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Fire and explosion – worker suffers serious burns after clothing catches fire

A foundry has been fined £15,000 plus £9,000 costs after a worker suffered serious burns when his clothing caught fire.

Bradford Crown Court heard how an employee of the foundry was undertaking work involving the use of isopropanol and a paint-like solution. The bucket containing the solution caught fire which then set light to his clothes, causing serious burns.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred in August 2014 found that the company failed to provide adequate training, work equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector John Boyle said:

“A worker was left with serious injuries as a result of this incident. Had the company taken a number of simple measures prior to the work activity taking place – such as the provision of suitable work equipment, training and personal protective equipment – then it may well have been avoided.”

About dangerous substances

Explosive atmospheres can be caused by flammable gases, mists or vapours or by combustible dusts. If there is enough of a substance, mixed with air, then all it needs is a source of ignition to cause an explosion.

Each year people are injured at work by flammable substances accidentally catching fire or exploding. Work which involves using or creating chemicals, vapours, liquids, gases, solids or dusts that can readily burn or explode is hazardous.

The effects of an explosion or a fire in the workplace can be devastating in terms of lives lost, injuries, significant damage to property and the environment, and to the business community.

Most fires are preventable, dealing with workplace process fire safety is important and those responsible for workplaces and other non domestic premises to which the public have access can avoid them by taking responsibility for and adopting fire safe behaviours and procedures.

Liquids

Liquids (such as petrol and other fuels) and solvents in industrial products (such as paint, ink, adhesives and cleaning fluids) give off flammable vapour which, when mixed with air, can ignite or explode. The ease by which liquids give off flammable vapours is linked to a simple physical test called Flashpoint (ie. the minimum temperature at which a liquid, under specific test conditions, gives off sufficient flammable vapour to ignite momentarily on the application of an ignition source) which allows them to be classed according to the fire hazard they present in normal use.

Flammable liquids are classed as:

Extremely flammable

Liquids which have a flashpoint lower than 0°C and a boiling point (or, in the case of a boiling range, the initial boiling point) lower than or equal to 35°C.

Highly flammable

Liquids which have a flashpoint below 21°C but which are not extremely flammable.

Flammable

Liquids which have a flashpoint equal to or greater than 21°C and less than or equal to 55°C and which support combustion when tested in the prescribed manner at 55°C.

• DSEAR Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
• ATEX in Electrical Safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/index.htm
• Petroleum Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petroleum.htm
• Process Fire Safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/workplace.htm
• Storage of flammable liquids in process areas. workrooms, laboratories and similar working areas: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/storageflammliquids.htm

Dusts

Dusts which can form explosive atmospheres are also classed as dangerous substances. Dusts can be produced from many everyday materials such as coal, wood, flour, grain, sugar, certain metals and synthetic organic chemicals. They are found in many industries such as food/animal feed, chemicals, woodworking, rubber and plastic processing and metal powders. They may be raw materials, intermediates, finished or waste products. A cloud of combustible dust in the air can explode violently if there is a source of ignition (eg naked flame, sparks).

Find out more:

• DSEAR Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
• Dust characteristics database: http://www.dguv.de/ifa/gestis/gestis-staub-ex/index-2.jsp
• Manufacturing Industries Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing/index.htm
• ATEX in Electrical Safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/index.htm
• Dust and explosion in the Food Industry: http://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dustexplosion.htm

Gases

Gases, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or methane, which are usually stored under pressure in cylinders and bulk containers. Uncontrolled releases can readily ignite or cause the cylinder to become a missile.

Find out more:

• DSEAR Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
• Liquefied Petroleum Gas Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/lpg/index.htm
• ATEX in Electrical Safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/index.htm

Solids

Solids include materials such as plastic foam, packaging, and textiles which can burn fiercely and give off dense black smoke, sometimes poisonous.

• DSEAR Guidance: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
• ATEX in Electrical Safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/index.htm

Other fire and explosion hazards

Many chemical substances can give rise to harmful heat and pressure effects because they are unstable or because they can react violently with other materials. Chemicals need to be stored correctly and when reacted together sufficient information obtained to ensure that correct process controls can be used to prevent dangerous exothermic runaway reactions.

Further information can be found at:

• Safe use of Acetylene: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/acetylene.htm
• Chemical Warehousing HSG71: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg71.htm
• Designing and operating safe chemical reaction processes HSG143: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg143.htm

Gas welding

The flammable gases and oxygen used as a fuel for hot work and flame cutting can give rise to fire and explosion risks on their own without any involvement of any other dangerous or combustible substances. A risk assessment carried out according to DSEAR will help to identify the correct controls and equipment before the work is carried out.

Further information can be found at:

• Fire and explosion pages on the welding website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/fire-explosion.htm
• The safe use of compressed gases in welding, flame cutting and allied processes HSG 139: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg139.htm
• Safe use of Acetylene: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/acetylene.htm

Regulations

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002, DSEAR and ATEX, require employers to assess the risk of fires and explosions arising from work activities involving dangerous substances, and to eliminate or reduce these risks.

HSE and local authorities are responsible for enforcing those workplaces covered by the legislation on working in potentially explosive atmospheres. These are covered in the following pages:

• DSEAR: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
• ATEX: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/atex.htm
• Petroleum: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petroleum.htm
• Process fire precautions: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/workplace.htm
• Celluloid: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear-regulations.htm#celluloid

For more information, visit the HSE ‘Fire and explosion’ web pages: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/ or contact us on 07896 016380 or at fiona@eljay.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help

Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence