NEAFC 32nd Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

I~EW"ENGLAI’,ID ASSOCIATION Ot~ Fm~ Ci-Iml~S
use of them and the production. They should bring in their production people
and their manufactur.ing people and get them into the frame of mind where
they will insist that these things be pro~ected, and that it be done in the proper
manner and handled in the proper manner.
In addition to accidents such as these that I have noted, there may be the
flammable liquid of vapors, in excess from the processing equipment, over
open flames.
You have had quite a long dissertation this. morning abou~-~LP Gases,
which are proving so valuablein one Sense, and yet in a number of fires, where
we are having trouble, we find them. ~. ~.~ -
Right now, many people are becoming concerned about the use of natural
gas, because of the incidence of a number of blow-ups. To us., in New England,
it seems as if it is something new. We had a .recent one in Cambridge.
But, out through thes.~mi.~.’dd!e west, they have had them for some time, an~d
they as a natural have developed part. ~ 6f ~! ~he rri~nlier t~ng. of thinking about them, and so they accept them
There,,.to 0, t.hey [[have gone on to Troy to secure the proper type of entrance
to the air ~e, underneath these buildings, which are so. prevalent in
the southwest area, ~tiad[]~he protection of the inlet, and the fact that the
equipment has to come )~i ~ above the ground levels, so that there can be no
build up of the gases in that air space, which, subsequently, can be ignited
by open pilots or flarfies of any kind.
Equipment can be safeguarded against excessive pressure, by relief or
release valves.-
We have had an experience in a midwestern city, within several years,
of a dust explosion, in a candy plant, if you will, where the cornstarch came in
suspension and created a dust cloud in the room itself, with people working
there. What caused it? Again, ~we believe that an electrical spark caused
an explosion of sufficient force to kill many people, and to do a terrific amount
of damage and to dislocate the production of that company, for many, many
months.
The net result is that all of these things are the salient hazards, and
these, in particular, are the things that we have to look for, when we are
going through the plants.
We, in keeping With Other inspection agencies, of our type, try to work
with you men, trying to get you to come into the plants, where we are insured,
and to add to our efforts, your efforts, backed as they are in so many cases
with the laws of the various States, because, together, we can do a great deal
to foster ~he safety and reduce the hazards, and reduce the results in loss
life and property.
Now, the loss of life would be sufficiently important, if there were no
other factor involved, and that is the one thing I know you men are working
for. I know that-is one thing we are all working for.
In recapitulation, here are ~a few of the things, we want to watch out for.
Mechanical sparks in are.as; should not be permitted.
Regarding the matches aRd. smoking; o~ course, many of our inspection
bureaus have done much work with you, to liberalize the smoking regulations
...so~that-_people can smoke, whenever and wherever it is safe to do so. And,
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