Investigation Report
DuPont La Porte Facility Toxic Chemical Release
DuPont La Porte Facility Toxic Chemical Release
- CSB
- Investigation Report
- Hazardous Substances
- Hazardous substancesLeadership and safety cultureLoss of containmentProcess safetySafety-performance measurement
- Inspection and maintenance
- Breathing apparatusGas detectorProcess pipework and pipelinesPumpsValve
- Emergency responseAtmospheric gas testingIndependent audit and verificationManagement of change
- Downstream and process industries
- Onshore facility
Summary
Investigation of a fatal methyl mercaptan release at DuPont’s La Porte insecticide unit. Four workers died inside the manufacturing building. The report examines hydrate-blocked pipework, drain valves, inadequate safeguards, alarm communication and emergency response, alongside management of change, audit effectiveness, process safety culture and misleading reliance on occupational injury metrics.
Classifications: Hazardous substances; hazardous chemicals; chemical exposure.
Classifications: Leadership and safety culture; safety culture; safety leadership.
Classifications: Loss of containment; containment loss.
Classifications: Process safety; major accident hazards.
Classifications: Safety-performance measurement.
Classifications: Inspection and maintenance; asset inspection; equipment maintenance.
Classifications: Breathing apparatus; SCBA; self-contained breathing apparatus.
Classifications: Gas detector; gas monitor; gas detection instrument.
Classifications: Process pipework and pipelines; process piping.
Classifications: Pumps.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Atmospheric gas testing; gas testing; atmosphere testing.
Classifications: Independent audit and verification.
Classifications: Management of change; MOC; change management.
Classifications: Downstream and process industries; refining; petrochemicals.
Classifications: Onshore facility; onshore plant.
Themes: hazardous substances.