A processing plant laboratory was destroyed by fire when a fume cupboard panel failed and ignited. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
Direct causes
- Continuous use of the fume cupboard did not allow for scheduled maintenance of the chemical resistant surface of the panel.
- Deterioration of the fire-retarding gel coating on the rear wall panel of the fume cupboard exposed the underlying glass reinforced plastic (GRP) panel. This led to resin degradation and subsequent ignition during an acid digestion process. (Figure 1 shows an example of chemical staining and degradation of fire-resistant panels in a fume cupboard).
Contributory causes
- Maintenance of the fume cupboard, as recommended by original equipment manufacturer (OEM), was not undertaken.
- Inspections by the certified service provider did not identify the fire hazard of the damaged gel coating on the rear wall panel.
- Risk assessments did not identify fire risks associated with acid digest processes.
- There was no fire collar installed between the exhaust vent and laboratory wall.
- The laboratory building was of a sandwich foam construction, with no fire retardant properties, and no fixed, fire-suppression system in place.