Silence is golden but not in this case

Well folks its all very quiet, what has happened to the root cause analysis what has happened to the in depth report into this sad incident. Well plainly nothing, or maybe Mr. Turnbull did not like the outcome and has sent them all back to rethink the approach. Could it be that the American hydrofluoric plant expert has found Caltex at fault, wow never I hear you cry. If so don’t expect to read that report as we will be given a barrage of excuses if that’s true, you watch. "Well the report left many questions unanswered, it could be open to interpretation, a bigger more fuller and comprehensive report is required” I wonder readers what the excuse will be.

I don’t suppose the shutdown and the threat of industrial action have anything to do with the delay, surely not, “we will publish when we have all of the facts” more like we will fudge the issue until the shutdown is over and we can get rid of the pain in the neck contractors. Bye for now readers, more soon

ETU claim "Caltex refinery is another Longford ESSO refinery explosion waiting to happen."

ETU Defies Caltex On Safety

Date: 13 April 2005

Electrical Trades Union members and other maintenance workers at Brisbane's Caltex refinery, at Lytton, will return to the refinery at 6.30am today for further discussions with management about ongoing serious safety problems.

The dispute over a long list of safety concerns follows last week's hydrogen fluoride leak at the refinery, which potentially affected 45 people on site and led to the hospitalisation of 24.

The maintenance workers currently involved in this dispute are employed by Transfield Services, which is contracted to provide maintenance services to the Caltex refinery.

Despite Transfield's attempt to sack or stand the workers down today they will continue to refuse to work in unsafe sections of the refinery, which means they will refuse to work in just about every section of the facility.

Upon their return to the refinery at 6.30am tomorrow union officials and delegates will meet with representatives of Transfield Services and Caltex to discuss a program for rectifying a long list (see partial list attached) of safety problems at the facility.

If no progress is made in these discussions by 10.00am tomorrow, then the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is on standby to go to the refinery and intervene in the negotiations.

ETU Queensland secretary, Dick Williams, said this Caltex refinery is another Longford ESSO refinery explosion waiting to happen.

In September 1998 an explosion at ESSO's Longford gas plant killed two workers and injured eight others. Victoria coroner, Graeme Johnstone, later found ESSO was solely responsible for the disaster and tragedy.

"Like ESSO and its management at Longford, employers such as Caltex and Transfield have nice glossy brochures about safety and five star plaques hanging on their walls.

"However, they only pay lip service to the issue and, again like ESSO at Longford, refuse to listen to warnings about serious safety problems," Mr Williams said.

"Well the ETU is not waiting for anyone to be killed here in Brisbane before this company faces up to its legal and moral responsibilities to these workers and the local community living around the refinery.

"Our members will not work in an unsafe environment and that's that.

"We will hold more talks with the company tomorrow morning.

"However, we have already involved the AIRC and the relevant State workplace health and safety authorities.

"We will also be taking our own workplace health and safety expert in with us tomorrow morning.

"The only thing this morally bankrupt company, Transfield, had to offer today was threats of sackings and stand downs.

"Hopefully, if they have an ounce of decency in them at all, they will behave more responsibly tomorrow morning.

"Should that not happen our members can only assume Transfield is more interested in protecting its relationship with Caltex than protecting the lives of its workers

"Finally, this dispute is a timely reminder of the risks inherent in John Howard's proposed industrial relations changes.

"Under his proposed changes, as we read the legislation, workers will not be free to protect themselves in this way from renegade companies, especially petrochemical companies such as this, which ignore the safety of workers and the general community," Mr Williams said.

