Improper Chemical Storage Causes Company Large Fines

In Sydney, Australia an explosion caused a company to be fined almost a quarter million dollars. Unfortunately, the incident could’ve been easily mitigated. The explosion was caused by an excavator puncturing some propane tanks. The tanks exploded and caused a building to be destroyed as well as surrounding property and several windows nearby. The contractor that was hired to remove the tanks was not licensed, and although he operated with common sense about the removal of the tanks there were certain aspects of handling them he did not consider. The tanks were flushed with water after a hole was cut, and the same hole was used to drag the containers out of the building. The residual propane ignited in the final third tank and exploded all the flammable chemicals that remained in the air and other two tanks nearby. It’s important to note that any handling of highly explosive chemicals should be left to professionals, and although the contractor attempted to remove the majority of the propane the small amount that was left was enough to destroy a building and damage a large majority of property nearby. The company paid the fine due to the violation of the Work Health and Safety Act of 2011. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. The company didn’t take enough precaution in ensuring that the contractor knew what he was doing, and that negligence nearly took the life of several people and caused them $240,000 dollars in fines.

 

How to Handle Chemical Storage and Avoid Fines

It’s best to leave any sort of storage of hazardous chemicals in the capable of hands of professionals, rather than relying on someone assuring you “it’ll be fine.” As explained in the story above, precautions taken in common sense are not enough when dealing in these matters. At HAZMAT rentals we offer service that ensures your company rest easy and avoid fines. Our consultants do the work of figuring out what kind of storage you will need based on the actions you need to perform, the chemicals that need to be stored, and the company’s regulations with all applicable standards and safety regulations. We take the hassle out of some of the most difficult aspects of owning a company, and we do it with convenience, speed, and ease. Call in today for information about getting a HAZMAT rental, and we’ll give you a free consultation from one our professionals.