I’ve read elsewhere that the leak was a Gas Leak caused by a faulty valve on a Gas Storage Tank.
If it was LPG how should the spill be dealt with.
About 20 years ago, we were taking a delivery of bulk LPG when (I think) the valve became detached from the tank.
Result c10 tonne of LPG flowing down the drains.
Fire brigade called who monitored the uncontrolled discharge, whilst hosing the area.
Now this was the problem. The water instantly turned to ice!
After the tank was empty and everyone left, we were left with a frozen yard, and as the ice melted, it released the gas to the atmospheres. Took most of the day, and we could not go near that area.
Is this still the best way to deal with a liquified gas spill?
mi13ke:
Is this still the best way to deal with a liquified gas spill?
No its ,RUN AWAY… upwind 
I think a copious water spray is still the recommended way to deal with it. The idea being to help disperse the gas while reducing the risk of ignition.
There’s not a lot more you can do really - LPG readily boils off to gas at normal atmospheric pressure and then natural ventilation will disperse it. The big danger is for the stuff to flow into drains, basements etc (the gas is heavier than air) where it can accumulate and remain a fire/explosion risk for a long time afterwards.
The best way to disperse it in the Oldham area is with a lighted match.
Roymondo:
The big danger is for the stuff to flow into drains, basements etc (the gas is heavier than air) where it can accumulate and remain a fire/explosion risk for a long time afterwards.
Can it cause asphyxiation in low lying areas…?
Pimpdaddy:
Roymondo:
The big danger is for the stuff to flow into drains, basements etc (the gas is heavier than air) where it can accumulate and remain a fire/explosion risk for a long time afterwards.Can it cause asphyxiation in low lying areas…?
What like my beer induced ■■■■■ under the duvet?
Set up
Pimpdaddy:
Roymondo:
The big danger is for the stuff to flow into drains, basements etc (the gas is heavier than air) where it can accumulate and remain a fire/explosion risk for a long time afterwards.Can it cause asphyxiation in low lying areas…?
Unlikely, other than on a totally still (i.e. wind speed zero) day.
Pimpdaddy:
Numbum:
The driver could have been the other side of the trailer stowing a used hose away . If it is chucking it down it is quite common to get the hoses connected and turn the valves on and then sit in the cab for five minutes in the dry.Is this allowed/legal ‘dieseldave’…?
A very interesting question indeed.
The relevant UK law is The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (aka DSEAR 2002,) which are quite complicated and not very well explained.
The HSE have produced an Approved Code of Practice (aka an ACOP) to help with understanding DSEAR.
The latest version of the ACOP is called Unloading petrol from road tankers, (second edition 2014)
> ACOP 125:
> During the course of unloading petrol at a site, a tanker driver should:
>
> (a) oversee the unloading operation to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the receiving storage tank is not overfilled;
>
> (b) ensure that all filling points, other than those of the tanks being filled, remain closed;
>
> (c) cease to unload the petrol immediately if there are any leaks from any hose, hose connection, or joint;
>
> (d) cease to unload the petrol immediately if there is reason to believe that any means for measuring the amount of petrol unloaded from the road tanker is faulty;
>
> (e) where unloading petrol without the assistance of the site operator, ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that:
>
> (i) no source of ignition is present in the hazardous areas associated with petrol unloading, or any other activity is taking place outside these areas that may pose a risk to the safe unloading of petrol; and
>
> (ii) in the event of such circumstances arising, the delivery should not be started, or should cease immediately should such circumstances occur.
>
> (f) in the event of overfill of the storage tank or spillage of petrol, initiate the appropriate emergency procedures relevant to the nature of the incident and the site. [/b]
If a driver can achieve the above whilst sitting in the cab, then he’s ok, but in practice (c) above possibly gets him if he can’t see all hose connections in his mirrors.
Due to the way that the ACOP is written, a driver would also not be compliant with “oversee” and “ensure” if he buggers off to the brew room or the bookies while his tanker is discharging.
As for stowing a hose, it’s generally accepted that stowing a hose is within the spirit of the ACOP because the driver hasn’t gone off elsewhere and there are several air-operated emergency shut-off valves situated at various points around a petrol tanker which would allow the driver to shut the whole operation off with the push of a button.
As looks likely, it was LPG that was involved so that leaves out the ‘stowing a hose theory’ because LPG tankers usually have only one discharge hose.
I’ll put my TNet Investigator head on and hazard a guess (looking at Google Earth) that one of their three 1(?)-tonner’s emptied in one go. I await to be proven wrong by the enquiry though.
