Max Power Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Had a conversation with a couple of people over the weekend which made me wonder. In our health and safety obsessed island, we are forced to observe H&S legislation in the most menial tasks imaginable, yet when it comes to the location of our gas and oil installations, they are in a prime position to cause an explosion of Hiroshima or Nagasaki proportions! Should there be an ignited leak, apparently the emergency services would be expecting devastation in lower Douglas with roofs being blown off as far away as St Ninnians and damage as far away as Birch Hill? The cliff wall behind the installation allows for total deflection of the blast straight into Douglas. The questions that needs to be asked if these are facts (one of the people was an experienced health and safety manager and the other a member of the emergency services) are, why have these facilities not been re-located to a remote or more flat area as in most other countries? Why have we been spending fortunes on ego projects when we could be literally blasted into oblivion at any time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 when it comes to the location of our gas and oil installations, they are in a prime position to cause an explosion of Hiroshima or Nagasaki proportions! Exaggerate much? I guess the risk of this actually happening is dwarfed by the costs of relocation and the added risks of having to transport the fuels from a harbour to the new location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craine Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 an explosion of Hiroshima or Nagasaki proportions! we could be literally blasted into oblivion at any time? Blowing things out of proportion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 when it comes to the location of our gas and oil installations, they are in a prime position to cause an explosion of Hiroshima or Nagasaki proportions! Exaggerate much? I guess the risk of this actually happening is dwarfed by the costs of relocation and the added risks of having to transport the fuels from a harbour to the new location. Or compensation payout? Not trying to be a scaremonger, but you would agree that there is a risk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 There's a risk attached to everything. Measuring the level of risk is something I would expect these companies to be doing on a very regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craine Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 It's all part of the proposed regeneration http://www.manxforums.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30835; phase one: 'accidental' demolition of lower Douglas. phase two: --- phase three: profit! Why have we been spending fortunes on ego projects when we could be literally blasted into oblivion at any time? "*eco"? So we can phase out gas and oil altogether and use the pipes as an alternative to posties: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...;pagewanted=all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hedgehog Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Given that residential developments have recently been allowed right next to these installations (2 lots of flats on South Quay) I presume the risk is nowhere near as bad as you are suggesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 The atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima had an estimated destructive power equivalent to somewhere between 13 and 18 kilotons of TNT. If the destructive power of gas and oil installations was equivalent to an atomic bomb, they would have just blown up any gas and oil installations and not bother with atomic bombs. Max Power, indeed. Edited to add: Buncefield explosion Local residents were evacuated, the M1 was closed twice and nearby offices and warehouses were badly damaged. The fire produced a black smoke cloud, which drifted at 9,000 feet and could be seen across much of South East England. The blaze was eventually extinguished four days later. BBC - Massive blaze rages at fuel depot In total, 20 petrol tanks were involved, each said to hold three million gallons of fuel. The Buncefield depot is a major distribution terminal operated by Total and part-owned by Texaco, storing oil, petrol as well as kerosene which supplies airports across the region, including Heathrow and Luton. The country's fifth largest fuel distribution depot, it is also used by BP, Shell and British Pipeline. I think that shows that whilst the damage can be quite extensive, it is by far, no where near the destructive force of an atomic bomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Well, perhaps someone in the know could confirm or deny what I have heard? I agree with the atom bomb thing being a bit alarmist, but apparently the cliff is a big issue as it deflects a huge proportion of any blast back towards the town. I have just had a new roof fitted too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craine Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I have just had a new roof fitted too! I'm not sure but I'm thinking even a big blast at that place, even with deflection, will not cause any roof damage. if you have plate glass windows the pressure might blow them out, but I doubt anything else would happen. the blast would disperse quite rapidly the further you are away. Inverse square rule and all that. Roof removal is reserved for cataclysmic blasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 but apparently the cliff is a big issue as it deflects a huge proportion of any blast back towards the town. I have just had a new roof fitted too! I think that Seagull sculpture will be fucked too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craine Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I think that Seagull sculpture will be fucked too! I think that Seagull sculpture is already fucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oogie boogie Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 There's £30K down the drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immortalpuppet Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 It would smash a few windows in the area, but the way the tanks are designed they are not under pressure so the lids would blow and it would just largley be a big fire. One of the test for Hazmat is to put out a tank fire (close the lid.) As pointed out, if there was a risk then they would not be allowed to live/build so close. Edit: thats for the fuel tanks, gas is slightly different and i only know a little about them so i cant comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I have just had a new roof fitted too! I've had an idea, just take your box to Peel and it'll be far enough away from the blast zone. I think Peel would make a lovely Cardboard City.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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