MEC&F Expert Engineers : 04/13/15

Monday, April 13, 2015

A TRUCK CARRYING A LARGE TANK WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIAL HAS OVERTURNED ON DE ZAVALLA ROAD AT CHANNELVIEW DRIVE. NO EXPLOSIONS OR FIRES REPORTED OTHER THAN CHEMICAL SPILL






APRIL 13, 2015

CHANNELVIEW, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

A truck carrying a large tank with hazardous material has overturned on De Zavalla Road at Channelview drive, according to the Channelview Fire Department.

Hazmat is currently on the scene as the chemical is spilling from the tank.
Authorities said there is a shelter in place for 11 residents in the area as well as an elementary school nearby.

The tanker was carrying 6900 gallons of a highly flammable chemical, officials said.

There is no environmental hazard (? – are these people serious? They stated above that the haz material is spilling from the tanker) and the cleanup is expected to last several hours.

Source: http://www.khou.com

LARGE KINDER-MORGAN GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN NORTHWEST HUTCHINSON COUNTY WAS SEEN 20-30 MILES AWAY














APRIL 13, 2015

The natural gas pipeline in Hutchinson County that had caught fire is now extinguished.

The pipeline is owned by Kinder-Morgan, a large energy infrastructure company.
Again there were no injuries, and no damage to private property other than the damage to the pipeline itself.

Excellent job done by all first responders who let the fire burn and just stand around watching it burn.

UPDATE -- At 10:30 a.m. there was a pipeline explosion south of County Rd K between FM1923 and County Rd 4. 

Officials continue to identify the owner and getting the pipeline blocked in.

Hutchinson County LEPC Emergency Notification is reporting no injuries with one voluntary evacuation of a single family residence. No threat to the community at this time.

Fire is in a plowed field. Incident Commander is Alan Wells of the Stinnett Fire Dept., who is running unified command with Hutchinson County and all other agencies on scene.

The cause of the explosion fire is still under investigation.  Most likely a gas pipeline ruptured and the released exploded after it encountered a heat source.

UPDATE -- This area is in the northwestern potion of Hutchinson County off Hwy 152.

County Road 1923 has been closed by the Incident Commander at this time to allow first responders to work safely.

BORGER -- Hutchinson County LEPC Emergency Notification is reporting a pressurized gas line has exploded near County Rd K and Herring Water Station Rd. 

Residents are not in danger at this time. 

Borger Fire, Stinnett Fire, Fritch Fire, Hutchinson County Fire, NPS, HCSO, Hutchinson and Borger Emergency Management are all in route.

Officials are stopping and re-directed traffic near Hwy 152.

At this time, there is no impact or threat to the community.

We will have more as information becomes available.  

Large Explosion Reported in Northwest Hutchinson County

BORGER -- Hutchinson County LEPC Emergency Notification is reporting a pressurized gas line has exploded near County Rd K and Herring Water Station Rd. Residents are not in danger at this time. Borger Fire, Stinnett Fire, Fritch Fire, Hutchinson County Fire, NPS, HCSO, Hutchinson and Borger Emergency Management are all in route.

2 ELECTRICIANS WERE ELECTROCUTED, 1 CRITICALLY AT THE KING OF PRUSSIA MALL IN PA, AFTER AN ENERGIZED 13,000 VOLT, 200 AMP CABLE WAS CUT




APRIL 13, 2015

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. (CBS)

Two construction workers were injured, one critically, by an electrical shock at the King of Prussia Mall early Monday morning.

The incident happened at about 7:20 a.m. inside the “Court” side of the King of Prussia Mall.

According to investigators, two construction workers were inside a “Scissor jack lift” as they were cutting electric cables beneath the second story floor of the existing section of the Mall, at the juncture of the newly-constructed portion.

An energized 13,000 volt, 200 amp cable was cut, resulting in the electrocution of one man and the slight injury of the second man.

When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found a 36-year-old male unresponsive on the ground. Officer moved the victim to a safe area, began CPR and utilized an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in efforts to revive the victim.

The victim was taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital where he is listed in critical condition.

The second victim, a 27-year-old male, was also taken to Paoli Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

A third man male also taken to Paoli Hospital for precautionary treatment.
All three men are employed by Omni Electric Company based in Collegeville.
The company released the following statement: 

“The Union electrical contractor Omni Electric performing the last of four primary electrical service relocations over the past few weeks had an accident early this morning. Unfortunately one electrician was seriously injured. The electrical service to one of the areas of the mall was restored an hour later than originally planned as a result of the incident. Everyone at the mall and involved in the project are primarily focus on the injured individual and are hoping for a fast recovery. A full investigation is being undertaken to evaluate what occurred.”

