Documents
Documents
(OP)
What kind of documents and evidence are required for investigation of in-service vessel failure?
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RE: Documents
For an in-service vessel failure (where you have no personnel injuries) the documents for review would be shift logs related to operating history, maintenance records and information on the construction of the vessel. What was the code of construction for this in-service vessel? How were repairs performed?
Evidence is investigated by actual hands-on evaluation of the failed vessel or applicable sections of the vessel in the as-failed condition. Normally, a team of cross-functional experts is assembled to conduct a proper root cause analysis investigation. The team usually consists of operating, maintenance, pressure vessel engineering and material/metallurgical engineering expertise to evaluate all forensic evidence to establish one or more root causes.
RE: Documents
What criteria need to be taken into account to approach the cause of failure?
RE: Documents
Is your failed vessel located in a region where boilers and pressure vessels are subject to regulation? If so, because of injuries sustained from the vessel failure you need to contact the authorities that regulate pressure vessels in your jurisdiction.
If there is no regulatory body for pressure vessels, I would contact the insurer of the vessel. Do you know the insurance carrier? Most boiler/machinery insurance providers have access to providing expertise for forensic services.
The main thing is to not disturb the vessel failure until proper authorities can investigate or your insurance company sends out investigators.
RE: Documents
Don't allow anything to touch the failure surfaces.
Interview the operators as soon as possible. This helps keeping them from forming a group opinion.
Isolate any records of operational conditions for the vessel, especially 96 hrs prior to the incident. This needs to be longer if there were operational problems. If you have shift logs these need to be copied or isolated now.
If there is any possibility of litigation get a metallurgical forensic group involved if at all possible as soon as possible. You will need their help as there always seems to be a parallel universe surrounding every catastrophic failure.
RE: Documents
Photograph, Photograph, Photograph! Include date and times of photos and photographer.
Obtain all repair/maintenance data.
Research all test/inspection data on the vessel. Establish dates of inspections.
Research all original design criteria. Research any change in process during original operation until failure.
Assuming there will be a plaintiff, the plaintiff's attorney will be entitled to everthing you have during the Discovery process, assuming in USA or other countries having similar legal processes.
RE: Documents
RE: Documents
If your site has a metallurgical or materials group they can probably do the job, but you state that there were injuries. If there is litigation I assure you that the plaintiff will have such a group.
RE: Documents
Have you visited www.csb.gov and looked at thier final reports of vessel failures ?
Based on a review of the reports, you can pretty much tell what evidence was collected...
My particular favorite is the "Carmel processing vessel" explosion/rocket launch and failure at the DD Williamson plant in Kentucky.
http://w
Whheeeeeee..!!!!!
-MJC
RE: Documents
Once again thanks for your ideas guys.
RE: Documents
As an example if the failure originated in or near a weld the material determines what the weld metal has to be along with any required post welding heat treatment.
Another is using the composition of the material plus the hardness will determine if the vessel is suitable for the service conditions experienced.
Depending on the failure mode it can eliminate a lot of second guessing latter.
To me it's just nice to really know as I've seen too many material screw ups.