Fatality During Pressure Test . LFI

⚠️ FATAL SAFETY ALERT: High-Pressure Nitrogen Testing Incident

☠️ Fatal High-Pressure Nitrogen Test Incident

What Happened?

A fatal incident occurred during a nitrogen pressure test on a drilling rig, with relevance to many vessel and offshore operations.

During the pressure test, a pressure relief valve in the treating line vented. The valve was installed vertically, approximately 60 cm above the line.

When the valve vented, the force caused the entire assembly to rotate through 90 degrees and strike the rig deck. During this uncontrolled rotation, the assembly struck a crew member on the temple, causing a fatal injury.

Pressure relief valve assembly involved in fatal incident

Investigation Findings

• The venting pressure caused the vertical valve stack to rotate violently through 90 degrees until it contacted the deck.
• The crew member was present within the high-pressure test area to check nearby instrumentation while pressure was being applied.

Lessons Learned & Safety Requirements

• Exclusion zones must be established around all high-pressure equipment under test. No personnel should be present while pressure is applied.
• If authorized access is required, additional risk assessments, barriers, and controls must be implemented. Pressure must not be increased during access.
• Instrumentation inside high-pressure exclusion zones should have remote monitoring or viewing capability from a low-risk location.
• Personnel must remain clear of pressure release points and stay out of the line of fire from vents and relief outlets.
• Equipment that may move due to sudden pressure release must be securely anchored or immobilized.
• All fittings, valves, and connections must be rated for test pressure and properly secured.

⚠️ Critical Safety Message: High-pressure systems store enormous energy. Always establish exclusion zones, eliminate line-of-fire exposure, and never allow personnel in test areas while pressure is applied.

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