Citation

Accid. Reconstr. J. 2011; 21(2): 43-51.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Accident Reconstruction Journal)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article summarizes the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) report on mobile acetylene trailer accidents. The article begins with a review of acetylene gas and the factors to be considered for its transport. The authors then summarize two trailer overturns that occurred in East New Orleans, Louisiana (October 20, 2007) and Lamar, Colorado (June 9, 2008), as well as two accidents that occurred before the acetylene was unloaded, in Dallas, Texas (July 25, 2007) and The Woodlands, Texas (August 7, 2007). Also included in the report are three previous accidents (in 2001 and 2005) involving mobile acetylene trailers at loading/unloading sites in which cylinders were damaged, releasing acetylene, which ignited or decomposed, resulting in fire. The authors conclude that the requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations covering mobile acetylene trailers do not sufficiently address the protection of the cylinders, valves, and fittings on the trailers from impact forces that occur during an overturn accident and the secure mounting of the cylinders to the vehicles. In addition, because of the instability of acetylene, the current acetylene unloading procedures by themselves are not adequate to ensure safety. Readers are referred to the full NTIS report at www.ntis.gov.