As we hear more details about the CTI incident on "the other forum", we are reminded of the several incidents over the years. GM/MPC with BP, Quest with BP, AT with APCP powderized, and others we do not hear much about.

Our thoughts and prayers will be with the recovering for years, and for the departed forever.

It is instructive to note that making propellants is potentially dangerous stuff and especially those doing EX at home should take precautions with vast ventilation, barriers during processing and possibly remote mixing.

I know two people who were seriously maimed in DoD type mix facilities as well, so no worksite is "safe enough".

Human error or mechanical failure or random incidents such as static are always possible. No amount of precautions have proven sufficient. So my advise is be 4x as careful as you think is needed. Better yet, delegate to someone else and pay slightly more.

Good thoughts.

Jerry

Propellant guy since the very first TRA certified motor. Mine. And 14 years before that.

http://v-serv.com/usr/NAR-TRA-93.2.htm

Is it possible to completely automate this process? How much human oversight is necessary?

__________________
Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS

Starport Sagitta Rockets
email bherman@sagittarockets.com

NAR # 97971 SR

What's your idea on the best way to change Washington D.C.?
Let us know at the Cantina
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We're looking for a few good Catos, please tell us about any you may have had. Survey of Anecdotal Malfunctioning Engines or S.A.M.E.

It would be expensive. The main problem is people present when machines are being operated or in the case of AT plugged into power when being cleaned. There are procedural changes that would eliminate the failure modes I have observed and read about. The trick is to get humans to not be complacent. It is behavioural not mechanical for the most part. It may be like baking a cake but it is not baking a cake.

CTI in particular is an exceptionally professional manufacturer. This incident's cause might never be made public, but it should, to raise a red flag for other manufacturers.

Key safety tip from Jerry. Put in the liquids, then the metals, then any additives, and put in the AP last after the other materials are mixed so you never have a fuel and oxidiser dry powder combination present. I weigh the dry materials in a separate room and only put them in or near the mixer when actually needed in the process.

Store fuels, oxidisers and propellants in separate buildings or rooms with fireproof barriers. Block wall buildings are cheap and easy to build and it doesn't need to be very big for a couple of drums.

Jerry

I wholeheartedly agree, Jerry. The cause of the incident, even if embarrassing, should be made public so no other company or individual need to discover it for himself. Safety should always be concern number one in any industry, and should never take a back seat to profit, convenience or anything else. Better to sacrifice a bit of profit and go home every night with all ten fingers and both eyes!

While the analogy is not exact, I spent twenty years as a QA manager in the dairy industry. Granted, while mechanical injuries are always a present threat there (and we had a few), the actual process of making milk was not "explosive". However, we had a process in place called Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) that examined the process step by step and looked for any point in the process where something could happen to contaminate the food product and make it unsafe for the consumer. This process could (and should) be adopted for safety as well. It simply involved flowcharting the entire process, breaking it down into individual steps. Those steps were each analyzed for various hazards (in the case of food, it is usually Chemical, Biological and Physical). Once a hazard was identified, a method for eliminating it as a threat was identified. Again, this process could easily be adapted for safe manufacturing.

Given human nature, it is never possible to be 100% safe all the time. But careful planning, attention to details and communication can reduce the hazards significantly. Everyone should be able to go home to their families every night in the same condition as when they left for work that morning!

__________________
Greg Poehlein

Member of Launch Crue - http://launchcrue.org/

Hint #1: Do not use magician's flash paper for recovery wadding!

Hint #2: Clean your shoes after flyin' in that cow pasture - that ain't no dirt clod on the sole!

WHAT actually happened at CTI ???

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

Yeah, I'd be interested to know, but I'm not going to the Toilet Retard Forum to find out.

Is it really that much trouble to post the material HERE??

Later! OL J R

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from TRF

Cesaroni Technology Incorporated News and Well-Wishes thread



On Thursday, March 24th at approximately 10:30 AM EST, a fire broke out during approved procedures in one of the propellant processing buildings at Cesaroni Technology Incorporated’s Gormley, Ontario facility. The fire was confined to the affected building. Surrounding buildings and structures including the main plant were not affected. Emergency response teams responded immediately. Three CTI personnel were in the area where the fire occurred. Two have been released from hospital and the third remains hospitalized.

In light of the previous information distributed on this forum, CTI can confirm that Dr. Jeroen Louwers (TRF member "DrJ") was the third employee and that he was seriously injured/burned in the incident. He is currently in one of the best hospitals in the country. That hospital has specialty facilities that provide the best possible treatment of the injuries he sustained.

Jeroen is currently in critical but stable condition. We understand that non-family visitors or contact will not be possible for many weeks and we ask everyone to be respectful of Jeroen, his family and loved ones throughout this time.

The CTI family has been fractured by this devastating incident. Jeroen is more than just an employee; he is a cornerstone of the CTI family. He is our leader.... our colleague.... our mentor......and a close friend to everyone here.

We know that he has also been an integral leader and friend within the hobby rocketry community and that he has touched the lives of many within that community. His enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, thehobby/sport is unparalleled, as all who have interacted with Jeroen over the years can attest.
The CTI family is looking forward to Jeroen’s recovery, but it will be a long process. CTI will not be posting updates in this forum on Jeroen's health out of respect for him and his family as they endure the recovery process.

For anyone who has visited CTI, they that know we are a tight knit family, so please be patient and respectful during our healing process as well. We will be forthcoming with information at the appropriate times. and in the interim, we ask that you not speculate, postulate, draw conclusions, etc. regarding the incident.......Do this out of respect for Jeroen! Anyonewho knows him understands that is what he would want.

The incident is currently under investigation by the relevant public authorities with CTI providing technical support. It did not involve any hobby (HPR) rocketry motors. The root cause has not yet been determined. Given the nature of this incident, the investigation may take considerable time and, while it is ongoing, CTI and its staff cannot comment further.

For those of you wishing to show your support, as Gus highlighted in a previous post, feel free to share kind stories or experience you have had with Jeroen in the past. His family has been touched by all the support he has received to date and is being shared/communicated with Jeroen at the hospital.

From,
Cesaroni Technology Incorporated

NOTE: The TRF member (CTI) posting in this forum onbehalf of CTI has done so with the direct approval from CTI and will not be responding to any private messages


Last edited by CTI; 3rd April 2016 at 03:15 PM.

I thought there was NEW news... not the original post that was made awhile back.

Later! OL J R

__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

There is.
Posted by 'CTI' on the 29th to clarify a post on Facebook....

__________________
WARS #24 / AMRS #54

They make some fairly large rocket motors in the S range for military customers and also Up Aerospace. It is suspected it is that production line that had a propellant fire.

The principals are unlikely to release details for a variety of reasons. I do hope they do release the cause of the incident when it becomes even vaguely clear.

Jeroen Louwers was burned over 75% of his body and two other folks were injured as well. Jeroen Louwers will be in rehab for years.

Jerry