Summary
On October 26, 2019, an Aghorn employee responded to a pump oil level alarm at Aghorn’s Foster D waterflood station in Odessa, Texas. In response to the alarm, the employee worked to isolate the pump from the process by closing the pump’s discharge valve and partially closing the pump’s suction valve. The employee did not first perform Lockout / Tagout and at some point on the night of the incident, the pump automatically turned on. Water containing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a toxic gas, was released from the pump and the employee was fatally injured from his exposure. / Subsequently, when the employee did not return home, their spouse gained access to the waterflood station. During her search efforts, she also was exposed to the H2S and was fatally injured.
Key Learnings / Issues
- Nonuse of Personal H2S Detector.
- Nonperformance of Lockout / Tagout.
- Confinement of H2S Inside Pump House.
- Nonfunctioning H2S Detection and Alarm System.
- Lack of a Safety Management Program.
Quote
“Birds are, especially canaries, are super sensitive to hydrogen sulfide and sour gas.”
David Suzuki/ (A canary in the coal mine)