Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

Upon starting his shift, a nitration specialist noticed flames at the door leading to the workshop. He immediately began fighting the fire using an extinguisher and was able to put out the blaze. The day before, a technician had recovered inside the acid tank separator situated at the beginning of the residual acid pipeline leading to the nitrogen removal agent, an emulsion composed of a mix of water, nitric acid, nitroglycerin, nitroglycol, etc. that he placed into a pitcher along with a bucket made of ebonite rubber.

Unable to immediately contact the Production Manager to show him the sample, he took the initiative to temporarily store it, thinking that its destruction could wait until the next day. The normal procedure called for conducting an analysis by the laboratory, which would then make a decision regarding destruction. The wastes reacted when placed in contact with air, thus triggering the blaze.

The investigation revealed that the large quantity of waste collected originated from a rather rapid cooling of the residual acid tank over the four days of downtime around the first of November, given that the space heater had been removed for repairs.

The operator reset the heating system and acid tank temperature regulation system, in addition to carrying out a safety study for the waste extraction station inside the separator and offering a refresher training course to staff members assigned to handle wastes.