Do you have fears related to your devices?
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As the saying goes, extremes meet. Without a sense of responsibility, it’s impossible to do work well. But being too cautious isn’t good either; living in constant fear isn’t acceptable. I wonder if anyone feels afraid of the various devices they use. I have a------high-temperature pump. Others might laugh; a pump is the simplest thing there is – what’s there to be afraid of? We are devices that have been around for decades. Once, after the standby pump was started up, the outlet pipeline of the standby pump suddenly burst, and fire erupted as a result. Both the team leader and the operator. . . . . . . Sigh. Another time, the mechanic who was working on it forgot to install a gasket after fixing the pump outlet valve. Our people went to cut the pump. The person who opened the outlet valve was a college student who had just arrived at the factory. Oil started leaking just after 2 laps. Because what came out was just a little cool oil stored in the pipeline, so it didn’t catch fire. The deputy squad leader next to him immediately shouted, “Shut it off quickly!” ”The college student used grease to shut the valve tightly. . . . . . It started to smoke as soon as the pump was turned off. Two more people came to the control room, using hoses as cover. It’s fine now, finally. Actually, the whole process is very short. It was in an instant. But not a single person present at that time was not filled with great fear. If it started leaking only after 6 or 7 rounds of operation, then a tightly closed valve cannot be shut due to the pressure of the oil. If the cool oil runs out before it’s turned off and hot oil comes out, then the person next to it. . . . . . We usually just laugh and have fun together. But when they talked about what had happened that day, everyone had a serious expression on their face. Now, whenever I see a high-temperature pump, I think of those things. Especially when switching the pump on and off. The valve starts smoking as soon as it moves. I’m so nervous inside. There’s another problem with the pump; it’s making a loud humming noise. Watching those vibrating pipes, my heart trembled along with them. To be honest, I’m not afraid of being laughed at; I just feel a bit scared. Most front-line operators have experienced danger. Compared to many chemical plants with complex processes, as well as high-temperature and high-pressure devices, I’m really laughable. This minor hazard is nothing at all. But the psychological impact of accident cases in books versus the real dangers around us is completely different. I wonder if you have ever encountered any serious dangers in person. Has your mental resilience been put to the test? Do you still care about it? I’m scared, sure, but I still have to go on living. It’s just slower to operate, and one has to be more careful. The valves must be opened and closed slowly. Pay attention to checking if there are any abnormalities with the pump. As for smoke, everyone says that white smoke is fine and won’t catch fire. If yellow smoke starts to come out, run away quickly! ! !
Once bitten by a snake, one fears ropes for ten years.
People who are not very familiar with devices that pose certain risks have some feel fear, while others do not； Those with only a basic understanding of devices that pose certain risks generally feel fear ； People who have a good understanding of devices that pose certain risks generally feel no fear ；
I completely agree; the hazardous nature of chemical production processes is well known, especially regarding those facilities that operate under high temperatures and pressures. Our company once experienced an explosion during the filling of liquid chlorine, resulting in 4 deaths in total; it’s still scary to think about.
I know this all too well; take the most common example, a hot water rubber hose. After using it for a few days, cracks appear on its surface. Although no leakage has been detected yet, I’m always worried that it might burst at any moment. If someone happens to stand nearby, it could easily get damaged. So frustrating. It’s better to change it as soon as possible.
