This plan is enacted when a GAS/FUMES/EXPLOSION/FIRE situation is declared, and the level of risk to personal safety, property or environment is an immediate risk to escalate. This plan relates to the response of staff and students to a critical incident and supports the Emergency Management Plan (EMP) that exists for the individual buildings. There are a number of gas bottles located around the University including large commercial tanks on the corner of Madgwick Drive and Clarks Rd. The most common cause of gas explosions are due to leaking hoses, defective control valves, gas connectors or leaking tanks in the presence of an ignition source. Even if the gas tank isn’t faulty, it can still explode if the gas stored inside is heated up to a point where the pressure from the boiling liquid inside ruptures the gas container. This is commonly referred to as a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion). Recommended evacuation distances from various sized gas containers are listed in a table below. LPG Fireball Safe Threat Description Mass/Volume¹ Diameter² Distance³ Small LPG Tank 9 kg/19 l 12 m 48 m ) Large LPG Tank 45 kg/95 l 21 m 84 m (LPG Gas Commercial LPG 907 kg/1,893 l 56 m 224 m Tank 3,630 Petroleum Small LPG Truck 89 m 356 m kg/7,570 l Liquid 18,144 Semi tanker LPG 152 m 608 m kg/37,850 l ¹ Based on the max amount of material that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible ² Assuming efficient mixing of the flammable gas with ambient air ³ Determined by U.S. firefighting practices wherein safe distances are approximately four times the flame height.
This plan is enacted when a GAS/FUMES/EXPLOSION/FIRE situation is declared, and the level of risk to personal safety, property or environment is an immediate risk to escalate. This plan relates to the response of staff and students to a critical incident and supports the Emergency Management Plan (EMP) that exists for the individual buildings. There are a number of gas bottles located around the University including large commercial tanks on the corner of Madgwick Drive and Clarks Rd. The most common cause of gas explosions are due to leaking hoses, defective control valves, gas connectors or leaking tanks in the presence of an ignition source. Even if the gas tank isn’t faulty, it can still explode if the gas stored inside is heated up to a point where the pressure from the boiling liquid inside ruptures the gas container. This is commonly referred to as a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion). Recommended evacuation distances from various sized gas containers are listed in a table below. Threat Description LPG Mass/Volume¹ Fireball Diameter² Safe Distance³ Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG ) Small LPG Tank 9 kg/19 l 12 m 48 m Large LPG Tank 45 kg/95 l 21 m 84 m Commercial LPG Tank 907 kg/1,893 l 56 m 224 m Small LPG Truck 3,630 kg/7,570 l 89 m 356 m Semi tanker LPG 18,144 kg/37,850 l 152 m 608 m ¹ Based on the max amount of material that could reasonably fit into a container or vehicle. Variations possible ² Assuming efficient mixing of the flammable gas with ambient air ³ Determined by U.S. firefighting practices wherein safe distances are approximately four times the flame height.
whs-g007-emergency-response-plan-gas-explosion.docx