Goodyear applies pressurized ammonia as a coolant in the chemical process of the manufacture of rubber. The ammonia is made to circulate around the tubes where it cools the chemical processes that are contained in the tubes in the heat exchange. The rapture is said to have been caused by a closed isolation and a blocked valve, which acted as a connection between a relief valve and the .
An operator of the company, unaware of the closed valves, continued with the cleaning of the pipe. The cleaning process and the malfunctioning valves resulted in too much pressure in the heat exchanger shell causing the rupture that occurred (U.S. , 2011).
The pressure that caused the rapture could have been prevented from building up to the extent of causing the explosion if the necessary precautions were taken. Firstly, Goodyear ought to have had a proper communication between the operators and the maintenance workers.
The most effective preventive measure in this case would have been to ensure that the operators examine the block and the isolation valves before beginning any chemical process in the heat exchanger (Asfahl, Hammer, & Price, 2004).
Critique of the Accident Investigation
It is always believed that government investigations in incidents of accident are never exclusive and are always prone to assumptions that in most cases turn out to be disastrous afterwards.
The accident investigations conducted by government officials are often done hurriedly hence omitting some of the important steps. For instance, the investigators in the case of Goodyear failed to account for a dead employee until his body was discovered by his fellow employees.
The governments investigations could be made more efficient if the together with their fellow colleagues from the private sector. The coalition can ensure that every step conducted during the investigation process is well monitored and evaluated to avoid overlooking some of the steps that are often deemed negligible, but which are equally important.
Importance of Accounting for Every Employee during an Accident and Steps that Goodyear Management could have applied in Accounting for its Employees
It is important to account for every employee in a company whenever an accident occurs. The major reason for making such accounts is to ensure that every employee is safe. This in turn assists to detect if any of them is involved in the accident and helps find the quickest way of saving the victims.
To account for all its employees, Goodyear should have occasionally carried out employee headcount drills; this is the only mechanism that could have assisted the investigators to implement the companys response plan on a , which is highly effective (Asfahl, Hammer, & Price, 2004).
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
