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*                          INFORMATION ALERT                        *  
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*  Produced by:  Ontario Ministry of Labour                         *  
*  Provided by:  Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety *  
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INFO ALERT:  17  
  
DATE:  March 4, 1991  
  
  
*** HAZARD SUMMARY:  ***  FATALITY - LANDFILL SITE - METHANE EXPLOSION  
  
  One worker died and two were seriously injured following an explosion  
  at a landfill site weigh scale station.  The station was housed in a  
  two-year-old brick building.  The ventilations system was made  
  inoperative for more than two hours.  Due to the lack of ventilation,  
  methane gas began to build up.  When power was restored, a spark from  
  the electrical system ignited the methane gas.  The electrical system  
  was not of the explosion-proof type.  The resulting explosion caused  
  major portions of the building to collapse.  
  
  
*** LOCATION(S) AND SECTOR(S) WHERE HAZARD MAY BE ENCOUNTERED ***  
  
  Landfill sites.  
  
  
*** SUGGESTED PRECAUTIONS AND  
    APPLICABLE SECTION(S) OF INDUSTRIAL REGULATIONS ***  
  
  These injuries could have been prevented had drawings been submitted  
  for review to a Ministry of Labour engineer as required by subsection  
  18(3) (a) of the ACT which states:  
  
        "Where so prescribed, an owner or employer shall,  
  
        (a)  not begin any construction ... to or in a work place until  
             the drawings, layout and specifications thereof and any  
             alterations thereto have been filed .. for review by an  
             engineer of the Ministry for compliance with this ACT and  
             the regulations ..."  
  
  Section 44 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments states:  
  
        "Electrical equipment ... shall be suitable for its use and  
        certified by the Ontario Hydro Electrical Inspection Department.  
  
  Sections 67 (b) (c) and (d) of the Regulations for Industrial  
  Establishments state:  
  
        "A process that is likely to produce a gas ... shall be carried  
        out in an area which has provision for safe disposal and,  
  
        (b)  has a system of ventilation adequate to ensure that the  
             gas ... does not reach a hazardous concentrations;  
        (c)  has no potential sources of ignition;  and  
        (d)  has provision for explosion venting."  
  
  
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NOTE:  "Information Alert" is produced by the Industrial Health and  
       Safety Branch, Ministry of Labour.  The goal of this publication  
       is to communicate hazard information as soon as it becomes  
       available to prevent serious injury to workers.  Reproduction  
       and use of these alerts is encouraged.