Washington fines storage tank company for same-day explosions

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries fined a storage tank sales and servicing company $166,423 for ignoring workplace safety rules and causing two explosions at the same worksite on the same day.

Workers for Calhoun Tanks & Services were inspecting an 18,000-gallon underground propane tank in Kitsap in August when propane leaked and spread throughout a fenced area used to store above-ground tanks.

The gas and vapor eventually reached a vaporizer unit with an auto-igniter that had not been locked out. It activated, causing an explosion.

Nobody was hurt in the blast, and the company owner reportedly looked at the vaporizer unit but didn’t make any changes.

Work continued at the site, and two hours later, another gas leak occurred when workers removed the cover of the underground tank. Again, the auto-ignitor activated, causing an explosion that sent workers to the hospital.

One of the workers had burns to 30% of his body and spent more than a month in an intensive care unit. Another suffered burns to his arms and was released from the hospital on the day of the accident.

L&I cited Calhoun Tanks for knowingly disregarding confined space rules, failing to control the source of ignition when inflammable gas was present and failing to properly train its workers.

The company is appealing the citations.

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