks, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement emphasizes in a recent safety alert.
BSEE oversees safety for the offshore energy industry. The agency says it issued the alert after completing an investigation of an incident that could have potentially resulted in a worker injury or fatality.
Workers at a production facility identified corroded grating near a skid. The facility initially installed hard barricades to prevent access but then placed two scaffolding boards on top of the grating. Later, a worker who was attempting to install a pump kneeled on the boards. A 36-by-36-inch piece of the corroded grating gave way and fell into the water. The worker grabbed a nearby section of piping to save himself.
The alert follows one issued by BSEE in January on explosion hazards caused by corrosion. That alert stems from an incident involving an 8-inch bidirectional gas pipeline.
An explosion ignited a fire that spread about 80 feet to the bottom of the production deck. It “significantly” damaged equipment, wiring and grating.
“At the time of the event, winds exceeded 28 mph and sea conditions were from 11 to 20 feet,” the alert states. “These conditions kept the flames away from the platform and may have prevented severe or catastrophic damage. BSEE’s investigation determined the explosion occurred due to a pipeline flange failure caused by severe outside diameter corrosion.”
