Safety Flash
Fuel spray fire – Déjà vu: Prepare and prevent it from happening to you!
Fuel spray fire – Déjà vu: Prepare and prevent it from happening to you!
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 16/17
- Hot Work and FireInspection and MaintenanceMachinery and Equipment
- FireHydrocarbon releaseMechanical failure
- Inspection and maintenance
- Hose
- Emergency responseFire protectionIgnition source control
- Marine industry
- Vessel
Summary
A ruptured flexible fuel hose sprayed diesel onto a turbocharger in an offshore supply vessel’s unmanned engine room. The resulting fire caused significant damage but no injuries. The flash describes the crew’s response and USCG recommendations for machinery-space inspections, examination of heat sources and reduced use of non-metallic flexible hoses.
Classifications: Fire; fire safety.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Mechanical failure; equipment failure.
Classifications: Inspection and maintenance; asset inspection; equipment maintenance.
Classifications: Hose; flexible hose.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Fire protection; fire suppression; fire detection.
Classifications: Ignition source control; ignition prevention.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Vessel; aboard ship; onboard vessel.
Summary
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has published Marine Safety Alert 06-17 to bring attention to ‘yet another fuel spray fire’. The USCG notes that “these types of incidents, involving fuel leakages contacting hot surfaces and igniting, happen too frequently and have been a focus of various marine safety organizations such as the IMO for many years.”
IMCA SF 16/17. Themes: hot work and fire, inspection and maintenance, machinery and equipment.