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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:  15  
  
DATE:  March 4, 1991  
  
  
*** HAZARD SUMMARY:  ***  FATALITY - HYDROGEN EXPLOSION  
  
  A worker was killed while opening a bulging 45 gallon drum of apricot  
  concentrate.  Such drums, having no pressure relief valves, seals or  
  bungs, allow a build-up of hydrogen which may cause their ends to  
  bulge.  The drum's defective liner allowed its acidic contents to  
  react with the metal drum thereby generating hydrogen gas.  A spark  
  from a hand-held air grinder used to open the drum caused the  
  hydrogen to explode.  
  
  
*** LOCATION(S) AND SECTOR(S) WHERE HAZARD MAY BE ENCOUNTERED ***  
  
  Food and beverage industries.  
  
  
*** APPLICABLE SECTION(S) OF INDUSTRIAL REGULATIONS ***  
  
  This fatality could have been prevented if Section 14 of the ACT and  
  Sections 67 and 82 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments  
  had been followed.  
  
  Clause 14 (2) (c) of the ACT states:  
  
        "... an employer shall acquaint a worker or a person in  
        authority over a worker with any hazard in the work and in the  
        handling, storage, use, disposal and transport of any article,  
        device, equipment or a biological, chemical or physical agent."  
  
  Subsection 67 (c) of the Industrial Regulations states:  
  
        "A process that is likely to produce a gas, vapour, dust or  
        fume, to such an extent as to be capable of forming an explosive  
        mixture with air shall be carried out in an area which has  
        provision for safe disposal by burning uder controlled condition  
        conditions or in an area which has no potential sources of  
        ignition."  
  
  Subsection 82 of the Industrial Regulations states:  
  
        "... where repairs or alterations are to be made ... the drum,  
        tank, pipeline or other container shall be drained and cleaned  
        or otherwise rendered free form any expolosive flammable or  
        harmful substance."  
  
  
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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.