
In its latest Safety Flashes, IMCA presents a case of a fire due to incorrectly selected oxygen welding gas hose, during a routine cutting job onboard a ship. There were no injuries or ship damage, but investigation later revealed that the hose had been recently replaced with one that did not comply with ISO 14113 specification.
The incident
The ship’s welder opened the Oxygen and Acetylene gas bottle valves in order to do a cutting job on deck. These gas bottles were attached to the vessel’s integrated welding gas system. Opening the valve on the Oxygen bottle caused an explosion to a short, high pressure hose delivering oxygen from the bottle to the oxygen gas regulator. The end of the hose caught fire and was quickly extinguished by turning off the oxygen bottle. Nobody was injured and the only damage was to the hose that completely separated.
Findings
The hose had been recently replaced, but the replacement hose was a hydraulic oil service hose with oxygen fittings. The replacement hose was not Continue reading “Incorrect oxygen welding gas hose led to fire”