Sasol's Secunda plant explosion that killed 10 workers at an ethylene plant known as "Unit 24", that occurred last September was most likely caused by a maze of pipes and a flaw in safety procedures.
NOAN, a contractor company, had been contracted to conduct routine maintenance at the ethylene plant, which had been shut down. NOAN had indicated a flaw in the safety system regarding additional work, and was then given the additional task of replacing an old cover plate on a pipe running through the unit. It was the first time in the about 23 years the plant was operational, that the task of replacing the cover would be done. In the process, no one realised that the pipe was not part of Unit 24, but a "live" pipe linking the adjacent Unit 23 with another Sasol plant at Sasolburg, which was neither shut down nor safe.
20-Aug-05 
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