HazardEx - Regional News

Regional News

Indian utility updates safety rules following fatal explosion 12 April 2018

On November 1, 2017, the explosion of a boiler and subsequent fire at the Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh killed 45 workers and injured many more. Following this incident, plant operator NTPC has introduced strict new regulations and training programmes to ensure a similar incident does not happen again....

UK company fined after workers suffer serious burns 12 April 2018

Two employees of BAS Castings Ltd suffered serious burns from an electrical flashover, with company shortcomings judged to be a causative factor by a court. The company, of Pinxton, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 (3) and Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. It was fined a total of £ 60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 1,354....

Russian shipyard blast kills one, injures nine 11 April 2018

One worker lost his life and nine others were injured in an explosion at the Russian Almaz shipbuilding yard on April 11, Sputnik reported, citing a statement from local authorities. According to the report, the explosion occurred inside a research ship which was undergoing repairs at the St. Petersburg-based yard....

Three injured in explosion and fire at edible oil plant in southern Spain 09 April 2018

A dust explosion at a sunflower seed silo at the Deoleo Koipe factory in Andujar, near Jaen in Southern Spain, left three workers with minor injuries including smoke inhalation and shock. Sheets of metal were sent flying through the air after the blast and it took firefighters two hours to bring the blaze under control....

Seven people injured in India steel plant explosion 06 April 2018

A blast at the SS Steel plant situated near Chanalo village at Sirhind, Punjab, injured seven workers on April 5. Four labourers including one with 20% face burn injuries were admitted to hospital and the other three discharged after first aid....

CSB releases animation of Louisiana pulp and paper mill explosion 06 April 2018

The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a new animation detailing the events of the February 8, 2017, explosion at the Packaging Corporation of America’s DeRidder, Louisiana, Pulp and Paper Mill that killed three contract workers and injured seven others. The explosion occurred during hot work activities during the facility’s annual shutdown....

UK fracking company announces major milestone 04 April 2018

On April 3, Cuadrilla Resources said it had completed drilling the UK’s first horizontal well into a shale gas formation at a site in Lancashire, as a prelude to starting hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations from the site this summer. The company said it has discovered a "very sizeable quantity" of natural gas at the Preston New Road site....

European chlor-alkali industry safety improvement trend levels off 03 April 2018

The latest figures from the Euro Chlor industry association show a levelling off in the safety performance of the chlor-alkali industry in Europe. In 2016, Lost Time Injuries (LTIs) for member company personnel increased slightly from 1.9 to 2.0 compared to 2015, whilst the LTI figure for contractor staff improved from 2.1 to 1.8....

Presentations from Arctic Safety 2018 now available 03 April 2018

Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) staged the 2018 Arctic Safety conference in Stavanger on 21-22 March. Representatives from Norwegian and foreign oil companies, government agencies and unions shared their experience of ensuring safe operations in Arctic environments. The PSA has now published presentations covering activities in Alaska, northern Canada and the far north of the Norwegian continental shelf....

Colombian Government to assess criminal responsibility for Ecopetrol oil spill 03 April 2018

On April 2, Colombia’s attorney general’s office launched an investigation to determine whether officials from state-run oil company Ecopetrol could be held criminally responsible for an oil spill of 550 barrels in Santander province. The Lisama 158 well leaked crude into a ravine over a three-week period, contaminating the water and affecting animal and plant life....