CSB—poor design and safety documentation in Chevron

摘要

The Chemical safety board (CSB) has issued a draft report (1801) on the 2012 fire at a Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. The fire occurred when corroded piping in a crude oil processing unit ruptured causing a hydrocarbon release and a vapor cloud that ignited. Nineteen workers narrowly escaped death or serious injury as they were engulfed in the vapor cloud. The interim report found that Chevron had missed opportunities to apply inherently safer design and failed to identify and evaluate hazards. The CSB team recommends that Chevron should perform damage mechanism hazard reviews and ensure that safeguards are in place to control identified hazards. The CSB also recommends the reporting of process safety KPIs to improve oversight by regulatory agencies.