Roymondo:
The big danger is for the stuff to flow into drains, basements etc (the gas is heavier than air) where it can accumulate and remain a fire/explosion risk for a long time afterwards.
As that plastics firm in Glasgow found out about 10 years ago. Leak from underground pipes that were laid in the 60’s. Bloke who did the last fill was hauled in front of the enquiry and given a grilling the Gestapo would be proud of, before the rope was removed from around his neck.
Pimpdaddy:
Can it cause asphyxiation in low lying areas…?
Inside buildings and sewers, etc., yes.
mercury:
Set up
How?
While at AMOCO we had a contract for heavy fuel oil to wedgwoods factory’s . At Barlaston site S.O.T. There were 2 huge storage tanks sunk about 12feet Down plus a small bung wall where the two delivery points were situated . The boiler man used to hang a board on the pipe to the tank He wanted to be filled . Driver procedure was hook up start discharge of 4500 galls then go to boiler house to get note signed then back in cab 25 mins relax. One driver on nights followed this procedure only to find boiler man had hung his board on the wrong tank which was already full. Result 4500 gall of heavy fuel oil in the bung wall… I can recall many similar story’s over the 20 years I was at AMOCO
“We apologise for any inconvenience that has been caused. LPG fuel leaked from a faulty valve on one of the small tanks on the forecourt.”
The faulty tank was drained and made safe.
mi13ke:
If it was LPG how should the spill be dealt with.
About 20 years ago, we were taking a delivery of bulk LPG when (I think) the valve became detached from the tank.
Result c10 tonne of LPG flowing down the drains.
Fire brigade called who monitored the uncontrolled discharge, whilst hosing the area.
Now this was the problem. The water instantly turned to ice!
After the tank was empty and everyone left, we were left with a frozen yard, and as the ice melted, it released the gas to the atmospheres. Took most of the day, and we could not go near that area.
Is this still the best way to deal with a liquified gas spill?
The emergency action code (on the Orange plates) is 2YE, 2 means spray with fog or fine spray, Y means contain, you have long absorbent sausage type things you lay down around it and, E means consider evacuation.
m_attt:
The emergency action code (on the Orange plates) is 2YE, 2 means spray with fog or fine spray, Y means contain, you have long absorbent sausage type things you lay down around it and, E means consider evacuation.
The letter Y on the plate denotes “Breathing Apparatus”, i.e. the emergency services’ PPE.
As you know, LPG can’t be contained once let loose, it evaporates…pretty sharpish. No spill kit required.
nickb67:
m_attt:
The emergency action code (on the Orange plates) is 2YE, 2 means spray with fog or fine spray, Y means contain, you have long absorbent sausage type things you lay down around it and, E means consider evacuation.The letter Y on the plate denotes “Breathing Apparatus”, i.e. the emergency services’ PPE.
As you know, LPG can’t be contained once let loose, it evaporates…pretty sharpish. No spill kit required.
Y also does indicate “contain” (as opposed to “dilute”) where spillages are concerned.
The letter is What to wear i.e Breathing apperatus and fireproof clothing, and weather to contain or dilute.
It must need a large hole to come out of and stay liquid as ive drained a few litres from a hose and it just shot out as a vapour
nickb67:
The letter Y on the plate denotes “Breathing Apparatus”, i.e. the emergency services’ PPE.
Hi nickb67,
I can’t argue with what you’ve written and I’ve no idea where you got your info from, but it’s possibly easier to say that all 8 letters (PRST and WXYZ) indicate that BA should be worn by the emergency services.
The Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List 2015 section 3.1.4 deals with the letters P R S and T, whilst section 3.1.5 deals with the letters W X Y and Z.
Muckaway:
The best way to disperse it in the Oldham area is with a lighted match.
Oi! My mother lives in Oldham and has a business there.
There was a guy who had an 8 wheel Leyland on contract to carry heavy fuel oil for Cawoods out of British Tar Products at Cadihead .when loading you could put a hooked roof bolt to hold the dead man handle on the 6 inch delivery pipe open.He had about 2000 gallons of heavy fuel oil all round the loading bays. The site Forman (George ) asked him why he had not shut the dead man handle off? He repied that he could not reach the handle . When asked why he replied I was in the office having a cup of coffee.
Same guy used to swop his damaged pipe with good ones on AMOCO truck who were then parking about 14 trucks in British Tar while waiting for Cadihead Depot to be completed.