STRATUS SAFETY PORTAL » Incidents

Stratus Auto Incident – Deer

Administrator — Mon, 18 May 2015 23:34:17 +0000

On the afternoon of May 11, 2015, a Stratus employee had a vehicle incident where no one was hurt.

In this incident, the employee was driving down the road following the posted speed limit (55 mph), when a deer jumped in front of the car suddenly. The drivers natural reaction was to swerve to miss the deer, which he/she achieved. However, in doing so the driver swerved to the right onto the shoulder of the road and struck a road sign which broke off and shattered the windshield of the car. In the activity, the driver side front tire also suffered a blow out. The drivers skills prevented the car from rolling over and he/she was able to stop the car safely without further incident. No one was hurt which is the positive in this event.

Deer Statistics

Dawn and dusk are the times you are most likely to encounter deer along the roadside.
Deer breeding season runs from October through early January, and during this time they are highly active and on the move. This is when deer-vehicle collisions are at their peak.
Though deer may wander into suburban neighborhoods, they are most frequently found on the outskirts of town and in heavily wooded areas.
As pack animals, deer almost never travel alone. If you see one deer, you can bet that there are others nearby.

Preventing Deer Strikes

The two most important ways to avoid a deer-vehicle collision are: slow down and SLOW DOWN. If you are driving through an area known for high deer populations, slow down and observe the speed limit. The more conservative you are with your speed, the more time you will have to brake if an animal darts into your path.
Always wear a seat belt. The most severe injuries in deer-vehicle collisions usually result from failure to use a seat belt.
Watch for the shine of eyes along the roadside and immediately begin to slow.
Use your high beams whenever the road is free of oncoming traffic. This will increase your visibility and give you more time to react.
Deer can become mesmerized by steady, bright lights so if you see one frozen on the road, slow down and flash your lights. Some experts recommend one long blast of the horn to scare them out of the road, as well.
Pay close attention to caution signs indicating deer or other large animals. These signs are specifically placed in high-traffic areas where road crossings are frequent.
If you’re on a multi-lane road, drive in the center lane to give as much space to grazing deer as possible.

Encountering a Deer

Never swerve to avoid a deer in the road. Swerving can confuse the deer on where to run. Swerving can also cause a head-on collision with oncoming vehicles, take you off the roadway into a tree or a ditch, and greatly increase the chances of serious injuries.
Deer are unpredictable creatures, and one that is calmly standing by the side of the road may suddenly leap into the roadway without warning. Slowing down when you spot a deer is the best way to avoid a collision. However, if one does move into your path, maintain control and do your best to brake and give the deer time to get out of your way.
Don’t rely on hood whistles or other devices designed to scare off deer. These have not been proven to work.
If you do collide with a deer (or large animal), call emergency services if injuries are involved, or the local police if no one is injured, but damage has been caused to your property or someone else’s. Never touch an animal that is in the roadway. Report the incident to your insurance company as soon as possible.

Remember, following the five rules below can dramatically reduce the risk of accidents on highways and roads.

Aim High
The first rule for this method is “Aim high in steering”. Staying alert of the dangers and traffic ahead not only avoids rear-end collisions, but it also alerts other drivers behind your vehicle to slow down. The driver should steer and focus their attention high, so as to view the road as whole and not just a few feet ahead.
The Big Picture
“Be aware of your surroundings at all times” may seem obvious to say, but distracted drivers are just as dangerous as intoxicated ones. Erratic and angry drivers take up a large portion of the traffic we see daily, so avoid major accidents by noticing how other drivers behave on the road. Having the whole picture means that you are doing your part to keep your vehicle as safe as possible while moving 100 ft a second. There are a variety of hazards between your own vehicle and other drivers, and a keen awareness of these dangers will reduce these risks.
Keep Your Eyes Moving
The third standard asks drivers to remain alert. Energy drinks can only do so much before they cause the body to crash, and any repetitive motion sends us into a trance. Consistent eye movement prevents your body from entering the trance state, keeping you alert to every driving condition ahead of you.
4. Leave Yourself an Out
The fourth principle states to leave yourself a way out. This means ensure that other drivers do not box you in while selecting their lanes. Do not follow other vehicles too closely, and always anticipate what choices other drivers make.
Make Sure They See You
The worst thing a driver can do is assume. Assume other drivers can see them, assume other drivers are not dangerous, or even assume that they will just get to their destination safely. The final rule is “Make Sure You Are Seen”. This rule prevents accidents by removing assumptions made behind the wheel. As a driver, make sure that other drivers can see you and anticipate your move. If you feel you are coming into another driver’s blind spot, use the horn to get their attention.

Release of Activated Sodium Persulfate Solution During Mixing Activities

Administrator — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:01:52 +0000

On November 19, 2010, during mixing of activated sodium persulfate (ASP) solution for pilot testing of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) injection, approximately 2-3 gallons of ASP was released from the equipment.

