Formosa Plastics Vinyl Chloride Explosion
Formosa Plastics Vinyl Chloride Explosion
Formosa Plastics USA
Illiopolis, IL
April 23, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2
2.0 DISCUSSION 2
3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 4
4.0 CONCLUSIONS 5
5.0 REFERENCES 5
EXHIBIT A PSM Checklist 6
EXHIBIT B Photos – Illustrations 8
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 23, 2004, the Formosa Plastics Corporation located in Illiopolis, Illinois, suffered a disastrous fire and explosion that resulted in 5 deaths and 3 seriously injured employees. The incident took place in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing facility which took out almost all of the reactor facility and warehouse storage of PVC resins. These resins were ignited after the initial explosion and began to produce large amounts of thick, dark smoke that began to disperse over an adjacent community. As a result, a mandatory evacuation of the community was ordered and lasted for 2 days.
It was determined that the explosion was the result of an operator draining a full, heated, pressurized PVC reactor. The operator had inadvertently opened the bottom valve on a reactor still in operation that caused a release of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a raw material used in
Formosa Plastics USA
Illiopolis, IL
April 23, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2
2.0 DISCUSSION 2
3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 4
4.0 CONCLUSIONS 5
5.0 REFERENCES 5
EXHIBIT A PSM Checklist 6
EXHIBIT B Photos – Illustrations 8
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April 23, 2004, the Formosa Plastics Corporation located in Illiopolis, Illinois, suffered a disastrous fire and explosion that resulted in 5 deaths and 3 seriously injured employees. The incident took place in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing facility which took out almost all of the reactor facility and warehouse storage of PVC resins. These resins were ignited after the initial explosion and began to produce large amounts of thick, dark smoke that began to disperse over an adjacent community. As a result, a mandatory evacuation of the community was ordered and lasted for 2 days.
It was determined that the explosion was the result of an operator draining a full, heated, pressurized PVC reactor. The operator had inadvertently opened the bottom valve on a reactor still in operation that caused a release of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a raw material used in
References: 1. U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Investigation Report Vinyl Chloride Monomer Explosion. (Report No. 2004-10-I-IL) 2. Klets, Trevor. “What Went Wrong?” 5th Ed. Case Histories of Process Plant Disasters and How They Could Have Been Avoided.