Irish Times - 29-07-05
EPA critical of caustic soda leak
Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent

Some 255 tonnes of caustic soda leaked into Cork Harbour for an hour before it was detected by staff at a pharmceutical/chemical plant.

This was even though an alarm warning of low pressure in a pipeline was heard for up to 25 minutes, the Environmental Protection Agency has discovered.

The EPA report into the spillage at the ADM plant at Ringaskiddy on the night of July 2nd and early on July 3th found deficiencies in the unloading process used by the company.

According to the report by EPA inspector Michael Owens, the spillage was caused by valves at a stripping station on the pipeline not being checked to see that they were properly closed before the caustic soda was unloaded.

Mr Owens found that pumping from a ship, Ardea, began at 11.15pm on July 2nd, but it took nearly an hour for the spillage to be noticed. Pumping from the ship was stopped at 0.15am on July 3th, by which time 255 tonnes had spilled into the sea.

Mr Owens also found that an alarm designed to warn of low pressure in the pipeline had sounded for 20-25 minutes but the two operators involved in unloading the cargo assumed it was caused by problems with the ship's pumps.

"The fact that pumping was continued for 20-25 minutes while the pressure alarm for the ADM pipeline was sounding is of extreme concern," said Mr Owens.

He said the ADM's procedure manual states that a low-pressure alarm could indicate a leak.

However, it appeared that the pressure alarm was not sufficient to detect the leak as the alarm discontinued after sounding for 20-25 minutes after pumping began even though the leak continued for a further 35-40 minutes.

"The incident was caused by the valves at the stripping station being in an open position as ship offloading was carried out," said Mr Owens.

He said the ADM operative involved said he had checked the valves at 9.15pm and they were closed.

However, Mr Owens found that ADM staff had failed to complete a checklist which should be filled in to show that all the valves had been checked and closed before starting the unloading of the caustic soda.

"The failure of the ADM operator to fill in this check sheet is of extreme concern. It is also contrary to ADM procedure for caustic soda liquor ship offloading, which requires that this is done before authorising the ship to begin discharge."

Mr Owens said the absence of a double check regarding valve closure at the stripping station was of "extreme concern". He said there was a double-check system in place to ensure the correct pipeline was connected to the ship.

It would be "preferable that an electronic-control system be in place that would prevent offloading while the stripping station valves are open".

He also noted that the operator in question had only carried out such operations two or three times.

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