Dipping, Coating & Cleaning Operations

Case Study: A large explosion and fire occurred at the Barton Solvents facility in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 29, 2007. The company packages, stores, and delivers solvents and other chemical products, many of which are widely used in the paint and coatings industry. An unidentified source ignited the ethyl acetate solvent being loaded into a 330-gallon square tank, called a tote. The operator who was filling the tote turned away momentarily when he heard what was described as a popping sound, which witnesses believe was a pressure relief device. A fireball then erupted from the tote. Pressure from the eruption knocked the filling nozzle out of the tank, spraying ethyl acetate into the room and onto the operator. His clothing ignited, but he quickly removed the ignited clothing and escaped serious injury. Another operator tried to use a hand-held extinguisher to battle the blaze, but it emptied before the fire could be extinguished. The second operator then shut off all power to the area and the plant was successfully evacuated. The flames spread quickly and eventually consumed and destroyed a large portion of the facility. Investigators believe that static electricity may have been the ignition source.

Key Takeaway: To reduce the risks associated with managing chemicals for industrial coating, it is important to ensure that any portable container used to add liquid to a tank is electrically bonded to the dip tank and positively grounded to prevent static electrical sparks or arcs.