More research into the hazards of unanticipated reactions could help avoid accidents such as the March 2001 explosion that claimed three lives at Augusta's BP Amoco Polymers plant, according to a federal review board.
In an hour-long briefing Tuesday before the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, investigator Stephen Selk and other engineers who analyzed the explosion shared their findings.
George Sanders, 42; John Rowland, 35; and Heinrich Kohl, 25, died in the explosion that occurred when they were shutting down the Amodel unit at the BP plant, now known as Solvay Advanced Polymers.
The Amodel unit, used in the manufacture of a heat-resistant plastic, included a pressurized tank used to collect and store polymer waste. That tank exploded as workers were removing bolts to clean and repair it, Mr. Selk said.
The chemical safety board was created by Congress to investigate accidents and identify root causes in hopes of preventing future accidents. Unlike regulatory agencies that perform similar investigations, it does not affix blame or levy fines.
Last year, the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration concluded the accident could have been avoided with better training and a thorough follow-up to earlier problems with the tank that exploded.
OSHA proposed fines totaling $141,000, and BP settled late last year for $119,000. A lawsuit filed by the victims' families against the makers of the waste tank and its pressure gauge and the designer of the Amodel unit remains pending.
Reach Robert Pavey at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 119, or rpavey@augustachronicle.com.
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