A lack of qualified contract workers, inadequate training and supervision, and contractors exceeding the timing of a work permit were among factors leading to the Feb. 1 fire at the Martinez Refinery Company, according to a consultant’s draft report.
Part of the problem with the permitting timeline was reportedly with small font on work permits that made them difficult to read, the report said. Consultant JEM Advisors will present the report to Contra Costa Health’s (CCH) Martinez Refining Company Oversight Committee at its Tuesday meeting. The Feb. 1 fire sent flames and enough black smoke into the air for the county to order nearby residents to shelter in place for more than four hours. Six workers were injured, though none seriously. The fire, caused by a hydrocarbon leak during “turnaround” maintenance, burned for three days. A turnaround is a planned, periodic shutdown of a refinery, or part of it, for maintenance, upgrades, and repairs. The Martinez refinery, which is owned by PBF Energy, has said 170 barrels — 7,140 gallons — of hydrocarbon materials were released during the fire, most of which they said were consumed by the flames. Contra Costa Health has said chemicals and combustion byproducts from the fire included those that cause cancer, heart and lung disease, though most of the smoke was blown northeast, away from downtown and most residential areas.
The report says at 1:35 p.m. on Feb. 1, two contract workers began opening a flange to install an isolation blind to prepare for planned maintenance on one of the process units, which was shut down. A flange is a protruded ridge in piping systems allowing easier access for maintenance, providing a means to connect or disconnect pipes without welding. During the process, the workers mistakenly opened the wrong flange, causing fuel to leak. The workers immediately evacuated the area, and the hydrocarbon material ignited within a minute of the initial release. The report said loosened bolts indicated the workers started work on the correct flange but then moved to work on the incorrect one.
The report recommends many “permanent corrective actions,” including increased operator presence during contractor maintenance work and reviewing employment agreements to ensure workers understand the risks. It also recommends providing “appropriate consequences” for poor performance and work excellence and the same level of oversight for contract workers as other workers. The report can be found at https://bit.ly/3Hiwbcx. The oversight committee meets from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday on Zoom, at https://bit.ly/4kF8gSS. Go to ttps://www.cchealth.org for more information.
Refinery work is dangerous and requires proper training for any person working in any position.
I worked as a contractor at the Chevron refinery in Richmond years ago putting in a slurry wall. We had to go through an hour long training course before we even started work.
Refinery work is serious business.
Agree, worked refinery field construction at Chevron for an outside
contractor in mid 1970s. Even back then SJPs (safe job procedures)
were standard on jobs. A Chevron employee oversaw crew, explained
job and oversaw all work. Report mentions piping and valves were
insulated and that insulation had been removed on flanges where
blinds and new gaskets were to be placed. Valve flange on live side
of valves still had insulation on them. A clear indicator which side
work was to be performed. Working on wrong side of valve falls
a under a serious WTF.
.
Was taught bolts at bottom of flanges were to be partially loosened
FIRST and only a small amount as check for pressure. Leakage
meant line was live and you stood a chance of tightening it back up.
Remains to be seen IF outside contractor will be held partially
responsible for incident.
.
That incident happened, to me, signifies a lack of understanding
of what job entailed. In refinery maintenance, during a job
understanding which side of a valve has pressure is crucial for
survival. During summer working at Chevron was not uncommon
for outside contractor employees not up to Chevron standards to be
banned from the refinery.
.
Draft report is only 21 pages long, includes diagram, explains
what should have been done and what actually happened.
It’s worth a read.
https://tinyurl.com/ypycwz6y
They are blaming the ‘small font’ for exceeding the timing of a work permit? Sounds like some eye exams are in order as well. Amateur hour operations at the expense of the safety of the community and the workers.
Why is it so difficult to reach anyone at this Refinery???? If I call for example, PGE – I am prompted with an Emergency option where I can talk to someone. This Refinery……Nothing.
You get what you pay for. Obviously, safety and maintaining the operational and production capacity of the facility is less important than squeezing out every single penny for more profits.