Unresolved safety issues at Brisbane's Caltex refinery as at 12 April 2005

Install remote alarm (Tanks 8 & 9) - 12

Muster Points to be adequately signposted

Fire blankets to be placed around site in case of possible fire or human ablaze

Review Safety showers re location, signage, number and state of repair

Emergency phones and buttons to have regular checks (weekly)

Fire main failure every time the big pumps are used - the pump pressure needs to be covered back the pipes are not designed to take the pressure - no water will be available when required in an emergency if this isn't fixed

Emergency services to identify possible landing areas on site

Orientation (after induction) for all new starters to include safety showers, muster points, fire equipment, wind socks, emergency phones & buttons & initial refresher of above with current crews

Refresher Training on Emergency Procedures

Not enough Radios or Radio Channels

Proactive Maintenance on plant, not reactive maintenance

Provision of information on hazards in and around work area

Men working on water treatment had Safety Advisor Officer come and advise (Rhonda) and were told they didn't need a Hepatitis B jab because there was a minimum risk (if any risk you get it) and Transfield have a transient workforce and it wasn't cost effective - money shouldn't come into it

Workpacks need test sheets and hazardous area location - this gives increased awareness and forces attention to detail

Better communication between the operators and work force particularly around the Alky unit

Procedure & resources to test worksite / tools for acid since leak

Independent consultant review of evacuation procedures

Muster points marked with bright orange or yellow luminous sock - this would identify the muster point as opposed to other wind socks and also give exact wind direction at the exact location - visible at night to night shift personnel

Wind socks to be lit up and in clear view of night shift personnel

More radio channels dedicated to emergency - to allow for accounting of personnel

Better lighting of access ways for night shift i.e. walking to crib room

Card for information on hazardous gases and liquids. Maybe some kind of litmus paper available

Hazardous Area knowledge - to increase knowledge of installers

Common understanding and compliance from all parties on ATW

Communication between the trades - what else is happening in the work area

Safety Rep to address workers with the answers to their concerns and summarise concerns of other trades

Better follow up of NLI in system ie still waiting for new step on truck

Make the alarms more simple - too many different alarms (recording)

Hat Sticker with Alarms and Initial Emergency Contacts - Information Card

Investigate installing PA system on Plant

Alarm testing & identification for night shift (all alarms)

Possibility of Standby alarm to be suspended until full review of evacuation procedure - use only evacuation alarm during this time - use evacuation alarm on every incident

Why secure tools in a emergency?? - should say make areas safe

Communicate first aid resources for shutdown

First Aider hat stickers

Procedure and resources for decontamination of tools

Signage on specific hazards i.e. Mercury and where it is

Phone locations on EHS map as these are handed out at Induction

Fire Watch Training for everyone

LPS Training for everyone

Gas Monitoring for everyone

BA training for everyone

Rackout Procedure compulsory for Sparkies & their TA's before coming on site

Switch Board Rescue compulsory for Sparkies & their TA's before coming on site

CPR compulsory for Sparkies & their TA's before coming on site

Refresher Alky Training

First Aid and Resus. Training

Use a buddy system where we can put Refinery experienced team members with new starters

All team members to be checked for Transfield Induction

Too many acronyms - especially for new starters

LPS training to be conducted with smaller groups

Store supplies to be increased to reduce frustration of workers

ESD by area or all of plant re Sat Rooms, etc isolation?

Pre start briefing on particular jobs

Prestart / SPSA to include evacuation strategy

OH&S personnel to attend toolbox / prestart for identification & familiarisation

Toolbox meetings to have guest speakers on relevant topics eg Haz Sub

More operator presence on the plant

Safety Officer for night shift

Look at / Review of Trainers and their competency?

For further information

Contact:	John Moran
Union:	ETU Queensland
Phone:	0733669010
Contact Mobile:	0410603278
WWW:	http://workers.labor.net.au/

<>"The unions are in for the kill" see link to ETU web

sitehttp://www.labor.net.au/news/1113346410_8486.html

Brisbane City Council wait for Caltex Investigation

So we all wait as the cogs of industry move slowly and the investigation comes to a close. Mr Turnbull must be under a lot of pressure to get the right result on this one. Rumour has it that the nipple that caused the incident was made of carbon steel and should have been some copper exotic material called monel. Silly buggers replaced the nipple after the incident with the same material, how crazy is that. Anyway some guy from Pembroke in the UK, who was flown in for the investigation spotted this and got the refinery manager to shutdown and replace it with the proper material ?? Now thats must be real difficult when profits are real high and oil is $50 plus.
The worrying thing about all of this is that they knew about this problem months ago and the inspectors pointed this out but refused to act. Wow looks like the production manager and relability manager have some explaining to do. More soon.
Your refinery eye.




