Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201363413 - One Employee Is Killed and One Is Injured in Leak Test

Accident Summary Nr: 201363413 -- Report ID: 0419400 -- Event Date: 07/15/2009
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311420830	07/15/2009	1623	237120	Priority Energy Services, Llc

Abstract: On July 14, 2009, Employees #1 and #2 were performing a pneumatic test to verify leak tightness of a new meter station at the Midcontinent Express Pipeline. The test medium was nitrogen gas, and the system being tested included piping and two pressure vessels. Numerous leaks were found in the system during the test. The system reached the required test pressure of 2225 psig at approximately 3:25 p.m., and Employee #1 observed that the pressure on the system had dropped to 2205 by approximately 3:30p.m. Employee #1 was then replaced at the test table by Employee #2. As Employee #1 walked away from the test table, the door on the PECO separator (a pressure vessel) blew off, releasing pressurized nitrogen gas that sent projectiles flying. Employee #2 was killed, and Employee #1 suffered burns and was hospitalized.

Keywords: BURN, LEAK, PRESSURE VESSEL, NITROGEN, PIPELINE, CHEMICAL BURN, PRESSURE RELEASE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Pipeline		New project or new addition		$20,000,000 and over	1	1	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	311420830			Fatality	Burn(Chemical)	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Trenching, installing pipe Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile
2	311420830			Hospitalized injury	Burn(Chemical)	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Trenching, installing pipe Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile

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