Fatal explosion

John R. Hall

This reminded me of a point made by Dan during his steam heat seminar -- that steam pipe explosions were so commonplace in the early days of steam heat. Real tragic.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0804/09ugablast.html

Caselli

compressed air

Except the article says they were testing the pipe with compressed air.

Hard for the media to call it a "steam pipe explosion," although I guess it will someday become a steam pipe.

Dangerous stuff, compressed gas, whether steam or air. It's literally a bomb.

Much safer to be testing with water, whenever that is possible. When pressure is released it is instantly released, because of the incompressibility.

Terrible tragedy.

Dave Bush

Tragedy

But stupid, and needless.

So the pipe failed the test. Now someone's dead.

I agree that water would've been somewhat safer, but what's disturbing is that the article stated that the "end" blew off the pipe. I wonder if they had a cap on the end that they neglected to tighten down?

Dale

Attention to detail

I think that the pipe was probably being tested with a mechanical coupled cap on the end and that the cap is what came off. My company requires all mech. caps under test to be weld strapped to the pipe just because this type of accident has happened in the past. Many maint. and const. groups require a JSA or job safety analysis before starting any task, gives everyone a chance to voice concerns and point out where extra caution or equipment will be needed. I agree about the danger of compressed air, all new port. air tanks have a "throw away" date on them because of the rupture risk from not draining water correctly. I have heard about 10 people a year are killed by air compressor tank ruptures.

DaveC

I've heard stories, too...

about guys horsing around with air hoses (like 100 psi air guns in a factory) and literally blowing someone up from the inside (Don't ask where the nozzle was stuck). I worked in several factories where the air guns were everywhere and we would clean our clothes and hair with these - nobody ever warned us about what could happen - you could blow an eardrum real easy, it seems to me, at the least?

Pat K

Reminds me of one of my screw ups. We were hydro testing a recently welded feed water line on my ship.(back in my navy days)It was supposed to be brought up to about 1600 lbs. Two of my firemen got into a fight on the lower level, normally I would have let them roll around till they got tired but I saw blood flying so I jumped down the ladder to break them up. After I did ...oops the the pump, ran back up hit the quick disconnect on the air hose and dumped the pressure. I don't know what the pressure got up to but the solid steel flat blank flange we attached to the end of the line could have been worn as a hat. Yikes