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The Wisconsin Boiler Inspector’s Association (WBIA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety in all sectors of the population and has been doing so for over thirty-five years. Our membership is made up of State of Wisconsin Boiler Inspectors, City of Milwaukee Boiler Inspectors, Insurance Company Boiler Inspectors, Boiler & Pressure Vessel Manufacturer’s, Boiler Repair Companies, Safety Valve Manufacturer’s & Manufacturer’s Representatives, Boiler Operators/Owners and others concerned about the safe and efficient operation of boilers and pressure vessels - People just like you interested in their personal well-being and that of their children, grandchildren, co-workers and neighbors.
Lawsuit Filed for Appleton Medical Center Boiler Explosion
A lawsuit was filed Tuesday on behalf of one of the victims of last October's boiler explosion at Appleton Medical Center.
The suit is against Cincinnati Insurance Company and Burcon Services of Green Bay, the company performing service on the boiler at the time of the incident.
AMC says a valve was being replaced when the explosion happened.
The attorneys for Daniel Quaintance say their client was struck in the head by a part of the exploding boiler, causing severe injuries to his head, brain, and facial bones.
Damages are being sought for medical bills, lost income, and future damages.
The defendants have 45 days to respond to the suit once they're formerly served.
Updated: Jan 26, 2010 6:19 PM CST
Original Story, October 2, 2009
Two hurt in hospital boiler explosion
An explosion in the boiler room at Fox Valley hospital injured two men, one critically. It happened at Appleton Medical Center just before three o'clock Friday afternoon.
What started as a routine valve repair on the boiler at Appleton Medical Center hurt two men: a hospital employee who was flown to Theda Clark in Neenah, and a contractor who was treated at AMC. The normal operations of the hospital were not impacted.
"There was no need for an evacuation," said Lt. Pat Matuszewski of the Appleton Police Department. "No patients were involved in this at all. It was very isolated, just down to the boiler itself."
The Appleton Fire Department says there was an issue with the boiler at Appleton Medical Center, and two men were working on repairing it. When they went to re-light the boiler, it exploded.
"There was a portion of the boiler which did separate from the boiler unit itself, striking one of the individuals that were working on it," said Matuszewski.
The Appleton Police Department says the hospital employee who was seriously hurt, suffered injuries to his face. The contracted employee is expected to be ok.
Appleton Medical Center says it contacted OSHA. An investigator was on scene Friday afternoon.
The hospital says the boiler is about three years old, and a routine inspection last Spring did not show problems.
Published : Friday, 02 Oct 2009, 4:21 PM CDT
Lawsuit settled over deadly Miss. paper mill blast
JACKSON, Miss.
Two brothers injured in a deadly explosion at an International Paper Co. mill in Mississippi have agreed to settle their federal lawsuit.
David and Darren Clark of Mooresville, N.C., agreed to the settlement in a joint motion filed Wednesday with International Paper. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Clark brothers were injured when a 12-story recovery boiler blew up as workers tried to restart it after annual maintenance at the Redwood plant on May 3, 2008. One man was killed and nearly two dozen others were hurt.
The boiler didn't have adequate steam, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA fined International Paper $77,000 for two alleged violations.
The Clark brothers, both in their late 20s, said they were burned on their faces and hands, suffered some hearing loss and were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, among other things.
They sued in U.S. District Court in Mississippi on Jan. 26, 2009. The lawsuit claimed International Paper recklessly ignited the boiler when it was filled with combustible gas.
One of the Clarks' lawyers, Ryan Zehl of Houston, Texas, said Thursday that the "terms of the settlement are confidential."
"I can say I think IP did the right thing by settling," Zehl said. "The Clarks will now be able to attempt to resume their lives, and the result was, I think, mutually satisfactory to both parties."
In separate filings Wednesday, each brother said "his claim against International Paper is doubtful, disputed and can not be readily collected, and that the proposed compromise settlement would be in his best interest."
The agreement would also release their former employer, Cumming, Ga.-based RMR Mechanical Inc., and its insurer, Zurich American Insurance Co., from liability under the Mississippi workers' compensation laws. Zurich American is a subsidiary of Swiss insurance giant Zurich Financial Services.
Zehl said the settlement will help the Clark brothers recover from financial and emotional hardships they have faced since the explosion. They were deeply disturbed by the blast and plan to look for a different line of work, he said. "They don't have any intention of returning to an industrial setting."
International Paper spokeswoman Amy Sawyer said six cases related to the explosion have been settled. Two are still pending in federal court and two are pending in state court.
By HOLBROOK MOHR
The Associated Press
January 28, 2010, 5:28PM ET
Chairman Bresland's Urges States to Adopt the ASME Pressure Vessel Code
Washington, DC, November 12, 2009 - CSB Chairman John Bresland released a new video safety message today asking jurisdictions across the country to adopt the ASME Pressure Vessel Code to reduce the number of accidents involving catastrophic pressure vessel failures in process industries.
The safety message can be viewed on CSB.gov and on the CSB’s safety message channel, www.youtube.com/safetymessages, and the text can be also read on http://safetymessages.blogspot.com, an agency blog site.
In the safety message, Chairman Bresland warned that without appropriate safeguards, pressure vessels can pose lethal dangers. Chairman Bresland said, “Pressure vessels store tremendous amounts of energy and you should never become complacent about the risks.”
Particular danger exists when vessels are improperly installed, welded, or modified, or when they lack effective pressure relief systems. Mr. Bresland refers to several incidents investigated by the CSB including an explosion at a Louisiana natural gas well that killed four workers when a tank rated only for atmospheric pressure was exposed to gas pressure up to 800 pounds per square inch.
In April 2003, an 8-foot tank used to heat sugar caramel exploded when the vent line became blocked, killing an overnight operator, releasing large amounts of ammonia, and forcing a community evacuation. The vessel had no pressure-relief system.
Additionally, in 2004 a pressure vessel weighing 50,000-pounds exploded at a chemical plant in Houston, Texas, throwing heavy fragments into the community, which damaged a church and businesses. The CSB found that the company improperly modified and welded the vessel.
Chairman Bresland stated that these accidents can be avoided if states implement long-established codes for safe use. He said, “There are only eleven states that do not require companies to follow the Pressure Vessel Code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). I ask all jurisdictions to adopt the Pressure Vessel Code and related boiler standards. Lives will be saved as a result.”
The ASME Code provides the fundamental safeguards for pressure vessels, including design, welding procedures and fabrication, testing, and pressure relief. In 2006, the CSB called upon the City of Houston to adopt the Code to protect residents and industrial facilities from these incidents. However, Houston has failed to implement this recommendation despite reoccurring pressure vessel failures such as a summer of 2008 heat exchanger explosion in a resin-production facility that killed a veteran supervisor.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.
For more information, contact Daniel Horowitz at (202) 261-7613 or Hillary Cohen at (202) 261-3601.
