The Day I Got a Second Chance

This presentation recounts a major process safety accident that occurred in 1989. The accident released a large volume of hot flammable liquid hydrocarbons from an 8” diameter pipe that experienced a guillotine type failure. Miraculously the flammable gas cloud generated by the release failed to ignite. The events leading up to the accident are examined and the lessons learned on both a professional and personal level are discussed.