http://www.caltex.com.au/corporate_new_detail.asp?id=646

07.04.2005 Lytton refinery gas leak incident update Caltex Australia said today there had been a serious incident as a result of the escape of hydrogen fluoride gas at the company’s Lytton refinery in Brisbane this morning. “The twenty four people who were taken to Brisbane hospitals following the incident are currently being held for observation or have already been released. None is in a critical condition,” said Lytton Refinery Manager Andrew Brewer. “The hydrogen fluoride gas escaped from a section of the alkylation unit. “People in the vicinity of the incident reported that a plume of the gas emerged on the alkylation unit. Hydrogen fluoride is used in the plant process for the manufacture of petrol. “The unit was immediately shut down with the release contained by a water deluge system. Employees and contractors in the area of the affected unit were immediately evacuated. All people on the site were accounted for and there was no impact on surrounding residents." Of the total of 45 people who are employees of Caltex and contractors who were potentially affected, twenty four people were transported to hospital with the others receiving treatment on-site. Caltex Managing Director and CEO Dave Reeves and General Manager Refining Eion Turnbull flew to Brisbane from Sydney to visit those in hospital and talk with their families. They will also meet with people at the refinery. Families and employers of the affected people have been notified. A letterbox drop is being made to all homes and businesses in the area advising neighbours of the incident. Government authorities including Workplace Health and Safety and the Environmental Protection Agency were notified and officers from both agencies have inspected the site of the incident. “All of us at Caltex deeply regret that people have been injured at our site,” Mr Brewer said. “Our focus today is on caring for the people affected and their families. We will initiate a full investigation when the initial response is complete. “We are very appreciative of the rapid response by the emergency services to assist with the management of the incident. “The incident has not affected production at the refinery.” Media contact Jenny Palmer Media Relations and Communications Executive 02 9250 5762 SEE ALSO http://blog.fictionised.net/index.php?paged=2 Turns out that the incident was a leak in a high-pressured pipe containing hydrofluoric acid in gaseous form. Very dangerous stuff. The ch9 (and some random ch) choppers came and filmed it all from above. Apparently, a few were injured, but I don’t have full details. Glad I don’t work with the stuff (mind you, at uni, I use all kinds of carcenogenic rubbish ).

Caltex Lytton 24 hospitalised after chemical leak

24 hospitalised after chemical leak National Nine News Friday 08 April 2005 24 hospitalised after chemical leak (See original article) Twenty-four people have been hospitalised, including one man in a serious condition, after a chemical spill at a Caltex oil refinery in east Brisbane. Police said hydrogen fluoride, which when mixed with water becomes hydrofluoric acid, escaped when a pipe ruptured at the refinery in Lytton about 8.40am (AEST) on Thursday. A total of 45 people were affected by the gas, which causes painful skin burns and breathing difficulties. Queensland Ambulance spokesman John Bradbury told Channel Ten news their symptoms included shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and stinging chemical burns. Twenty-one people were treated at the site but 24 were taken to four different Brisbane hospitals. Caltex Lytton refinery manager Andrew Brewer said some of the people hospitalised were being kept in overnight for observation while others had already been released. "None is in a critical condition," he said. Mr Brewer said people in the vicinity had reported a plume of gas emerging from the alkylation unit, prompting the evacuation of the refinery's 700 employees and contractors. He said the leaking unit had been immediately shut down and contained by a water deluge system. Mr Brewer said hydrogen fluoride was used in the plant process for the manufacture of petrol. "All of us at Caltex deeply regret that people have been injured at our site," he said. "Our focus today is on caring for the people affected and their families." Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Col Hartley said local residents were never in any danger from the toxic gas and its chemical by-product. "The product did not leave the site so at no stage was the community or anybody in the immediate area at risk," he told Channel Ten news. Mr Brewer said as a mark of respect Caltex managing director and CEO Dave Reeves and Refining General Manager Eion Turnbull had also flown to Brisbane from Sydney on Thursday. He said the families of those injured had been notified while a letter box of the area would inform local residents of the event. Mr Brewer said Caltex would conduct a full investigation of the incident, which had not affected production at the refinery.

Fluoride Action Network | 802-355-0999 | info@fluoridealert.org