29th September 2019

Safety Other Industry Alert

Cement industry Near Chittorgarh

Date of Incident :29.09.2019 at 8:15 PM

Multiple Burn Injuries

Place of Incident: Coal Hopper Rotary valve floor at 36.6 Meter elevation

What Happened?

Pulverized Coal Hopper bin was chocked, and plant was stopped since morning, two crew
comprising of 9 contract employees and 6 company employees were engaged for clearing the
Bin hopper chocking and standing on the rotary valve floor. PTW was taken. Coal Bin Slide gate
was closed, and hammering was done at the piece between slide gate and Rotary valve to
remove chocking. That time Pulverized coal inside the Bin was approximate 3 tons and
temperature around 98 degree centigrade. To check again the condition of chocking, crew
loosened the bolt of piece between slide gate and rotary valve and opened the slide gate.
Due to sudden release of hot coal fines from the distance piece loosened bolt portion, hot coal
fines cloud formation happened nearby area where all the 15 employees were present. They
came in contact with hot fines cloud and got burn injury and inhaled fine coal dust, immediately
all 14 IP shifted to Chittorgarh hospital from where they got referred to Udaipur and then to
Apollo Hospital Ahmadabad and still under treatment.

Photograph:

Probable causes and learning for us

1. Temperature of hot coal fines increased inside the hopper due to self-ignition. (During normal plan
running it remains 75 degree centigrade)
2. All bolts made loosened of distance piece between slide gate and rotary valve and opening of slide gate.
3. No provision for fire suppression or controlling the self-ignition temperature increase in the coal hopper.
4. Risk of sudden release of hot fine dust not assessed by the team.
5. No usage of respiratory or working in hot area PPE, s were used by the team.
6. Explore the possibility of nitrogen blanketing in the coal bin Hopper
7. Revisit the PHA of coal handling circuits and ensure the closure of all pending recommendations