One October day in 2020, 48-year-old Robert from Poland was to carry out work with angle grinders on board the well boat “Hordagut”. He worked in one of the tanks of the boat. The boat was being fitted out at the Fitjar Mekaniske Verksted shipyard in Fitjar in Vestland. Robert Bogdan Chorzewski was only 48 years old. Photo: Private There were many operations that took place simultaneously. Among other things, a test of an oxygen factory was carried out elsewhere in the vessel. Since a well boat must transport live fish, it is dependent on access to oxygen. During the test, oxygen was produced and leased to the distribution facility in the vessel. Oxygen Odorless and colorless gas. The air we breathe contains approximately 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. If you add oxygen to a closed room, the amount of oxygen will increase, and you say that you have an oxygen-rich atmosphere. An oxygen-rich atmosphere poses a risk of fire, as material that does not burn in a normal atmosphere can burn strongly or ignite spontaneously. The flames also have a higher temperature. Just a small increase in the portion of oxygen creates a greater fire hazard. Persons who have been exposed to an oxygen-rich atmosphere must be careful to air out oxygen that has accumulated in clothing and hair. Simply lighting a cigarette can be fatal, and lead to a fire in the clothes/hair of a person coming from an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Businesses that handle dangerous substances, such as oxygen, are obliged to immediately notify DSB in the event of major accidents. In total, there have been seven serious accidents involving oxygen since 2019. 3 of these were in 2019, 3 in 2020, and one case so far this year. DSB is aware of the case at Fitjar, but does not think it provides a basis for changing the regulations. Source: DSB It was thought that the gas was discharged into the open air through a valve. But no one had checked that this valve was open. The so-called emergency line for oxygen was closed. Instead, several valves were open in the area where Robert was to work with angle grinders. Large amounts of oxygen entered Spark from the angle grinder Document from the police shows that the oxygen saturation in the area where the 48-year-old worked was 457 per cent. With such large amounts of oxygen, even the tiniest tiny spark is fatal. – Even a few percent increase in the oxygen portion will clearly increase the risk of fire, says section manager Britt Skadberg at DSB. Photo: Ingvild Siglen Berger / Sunnhordland – The angle grinder made a spark, which immediately started a fire, explains police inspector Pål Jæger-Pedersen in the Sør-West police district. Despite the fact that the 48-year-old had fire-retardant work clothes, he had no chance. Back in Poland sat a wife, two sons and three grandchildren. – I have kept them continuously informed about the investigation. It is quite clear that the way the accident happened has been an additional burden. It is difficult to avoid, says Sverre Hetland, legal aid for the bereaved. Sverre Hetland says the relatives are concerned that the industry is learning from what happened in the wellboat. Photo: Olav Røli / news Company approves fine The police have now given the company MMC First Process a fine of NOK 400,000 after the death investigation. The company was the total supplier of the fish handling system at “Hordagut”, including the oxygen factory. – Here a work operation had been started without checking that the valve which was supposed to let oxygen out into the open air was open. Furthermore, several other valves were open, and this had particularly serious consequences, says Jæger-Pedersen in the police. MMC First Process has, among other things, breached the Working Environment Act on several points, the Act on fire and explosion protection, and several other regulations, according to the report. The prosecution believes they should have drawn up written instructions for the testing of the oxygen factory. The company has adopted the penalty. – The Fitjar accident in 2020 was very tragic. It is a complex case with many circumstances involving several parties. Since we wish to put the case behind us, we have adopted the preliminary injunction, writes Merete Alnes Mostue, HR manager at MMC First Process in an e-mail to news. They have no further comment. Pål Jæger-Pedersen is a police inspector in the Sør-Vest Police District. Photo: Kristoffer Apall Assistance lawyer: – Has taken too long The police have investigated several companies after the death, but it is only MMC First Process that has been punished. – The case is closed and legally settled, says Jæger-Pedersen. District Attorney Hetland is critical of the fact that it has taken so long to reach a conclusion in the case. Those left behind have experienced this as an additional burden. – The time after the accident has been very difficult. They understand that this is a complex matter to investigate, but it has taken too long, says Hetland. The police also think it has taken too long. But add that it was a complex case to investigate. For the widow and the rest of Robert’s relatives, the punishment is still not the most important thing. – They hope that both the company and the industry will learn from the mistakes that have been made. They wish no one else to experience what they did, says Hetland.
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Company receives punishment after Robert (48) died in a fire at work – news Vestland