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HAZARDS OF SCISSOR LIFTS

Organizations that have workers, including students who are employees, who use scissor lifts to film events and functions must address the hazards associated with this equipment. These hazards can include:

The lift falling over or a worker slipping off the platform if the lift is:


  • used during bad weather or high winds
  • positioned on soft or uneven ground, or on weak utility covers (e.g., underground sprinkler valve boxes)
  • overloaded with heavy objects
  • used with guardrails removed
  • driven over uneven, unstable ground, or surface in poor condition, with the lift in an elevated position, or
  • used with brakes that are not properly set
  • A worker being electrocuted if the lift makes contact with electrical lines.


How to Reduce Hazards

Establish and follow safe work practices that include, but are not limited to: 


  • Inspecting controls and components before use
  • Selecting work locations with firm and level surfaces away from hazards that can cause the lift to be unstable (e.g., drop-offs or holes, slopes, bumps or ground obstructions, or debris)
  • Selecting work locations that are clear of electrical power sources (e.g., power lines, transformers) – by at least 10 feet – and other overhead hazards (e.g., other utilities, branches, overhangs, etc.)
  • Operating lifts only during weather conditions that are safe for use (e.g., not in high winds, rain, snow, sleet, etc.)
  • Moving the lift to/from a work location safely, with the lift lowered, unless following safe practices allowed by the manufacturer
  • Setting the breaks and stabilizing the lift before raising it
  • Ensuring that the lift is not overloaded
  • Working safely from the lift (e.g., do not remove guardrails or stand on them for extra height)
  • Reporting problems and malfunctions
  • Train workers on, and make sure workers follow, established safe work practices and manufacturers’ recommendations for operating scissor lifts safely
  • Allow only trained workers to use scissor lifts, and make sure those workers show they can use a scissor lift properly
  • Make sure that the scissor lift has a guardrail system that protects workers from falling, and
  • Test, inspect, and maintain scissor lifts according to the manufacturer’s recommendations

Additional Resources

Many scissor lifts are covered under OSHA’s scaffolding standard. For technical assistance, please refer to OSHA’s eTool and Other Resources on Scaffolding.
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a letter and outreach materials on Safe Work Practices for Lifts.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has standards for manufacturing, owning, and operating scissor lifts. They can be found in ANSI A92.3-2006 (Manually Propelled Elevating Aerial Platforms) and A92.6-2006 (Self-Propelled Elevating Work Platforms).

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has a training program for aerial and scissor lifts. For a fee, successful trainees receive a one day, hands-on aerial lift training and are awarded the PAL Card (Powered Access Licence) as proof of training. More information is available at IPAF’s website.
Help for Employers



2 WILLIAMS ENERGY PIPELINES (ONE GAS AND ANOTHER CARRYING CONDENSATE) RUPTURE IN MARSHALL COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. COMPANY PERSONNEL BELIEVE HEAVY RAINS IN THE AREA, WHICH MAY HAVE DESTABILIZED SOILS, WERE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR











APRIL 12, 2015

GLEN DALE, W.VA.

Williams Energy and state regulators are investigating two natural gas pipeline ruptures that occurred within hours of each other in Marshall County. 

A 4-inch pipeline ruptured northeast of Glen Dale shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday. About three hours later, a 12-inch pipeline ruptured along U.S. 250 in the Bane Lane area. 

“Company personnel believe heavy rains in the area, which may have destabilized soils, were a contributing factor,” Williams spokeswoman Helen Humphreys told The Intelligencer and the Wheeling News-Register. 

Humphreys said the pipelines were carrying condensate, a mix of petroleum products found in natural gas. 

The company and the Department of Environmental Protection were working to determine how much condensate spilled into Little Grave Creek from the 4-inch pipeline. 

Humphreys said company officials discovered the first leak after they learned of a “strong petroleum-based odor” about 8:45 p.m. Thursday along Little Grave Creek. The company isolated the rupture and closed the valve to the line to stop the condensate's flow. 

“Williams is mobilizing all resources necessary to mitigate any possible environmental impacts. As part of Williams' investigation, the company is conducting numerous tests to understand whether and to what extent the waterways may have been impacted,” she said. 

There were no evacuations after the first pipeline rupture. Residents of five homes in the area of the second rupture left their homes for a short time as a precautionary measure. 

Humphreys said the ruptured 12-inch line collects natural gas from producing wells throughout the area for shipment to the nearby Fort Beeler plant. 

A section of U.S. 250 was closed while workers turned off the gas stream running through the pipeline. The highway reopened about 11:45 p.m. Thursday, said county Emergency Management Director Tom Hart. 

Source:www.wtrf.com