Designed to Fail: Chemical Release at LyondellBasell

We gather again for the semi annual USCSB subscriber conference

“Secretary cancel my next meeting, something came up”

The evolution of USCSB YouTube videos over the past 17 years is like watching the evolution of computer graphics

Wow... Shocking to read of this. I was the operating engineer in that plant up into the late 90's when it was Quantum Chemical and before Lyondell bought it. I have had my hand on that valve. It was a zirconium cast valve and the whole time I was there, we did everything imaginable to NOT touch that one or the one next to it also zirconium. They are right, the plug valves used are a quite old and standard design, although cast of a new and amazing material. As the video played out, I saw the animated guy reach behind the actuator assembly. They got it right that there are studs holding that plug cover plate to the valve body. Those should have never been touched. I have seen that actuator removed in a previous plant outage. It has been sticking to that shaft every time. It has corrosion on the shaft from a tiny amount of leakage through the top shaft seal for years. But all would have been fine had they not touched those 6 stud bolts holding that cap down. For the undergrad below that is trying to learn what these valves (and really most all common valves in use) Try to find a Crane valve book from ancient times.... about the year I was born. Ebay has been my source. I have 4 excellent copies of the 1953 version on my shelf at the moment and one 1960 version. I have given away 7 or 8 of these to some very worthy engineers in the years to guys I thought would use them. Had these guys had one, there are cutaway photos of these and almost all common valves you will come across. Mine are not for sale, as I have at least 2 earmarked for a couple of really good engineers that need them. But the USCSB is right, these valves could be made to be less likely to be opened by accident here. Yes, dying from the reactor contents here would be a particularly bad way to go. Vile stuff in that reactor, along with a LOT of dissolved carbon monoxide in pure form.

The duality of man. A new USCSB video dropped: 😄 A new USCSB video dropped: 😞

I unironically cant wait to learn more about workplace industrial safety

I am a firefighter and these videos are what played a key role in encouraging me to be a firefighter. So many tragedies that are oh so preventable. CSB you do a great job! Keep up the good work and continue to keep workers safe.

There's something about this narrator's voice that just LOCKS IN my attention every time. Outstanding video. Condolences to the workers and their families

"How AMERICAN do you want your CG intro bro?"

Babe wake up! The USCSB just uploaded!

Acetic acid, what makes vinegar. We use 5% for food, canning, and cleaning. It smells and tastes bad enough. I can’t imagine being doused in 100% strength of this stuff.

Very touching tribute to the victims at the end. It was a painful reminder that this wasn't just some unintended industrial process error. These were people, human beings like you or I who, we must accept, would in all likelihood still be with us were it not for a culture of being comfortable with unassessed risk. Requiescat in pace. The CSB's total, unwaivering commitment to ascertaining the true root causes of significant industrial accidents, and to providing industry experts and leaders with recommendations to try to avoid a similar situation from occurring ever again, are both superlatively laudable qualities. It is an example of our government working very well, and I am pleased to support the endeavors of the USCSB as a taxpaying citizen of the United States. Thank you for this video, although I regret the circumstances of its existence.

I can't count how many times I've heard "it's just vinegar, it's never killed anyone" from people working with concentrated acetic acid. Even I'm guilty of being a little complacent around acetic acid compared to other reagents. Thank you, USCSB, for bringing awareness to less "fiery" but still potentially lethal hazards.

Thank you, USCSB

What makes this even more tragic is the acutator was being removed to allow for valve lockout. These workers were killed/injured performing a job that was intended to make another job safer. The risk assessment of repairing the leak was properly done, but the risk assesment of the task needed to complete the required work for that leak repair was lacking. The same as an electrician getting blown up by an arc flash while racking out a disconnect to de-energize something for repair.

The USCSB has done the impossible; make safety videos that we truly WANT to watch!

I love how this channel started as a basic overview of incidents and accidents for companies to review and make sure it doesn’t repeat. To “this is very interesting, everything is well detailed and the animation is satisfying to watch”.

It’s wild that I’ve been watching this channel for over a decade, since I was in college. And I still watch every update. To this day, I point out when propane tanks are too close to a building

One of the workers explained his reasoning for removing the pressure-retaining nuts. He told the CSB they had to remove the interior fasteners because “…it’s all connected. As [the actuator] sits up there, it’s all connected to one another.” This worker did not seem to understand that the interior fasteners were pressure-retaining and should not have been removed.

The sheer amount of effort that goes into designing and animating these videos is phenomenal. Every nut, bolt, girder and pipe has to be designed and placed correctly... and then there's the textures, lighting and camera angles. Whoever is funding these videos has deep pockets! I love it! 🤩