February 02, 2023
An investigation into the 2018 fire that injured 23 workers at the Kuraray America chemical plant in Texas was caused by 17 safety issues, including multiple process safety failures, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).
The CSB report offers a dozen recommendations on how the company can prevent a similar incident from occurring.
2,300 pounds of ethylene released in 3 minutes
On May 19, 2018, a chemical reactor system startup that occurred following a scheduled maintenance shutdown caused high pressure conditions inside the reactor.
The high pressure activated the reactor’s emergency pressure release system, discharging flammable ethylene vapor through piping into an area where several contractors were working. More than 2,300 pounds of ethylene were released in three minutes.
Work being done by the contractors included welding, which “most likely ignited the flammable vapor,”