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Space heater caught fire - DEV imca
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Space heater caught fire

A space heater and some loose equipment caught fire.  An area had been washed down as part of a housekeeping activity.  As a precaution, electrical heaters were switched off and protected from the cleaning water by tarpaulins.  The next area to be cleaned was being inspected by the cleaning supervisor and electrician on watch to ensure precautions were in place (e.g. electrical heaters switched-off and protected from washing water etc).

During this inspection, the cleaning supervisor informed the electrician on watch that the washing of the first area was complete.  Upon completion of the inspection of the next area, the electrician remotely switched on the heater in the first area to assist with drying.

However, whilst washing activity in the first area was complete, the housekeeping was not.  There were still three portable lights on top of the heater and it was still covered by tarpaulin.  The three portable lights, tarpaulin and some adjacent electrical cables all caught fire.

What went wrong?  What were the causes?

  • Assumptions: when the cleaning supervisor informed the electrician that the washing of the column was finished the electrician assumed that this included housekeeping;
  • Didn’t check: the electrician switched on power to the heater without physically verifying that the protection had been removed.

How to prevent this happening?

  • CHECK! Always physically verify that worksites are returned to a safe condition after completion of work;
  • Never ASSUME that the site is safe without making sure;
  • Never re-energise equipment before making sure that it is safe to do so.

Members may wish to refer search the IMCA Safety Flash incident database for themselves for such words as assume, verify, check.

Safety Event

Published: 1 July 2019
Download: IMCA SF 15/19

Relevant life-saving rules:
IMCA Safety Flashes
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IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of all. The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on Members sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Please consider adding safetyreports@imca-int.com to your internal distribution list for safety alerts or manually submitting information on incidents you consider may be relevant. All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate.

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IMCA makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in the documents it publishes, but IMCA shall not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained. The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual’s or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.