Case Studies
Compressed Gas Explosions
Type of Project
Mechanical
Forensic
Outline of Project
We have been involved in two rather unfortunate cases involving personal injury while pressure testing a system using a gas cylinder. The salutary lesson for those involved in such matters is the importance of specialised training in the correct procedures to be followed.
Compressed gases contain an immense amount of energy and failures lead to explosions. In one case a man’s hand was amputated and he got shrapnel all over his face. In a second case, an employee received a severe eye injury.
Gas cylinders have an on/off valve and also a regulator which can be adjusted gradually to give the desired outlet pressure. It is important to ensure that the regulator is closed before opening the on/off valve.
In both the accidents, it is likely that the regulator was not shut when the on/off valve on the cylinder was opened. This allowed the system to be over-pressurised suddenly and to explode or fail.
In neither case had proper training been carried out. One of the injured was an experienced fitter but had not used gas cylinders for this purpose before. The other was an apprentice at the time. A small expenditure on the extra training would have saved the trauma of the accidents and the cost of the legal dispute.
key skills used by Cadogans
- Engineering analysis
- Lateral thought
- Report writing
