Families of the Denel explosion victims were given a sense of
closure after the findings of the internal investigation into the fatal blast was
shared during an intimate meeting yesterday (Wednesday).
The
fatal explosion at the local ammunitions manufacturer tragically ripped away
eight loved ones in September last year. Plant
supervisor Nico Angelo Samuels (41), team leader Stevon Robert Isaacs (51), and
operators Mxolisi Sigadla (40), Bradley Tandy (18), Jamie Lesley Haydricks (24),
Jason Hartzenberg (22), Triston Lance Davids (21) and Thandolwethu Mankayi (27)
were killed in the blast on Monday 3 September 2018.
The incident occurred
around 15:30, allegedly during the propellant blending process at the Somerset
West plant of Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM). The blast destroyed the entire
building, damaging the immediate surrounding blast walls.
In a media statement released by RDM yesterday afternoon, families
of the deceased, were addressed by newly instated RDM CEO Jan-Patrick Helmsen who
said: “Our first and foremost responsibility is to the families, and hence we
are sharing these findings with you before we engage with our staff and other
stakeholders.”
The statement read that the investigation was conducted by an
experienced multidisciplinary internal team with external assistance, and
guided by the company’s statutory obligations under the Occupational Health and
Safety Act.
“The N16 building where the incident occurred was used for
blending large volumes of propellant from smaller sub-lots. At the time of the
incident, sub-lots of single base propellant were being blended into one
homogenous final lot. Propellant has been safely blended at the N16 facility
since it commenced operations in the 1980s without any incident. All members of
the team were fully trained and the team leader and supervisor both had
extensive experience with the material and the operations being executed at the
time of the incident,” the statement read.
According to RDM, the investigation established that during the
mandatory routine testing of sub-lots in the course of the manufacturing
process, it was found that one sub-lot did not meet the required quality
standards. However, due process was not followed and, instead, an attempt to
rework the material was made by adding extra graphite to the propellant.
Based on extensive testing, assessments and elimination of other
initially suspected causes, the most likely cause of the explosion was a
build-up of electrostatic electricity in a suspended graphite cloud due to the triboelectric effect and a subsequent discharge which ignited airborne propellant in
the blending drum.
Investigation leader Rod Keyser said: “The investigation team
therefore concluded that the cause was a combination of human error when excess
graphite was added to the material and a highly complex electrostatic
electricity risk which was very unlikely to have been foreseen, or expected to
have been foreseen, by the individuals involved.
“This particular type of electrostatic electricity risk was, as
far as the investigation team has been able to determine, a previously
unidentified and unforeseen hazard across the industry internationally.”
Helmsen shared RDM staff’s sentiments with the families, saying:
“None of us were prepared for the sudden, unexpected loss of these fine men. I
cannot begin to imagine the magnitude of your loss and nothing I say will make
it better. I just hope that the release of the findings will help to bring some
closure.”
Turning to more practical learnings, Helmsen said: “Safety has
always been and remains RDM’s first priority, and this incident has underscored
how we can work together to ensure a safe working environment for all. As part
of this, our five guiding lights are infrastructure, recruitment, training,
procedures, and management control and leadership.
“We have embarked on an exercise to incorporate the learnings from
the investigation into the health and safety management system implemented at
the Somerset West site and, where applicable, across the organisation.”
The Department of Labour and the police are also conducting
official investigations into the incident. The National Prosecuting Authority
will look at all available information and findings in determining next steps. – Edited by Jamey Gordon
