Information Notice 2001-04, Neglected Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Causes Fatality

From kanterella
(Redirected from ML010670234)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Neglected Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Causes Fatality
ML010670234
Person / Time
Issue date: 04/11/2001
From: Marsh L
Operational Experience and Non-Power Reactors Branch
To:
Petrone C
References
IN-01-004
Download: ML010670234 (5)


UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 April 11, 2001 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2001-04: NEGLECTED FIRE EXTINGUISHER MAINTENANCE

CAUSES FATALITY

Addressees

All holders of licenses for nuclear power, research, and test reactors and fuel cycle facilities.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alert

addressees to the danger of corrosion to fire extinguishers. It is expected that recipients will

review the information for applicability and consider actions, as appropriate, to ensure safety at

their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not NRC

requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On August 25, 2000, at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, an employee who was trying to

extinguish a small fire activated a fire extinguisher, which in-turn exploded, killing the employee.

The cause of the explosion was corrosion under a rubber or plastic base protecting the bottom

of the extinguisher. This base had trapped moisture next to the shell of the extinguisher

accelerating corrosion. The corrosion was hidden by the flange and went unnoticed during

inspections. The extinguisher was manufactured in 1987 by Ansul, Belgium, which is not

affiliated with Ansul Incorporated, USA.

Following the incident, a number of other extinguishers were checked and other cases of

serious corrosion were found. The vendor had conducted maintenance for the first few years

after purchase of the extinguishers, but another contractor had been doing the periodic

maintenance for the last nine years. The vendor has distributed a warning to owners of these

extinguishers saying the annual inspection must include a visual inspection of the extinguishers

with the base removed.

A warning was issued on this incident by the Government Industry Data Exchange Program, Agency Action Notice ANN-U-01-02 on October 5, 2000. This notice includes pictures of a

corroded cylinder and is posted at the following Web site:

http://www.msha.gov/ALERTS/equipment/ansuldrychem.pdf

Discussion

The NRC endorses the use of the National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) Standard for

Portable Fire Extinguishers, NFPA 10. The standard provides guidance for the selection, installation, design, inspection, and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers. A general

requirement is that extinguishers installed in an environment where they may be subjected to

physical damage or degradation should be adequately protected. This includes wet areas

which are conducive to corrosion (cooling towers, intake pumping stations, utility vehicles, etc.).

During monthly inspections, visual examination of extinguishers should check for obvious

physical damage, such as corrosion, leakage, and denting. If damage is detected, the

extinguisher should be removed from service and given applicable maintenance. NFPA 10

requires fire extinguisher maintenance to be conducted at least annually and some

extinguishers get an internal as well as an external examination. In addition to annual

maintenance, hydrostatic testing is required every 5 to 12 years, depending on the type of

extinguisher. Extinguishers that fail to pass visual examination or hydrostatic tests are marked

CONDEMNED and should never be reused. It should also be noted that fire extinguishers are

pressure vessels and some facilities elect to use a fire equipment servicing contractor to

maintain and recharge their fire extinguishers.

Conclusion

Fire extinguishers are often the first line of defense in fire suppression, and should be readily

available to suppress a fire in its incipient stages. Fire extinguishers should not constitute a

hazard to the personnel and property they are designed to protect. Proper installation, inspection, and maintenance by qualified personnel should ensure fire extinguishers have a

long service life.

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts

listed below or your facilitys project manager.

