Safety Bulletin 001 - WD 105 E Safety Bulletin - Electrostatic Heater - November 10, 2016

An explosion occurred offshore in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico while a contracted cleaning crew was cleaning an electrostatic heater treater. The explosion resulted in the death of the supversior of the cleaning crew and injured three others in the vicinity of the vessel.  A BSEE investigation found that the partially drained heater treated had not been effectively ventilated to remove flammable vapors.