Waste Handling Errors Blamed in Deaths

As two tank trucks at an oilfield waste facility in Rosharon Texas were unloading liquid waste into an open pit, the drivers were unaware of the volatile nature of the material, along with a vapor cloud forming in the area. The vapor was drawn into the trucks' diesel engines, causing them to accelerate. The flammable cloud then ignited, killing two facility employees. The two drivers were also burned when they rushed back to their racing engines. One driver later died .

The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) lead investigator identified two primary causes of the incident, which could have been prevented if the hazard of the waste was recognized, communicated and controlled.

1. The producer of the waste did not recognize its flammability, nor did it provide appropriate safety information to the companies that employed the victims. Material safety data sheets should have been prepared and given to the truck drivers and the disposal facility operators.

2. The facility did not have safe unloading and handling practices for potentially flammable wastes. Because the company did not recognize the hazards, it did not control potential ignition sources or use unloading techniques to minimize vapor formation. The flammable waste in question settles to the bottom of storage tanks that contain crude oil or liquid hydrocarbons that condense from natural gas. This material can contain large quantities of flammable hydrocarbons. When tested by the CSB, most samples contained highly flammable material.

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