Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks and Related Wastes - Code ...

• Not cleaning PVC suits immediately after use but were leaving them dirty
for up to four days.
• Taking off contaminated suits themselves with bare hands.
• Descaling dry tanks wearing dust masks instead of air-supplied respirators.
• Handling sludge outside the tank without respirators.
• The foreman did not wear any respiratory protection and spent most of the
working day in a semi-underground passage which was adjacent to the
entrance to the tank and had no forced ventilation. He also frequently looked
into the tank without any respiratory protection.
The foreman died, two men were admitted to hospital with TEL poisoning (they
subsequently recovered), and five others showed evidence of abnormally high lead
absorption.
Basic Cause — Lack of competent supervision above foreman level resulting in
failure to follow correct procedure outside the tank.
Accident C
A group of men were working at a pit containing sludge from a leaded gasoline
tank on a very hot day. Some of them remained for several hours downwind of the
pit. Although some operators wore canister respirators, others had removed their
respirators in the absence of the supervisor who had been called away to deal with
a fire.
One man died, and three others were admitted to hospital with lead poisoning but
subsequently recovered.
Basic Cause — Lack of constant supervision owing to the absence from the job of
the supervisor, resulting in the work being carried out in an incorrect manner.
Accident D
A leaded gasoline tank was cleaned in conditions of high temperature and humidity
by a gang of local labour.
A detailed investigation showed that:
• Sludge was handled outside the tanks by men not wearing canister
respirators;
• Men wearing contaminated clothing were resting outside the tank in the
vicinity of contaminated equipment and ground;
• Rubber airlines hoses and respirators fitted with breathing bags were used;
• The removal of the contaminated cement wash in the tank by chipping was
carried out by men wearing only dust masks;
• The supervisor, although having long experience of the work, was not
temperamentally suitable for the work, and was absent from the site for
some time while work proceeded.
Two men died and several others were admitted to hospital suffering from lead
poisoning.
Basic Cause—Complete lack of proper inspection to ensure that correct methods
and equipment were used during the job.
Transport and Disposal of Petroleum Storage Tanks 47