The release occurred while mixing the ASP solution by means of circulating the contents of two 500-gallon trailer mounted tanks placed next to each other on a closed-circuit/low pressure mixing and injection trailer equipped with built-in secondary containment. The ASP solution consisted of 20 percent (by weight) powder sodium persulfate mixed with water and activated by liquid sodium hydroxide. The breach in the system occurred while the two tanks were circulating under high flow/low pressure. The connection between the transfer hose and the elbow fitting connecting to the top of Tank #2 came loose and the solution was released. The emergency shutoff switch was quickly triggered by the authorized personnel overseeing the operations and the discharge was stopped. The operators in close proximity of the mixing tanks were wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE) yet were not exposed to the solution. The majority of the solution lost (approximately 6-8 gallons) drained into the built-in secondary containment pan of the trailer. A portion of the solution (approximately 2-3 gallons) was released beyond the boundary of the secondary containment and onto the surface of the site. The released ASP solution was immediately contained and isolated using litter, then slightly diluted with water, and collected with a 3-gallon portable shop-vac. None of the site workers were exposed or injured during this event.

The lesson learnedhere surrounds equipment inspections prior to operation. The hose disconnected from the fitting most likely due to the hose clamp not being fully tightened. The system was low pressure (but high volume). Simply because the system was low pressure doesn’t necessarily mean that the fittings “don’t not be fully tight”. The mass of the solution and the force imposed by the movement of high volumes (mass) adds stress to fittings and will additively increase the stress on joints and fittings; therefore, everything should be tightened to the appropriate manufactures specifications. Remember, the failure of a system occurs at the weakest link of a chain.

Associated Pictures

Mixing Trailer

Mixing Trailer Composite

Hose Failure on a Groundwater Extraction System

Administrator — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:15:42 +0000

At 4:14 am on August 25, 2010, the clerk at USA 234 (Santa Ana) called the Stratus emergency phone number to report water spraying from the groundwater treatment system compound. Stratus staff received the call from the emergency phone number, and Stratus was on site at approximately 4:45 am. Stratus observed approximately 5 gallons of water on the concrete paving east of the compound, but no water from the system was observed to have flowed off-site. The system was immediatly shut down at the main power supply. Additional staff arrived at 4:55 am, the compound was unlocked and the concrete inside was found to be damp but there was no ponded water. An obvious source of the leak could not initially be identified. The system was temporarily reactivated, and a pinhole leak was discovered in the process hose at the outlet of the manifold (between the manifold and the inlet of the first carbon vessel). The system was then shut down and lock out/tag out (LOTO) was applied pending replacement of the damaged hose.

Additional details can be read through the secure login under the Incident and Near Miss Projects.

Incident-Release from Groundwater Extraction System

Administrator — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 01:06:38 +0000

At 9:35 the morning of June 24, 2010, Stratus was notified via the emergency phone number that water was leaking from the groundwater treatment system compound at ARCO 6160.At 10:00 am Stratus personnel were on-site to turn the power off to the remediation compound and stop the pumping of any additional groundwater. Initial observations indicated water leaking from the secondary containment berm, however, no overflow conditions or releases were evident with the equipment. A vacuum truck was on-site by 11:45 to remove residual water in and around the compound.

Additional details can be read through the secure login under the Incident and Near Miss Projects.

Incident-Utility Locator Receives Electrical Shock

Administrator — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:27:42 +0000

The morning of May 17, 2010, Stratus staff was on site with a private utility locator (Locator) to identify subsurface utilities and/or structures in preparation for forthcoming drilling activities. As part of the investigation, the Locator was tracing the electrical service to the forecourt lighting. The Locator approached a light standard in the southern corner of the site. When he approached, he noticed that the electrical access port cover at the base of the light was missing and that the wires had been previously “pulled” out of the access port. He identified a black, white, and green wire sticking out of the port. He was knowledgeable with electrical wiring techniques and understood that the green wire was the grounding conductor in place for safety reasons (per NEC Article 250) and he should be able to expose the copper of the ground lead (without breaking the connection) to attach a signal transmitter for tracing the wire back to the circuit breaker panel (across the forecourt).

When the Locator attempted to remove the wire nut at the wire splice for the green wire, he received a “mild” shock. The line locator immediately initiated Stop Work, explained the situation to the Stratus staff, and after discussion developed a plan to safely push the wires into the light standard without further incident and to partially isolate the wires from subsequent exposures. The Locator was wearing gloves and not injured or burned. The station manager was informed of the incident and the deficiency with the cover plate on the light standard since changes/modifications were under the control of the retail operations.

Additional details can be read through the secure login under the Incident and Near Miss Projects.