What about this for a day at work !

[chris murphy]

Hello All,

I have just been reading in the `Installer ` Magazine [Gas / Heating / Plumbing & some Electrical etc.] about a Day at Work in 2008 on a Construction Project where an Argon Gas Cylinder which was `stored` with 79 others fell over and the Valve snapped off the top of the Cylinder - the Cylinders were NOT fitted with Valve Safety Caps.

The Argon Gas - under 300 BAR Pressure [approx. 4410 PSI] propelled the Cylinder into the others which were just standing together [not in storage racks] - this set of a `Chain reaction` where 66 of the Cylinders `Flew` around and `THROUGH` the Building at speeds of up to 170 Miles per Hour.


These 66 `Torpedoes` were obviously Heavy [2 Metres tall and weighed 142 Kilos !] - and Fast enough [170 mph] to smash through walls and up through Ceilings - this is on a Large Site with loads of Trades / Men working there.


This `Havoc` was stated to have lasted several Minutes - can You imagine trying to Escape from this area within a large Building with these 2 Metre long x 142 Kilo x 170 mph `torpedoes` smashing through walls and up through ceilings around You - !

This looks to have been even worse for those in the immediate area of the `devastation` because the Walls seem to be just partition construction [from article photo] which obviously would offer NO Protection from these `Flying Gas Cylinders` !


Some of the Cylinders were stated to have ended up `in remote parts of the Building` !



Unfortunately a Plumber was killed by one of these `missiles` and others including some Electricians were seriously injured.


The reason that this is in the Magazine now is that the Court case has recently been adjudicated and `Fines and Costs` levied on the 3 Companies who were supposed to have ensured that the Gas Cylinder Safe storage and other Safety Regulations were adhered to.



HERE IS A LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE:

Three firms sentenced after plumber dies | Installer Online


I thought that this would interest some Members - it just shows what can happen at Work on a large Construction Project.

Regards,

Chris


P.S: I used the Blue Text colour to highlight the Top two paragraphs above - but due to some malfunction I could not then revert back to the `Normal` Black text colour.

Then when I saw the message after it was submitted I noticed that it was NOT `All Blue`.

I did not want to start messing about trying to either highlight other paragraphs in colour or revert some paragraphs to un- highlighted text in case I LOST the whole thing.

Sorry if this makes my message irritating to look at. - Chris

 

[staggie65]

I was on this job.
Health and Safety- it's there for a reason and never be swayed by the "red tape" argument

Everyone deserves to go home at the end of a working day.

 

[shagbite]

I was on this job.
Health and Safety- it's there for a reason and never be swayed by the "red tape" argument

Everyone deserves to go home at the end of a working day.

horses for courses mate. h & s should be applied with common sense. i was on a job where the h & s bloke told me to make sure i had "three points of contact at all times when using step ladders". i was told this whilst i was installing a 4' light fitting in a room that was too small to get a podium in.

 

[Jonesy83]

Podiums are more dangerous than step ladders I've fell off more podiums than steps also have you ever noticed when on a job where all ladders and steps are banned a few days before handover is due step ladders are all of a sudden allowed

ive been kicked of site once for standing on my tool box to switch on a spur where they were expecting me to erect a scaffold the only other time I've been kicked off site was because I had visitor written on the back of my hi viz they said it looked like a visitor was working for them never work for costains if you can avoid it

 

[chris murphy]

"Hello All",

I must state that when I wrote my original message about the `Death and Devastation` caused when 66 x 142 Kilo Argon Gas Cylinders which had their Valves broken off in a `chain reaction` and then `Torpedoed` through Walls and Ceilings at up to 170 mph - Killing one Man and severely Injuring others - I did not expect Members to be writing about the use of Steps / Podiums !

I know that You have commented on `Health & Safety` but are the Steps and Podium comments pertinent to this Deadly Health & Safety breach ?

There could have been MANY people killed !

While I acknowledge that these items are probably involved in more `Accidents` than any other access equipment I am a bit surprised that Members did not comment on the Death and Devastation caused in the incident that I wrote about / gave a link to the Magazine article.


Please don`t take offence Gentlemen - none is meant.


Regards,


Chris

 

[shagbite]

sorry, chris. i guess your thread got hijacked!!

i read your post and it's truly shocking. but i think this kind of story washes over people most of the time. the subject matter is incomprehensible to a lot of us because it's not something we've ever experienced. but mention the words 'health and safety' and it starts pushing people's buttons.

it's a great idea - in principle - but the way it's implemented on-site is totally lacking in any sort of reasoning. everyone on here will have a story about some jumped-up little stalin throwing his weight about. take jonesy, for example - two red card incidents that barely warranted a -------ing. they shouldn't be messing with people's livelihoods like that.

but i'll apologise again - to staggie as well - it wasn't my intention to trivialise what happened to the plumber and the rest of the fellas on that job.

 

[Robotstar5]

Here's a link to the HSE report on the incident.

 

[chris murphy]

sorry, chris. i guess your thread got hijacked!!

i read your post and it's truly shocking. but i think this kind of story washes over people most of the time. the subject matter is incomprehensible to a lot of us because it's not something we've ever experienced. but mention the words 'health and safety' and it starts pushing people's buttons.

it's a great idea - in principle - but the way it's implemented on-site is totally lacking in any sort of reasoning. everyone on here will have a story about some jumped-up little stalin throwing his weight about. take jonesy, for example - two red card incidents that barely warranted a -------ing. they shouldn't be messing with people's livelihoods like that.

but i'll apologise again - to staggie as well - it wasn't my intention to trivialise what happened to the plumber and the rest of the fellas on that job.

"Hello shagbite",

No need to apologise - I knew that You were commenting on Health & Safety in general - but using examples of the Steps and Podiums to show the sometimes `triviality` [others might not agree] of these decisions on Site.


My comments were more my showing surprise that Members did not comment on the `Nightmare situation` - or words to that effect that the Men on Site must have found themselves in.

Can You imagine 66 x 142 Kilo / 2 Metre high Argon Cylinders `going off` - releasing approximately 4410 psi and becoming `Torpedoes` / `Rockets` - blasting through Walls and Ceilings at up to 170 mph !


I cannot believe that this was not on `News at Ten` and News around the World.

Obviously there have been more Devastating occurrences throughout the U.K. / World in terms of Deaths and Injury.


But I cannot get over this `66 Argon Cylinders [out of 80] have their Valves snapped off in a `chain reaction` scenario - leading to these `66 Torpedoes` / `Rockets` - within a Building !

And I cannot Imagine what it must have been like to be near them when this happened !


Thanks for not being offended by my comments.

Regards,


Chris

 

[chris murphy]

Here's a link to the HSE report on the incident.

"Hello Robotstar5",

Thanks for the Link - I will be interested in reading the HSE Report.

EDIT: I think from a brief glance through that it is basically the same information that was contained in the Installer Magazine online article - but Thanks anyway.


Regards,

Chris