| Case Name |
Leakage of fuel oil from a crack in the thin part of the side wall of a oil tank due to an earthquake |
| Pictograph |
|
| Date |
September 25, 1980 |
| Place |
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Location |
Cement works |
| Overview |
A tank buckled due to the Central Chiba Earthquake. In fact, even if there had been no earthquake, corrosion and stress concentration, which were the causes of buckling or leakage, would have caused an accident in the near future. |
| Incident |
On September 25th, 1980. Two side walls at the upper part near the drain nozzle of a fuel oil tank buckled toward the inside due to "Central Chiba Earthquake," which was a magnitude of 6.1. As a hole opened at one of the buckled walls, 11.5 kL of fuel oil flowed out. |
| Processing |
Storage |
| Substance |
Fuel oil |
| Type of Accident |
Leakage |
| Sequence |
In 1957. A fuel oil tank was installed.
On September 25th, 1980. A hole opened in the side wall of the fuel oil tank due to an earthquake, and fuel oil flowed out. |
| Cause |
As the side wall of the tank near a drain nozzle was locally supported by concrete in the pit for drain nozzles, stress concentrated at the lower part of the side wall. 20 years or more had passed since installation of the tank, and the thickness of the side wall had decreased from 4.5 mm to 0.6-2.0 mm due to external corrosion. Refer to Fig2. |
| Countermeasures |
Thickness is periodically measured with a measuring instrument. At a similar tank that has a concrete drain pit, a check is made if stress concentration occurs. |
| Knowledge Comment |
Even external corrosion, it is difficult to distinguish a decrease in thickness visually for unevenness of the surface.
Although a natural disaster caused the accident, a prior subsurface investigation or discussion about countermeasures in an emergency is indispensable. |
| Background |
Inadequate management was a problem. The earthquake caused the accident, and increased the leakage of oil. |
| Incidental Discussion |
Not only an earthquake but also other factors may cause damage in many cases. |
| Reason for Adding to DB |
Example of leakage from a tank caused due to an earthquake in addition to inadequate management |
| Scenario |
| Primary Scenario
|
Poor Value Perception, Poor Safety Awareness, Inadequate Risk Recognition, Organizational Problems, Poor Management, Slackness of Management, Carelessness, Insufficient Understanding, Insufficient Recognition of Risk, Usage, Maintenance/Repair, Insufficient Inspection, Failure, Abrasion, Corrosion, Failure, Deformation, Tank Buckling, Secondary Damage, Damage to Environment, Sea Pollution
|
|
| Sources |
The Japan Soc. for Safety Engineering edition. Asamichi Kamei, Case of damage to an oil tank and preventive measure, Accident examples of fire and explosion, pp.172-179 (2002).
Dangerous object emergency preparedness workshop, Storage and transfer. 17, Cause of accident with dangerous material and countermeasures. pp. 33-34 (1985).
|
| Physical Damage |
Buckling of the side wall of a tank. About 11.5 kL fuel oil leaked. |
| Multimedia Files |
Fig2.Skletch of buckling tank
|
| Field |
Chemicals and Plants
|
| Author |
ITAGAKI, Haruhiko (Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)
TAMURA, Masamitsu (Center for Risk Management and Safety Sciences, Yokohama National University)
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