HYDROCARBON GAS CONTENT RECOGNIZED RESPONSIBLE FOR A FATAL EXPLOSION IN AUSTRALIA

Investigation of a fatal explosion that took place in 2014 in an Australian hotel and caused the death of two maintenance workers concluded that the hydrocarbon content of a refrigeration unit had been the cause of the explosion.

The workers were removing a refrigeration unit in the hotel cellar but the refrigerant had not be removed, which was inappropriate, and a spark or a lighter in the confined space of the cellar could have triggered the explosion.

Although strict standards and procedures exist in Australia regarding the use of flammable refrigerants, no licence is required for workers handling these, contrary to handling fluorocarbon where a licence is required.

Source : Cooling Post