/RA/ /RA/

Ledyard B. Marsh, Chief Michael F. Weber, Director

Events Assessment, Generic Communications Division of Fuel Cycle Safety

and Non-Power Reactors Branch and Safeguards

Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Naeem Iqbal, NRR Peter Lee, NMSS

301-415-3346 301-415-8111 E-mail: nxi@nrc.gov E-mail: psl1@nrc.gov

Paul Lain, NRR Charles Petrone, NRR

301-415-2346 301-415-1027 E-mail: pwl@nrc.gov E-mail: cdp@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

ML010670234 OFFICE SPLB TECH EDITOR SPLB SPLB C:SPLB/DSSA

NAME PLain PKleene* NIqbal* EWeiss* JHannon*

DATE / /2001 03/05/2001 03/09/2001 03/09/2001 03/12/2001 NMSS NMSS NMSS NMSS REXB REXB C:REXB

PLee* LRoche* PTing* MWeber* CPetrone JTappert LMarsh

03/19/2001 03/19/2001 03/20/2001 03/22/2001 / /2001 / /2001 / /2001

Attachment 1 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

______________________________________________________________________________________

2001-03 Incident Reporting 04/06/01 All industrial radiography

Requirements for Radiography licensees

Licensees

2001-02 Summary of Fitness-for-Duty 03/28/01 All holders of operating licenses

Program Performance Reports for nuclear power reactors, and

for Calendar Years 1998 and licensees authorized to possess

1999 or use formula quantities of

strategic special nuclear material

(SSNM) or to transport formula

quantities of SSNM

2001-01 The Importance of Accurate 03/26/01 All material licensees

Inventory Controls to Prevent

the Unauthorized Possession

of Radioactive Material

2000-17, Crack in Weld Area of Reactor 02/28/01 All holders of operating licenses

Supp. 2 Coolant System Hot Leg Piping for nuclear power reactors except

at V.C. Summer those who has ceased operations

and have certified that fuel has

permanently removed from

reactor vessel

2000-22 Medical Misadministrations 12/18/00 All medical use licensees

Caused by Human Errors authorized to conduct gamma

Involving Gamma Stereotactic stereotactic radiosurgery

Radiosurgery (GAMMA KNIFE) treatments

2000-21 Detached Check Valve Disc 12/15/00 All holders of OLs for nuclear

not Detected by Use of power reactors except those who

Acoustic and Magnetic have ceased operations and have

Nonintrusive Test Techniques certified that fuel has been

permanently removed from the

reactor

2000-20 Potential Loss of Redundant 12/11/2000 All holders of operating licenses

Safety Related Equipment Due or construction permits for

to Lack of a High-Energy Line nuclear power reactors

Break Barrier

______________________________________________________________________________________

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

Attachment 2 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2001-03 Incident Reporting 04/06/01 All industrial radiography

Requirements for Radiography licensees

Licensees

2001-01 The Importance of Accurate 03/26/01 All material licensees.

Inventory Controls to Prevent

the Unauthorized Possession

of Radioactive Material

2000-22 Medical Misadministrations 12/18/00 All medical use licensees

Caused by Human Errors authorized to conduct gamma

Involving Gamma Stereotactic stereotactic radiosurgery

Radiosurgery (GAMMA KNIFE) treatments.

2000-19 Implementation of Human Use 12/05/2000 All medical use licensees.

Research Protocols Involving

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission Regulated

Materials

2000-18 Substandard Material Supplied 11/29/2000 All 10 CFR Part 50 licensees and

by Chicago Bullet Proof applicants.

Systems All category 1 fuel facilities.

All 10 CFR Part 72 licensees and

applicants.

2000-16 Potential Hazards Due to 10/5/2000 All licensees that process

Volatilization of Radionuclides unsealed byproduct material.

2000-15 Recent Events Resulting in 9/29/2000 All radiography licensees.

Whole Body Exposures

Exceeding Regulatory Limits

2000-12 Potential Degradation of 9/21/2000 All holders of licenses for nuclear

Firefighter Primary Protective power, research, and test

Garments reactors and fuel cycle facilities.

2000-11 Licensee Responsibility for 8/7/2000 All U.S. NRC 10 CFR Part 50 and

Quality Assurance Oversight of Part 72 licensees, and Part 72 Contractor Activities Regarding Certificate of Compliance holders.

Fabrication and Use of Spent

Fuel Storage Cask Systems