I think in the chemical industry, the more you work in it, the more cautious you become, and the more afraid you get. Once there was a young guy in our workshop who insisted on replacing valves without performing the necessary replacement procedures; he had no experience with any dangers and wasn’t afraid of anything. I told him that if something went wrong, it wouldn’t just be him who would suffer – he would also burden others. It might not sound nice, but I think it’s practical advice
Yes, the most memorable incident was this: one of our devices kept having its explosion-proof diaphragm pop off over a period of time (about 1 week). Later analysis showed that it was related to the device itself, as well as the way it was operated and the weather conditions at the time. We were unable to figure out the cause; no one could explain it, and we were always unsure about what was going on. I have also reported this to my supervisor several times, but it’s not possible to stop production just to investigate the cause while production is ongoing. So, one morning, a meeting was held to emphasize the need for stricter procedures; operators were asked to take additional protective measures, and to avoid being present during certain specific operations. As a result, at around 17:00 that same day, an even more severe explosion occurred, which shattered the blast-proof glass windows on one floor – one entire window was even blown out completely – and many of the exhaust ducts were damaged. . . . The scene was terrifying; I still feel scared when I think about it. If there had been people there at that time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. . . . The operators at the locations where we have had accidents or malfunctions in the past also avoid certain words. . . This post was last edited by Pseudo Xiao Bao on 2009-2-21 20:23]
Our factory has encountered similar situations to what the poster mentioned: a few years ago, during maintenance on the frozen ammonia storage tanks, the personnel responsible for installing valve gaskets did so inadequately, which led to an ammonia leak when the valves were opened. The operators ran away without wearing protective gear, and the leakage became severe. Twenty or thirty fire trucks arrived, but in the end, it was a team leader who wore protective gear and risked his life to shut down the valves. . . . It was really terrifying. Another time, a tank truck carrying carbon disulfide arrived at our factory; due to being overloaded, its safety valve activated and the truck caught fire near our facility, burning up its tires. The carbon disulfide storage tanks at our factory were only a few dozen meters away from that location. Hundreds of people in the nearby workshops were evacuated from their work areas, and police barriers were set up on the surrounding roads. Even the firefighters didn’t dare to approach to put out the fire. Some of our employees who worked with carbon disulfide took the risk of putting out the fire themselves. It is said that if the fire had spread, it could have affected the entire industrial zone – it’s a thought that’s quite frightening
Once bitten by a snake, one fears ropes for ten years. When working in such hazardous environments prone to fires and explosions, it’s good to have this sense of tension – it helps to enhance one’s awareness of safety. With such a mindset, one will be more inclined to take preventive measures. One should also strive to learn more about the relevant skills and improve their understanding of the equipment and its operation methods. During maintenance, careful attention must be paid to all areas and steps where accidents could occur; quality control should be ensured personally. Inspections and operations must also be conducted carefully, so that any signs of abnormalities can be detected as early as possible, thereby preventing dangers before they arise
Operators and maintenance workers must be responsible; they should not carry out operations or repairs blindly. Additionally, when handing over tasks, any issues must be clearly explained to avoid working with defective equipment
You’re all right: it’s determined by a sense of responsibility, technical skills, and psychological resilience. Those who have worked in frontline operations can surely relate to this; the key is to find a balance – neither being overly fearful nor being careless； It’s better to be cautious; it’s far better to check things repeatedly than to run into problems. In the current situation, safety comes first above everything else! If safety is compromised, all the other work done is in vain...
For factories that place emphasis on safety and equipment management, the sense of fear is lower; as for those that prioritize processes over equipment, just think about safety without even mentioning it!
When I first started working at the plant, the experienced workers told us that \"the more you work in the hydrogen processing unit, the more scared you’ll get.\" I didn’t believe them at the time; I thought it should be the other way around – the more experience you gain, the bolder you become. It wasn’t until I had been working there for three years that I truly understood what they meant. When turning valves, I was always worried that the valve stem might shoot out like a rocket, haha.
It is important to have a better understanding of the devices and equipment; before doing anything, one should consider what might go wrong. One must also know how to handle emergencies, and be careful during operations. As some people mentioned, if gaskets are not used after repairing a pump, then extra care should be taken when operating that pump going forward – operate it more slowly when opening the outlet, so that any problems can be addressed before they escalate. Additionally, every operator must possess a strong sense of responsibility, and issues like failing to use gaskets after pump repairs must not occur, as they can cause serious problems.