The Hindu : A good safety record

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

National

National

A good safety record

By T.S. Subramanian

CHENNAI, FEB. 24. Vasant R. Gowariker, former Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, today described the fire and explosion at the Space Propellant Booster Plant (SPROB) at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, in which six persons were killed on Monday, as "very sad" for the SPROB had, according to him, "a good safety record."

Dr. Gowariker is the architect of the massive SPROB facility.

Speaking from Pune, Dr. Gowariker said that since its inception 27 years ago, there was only one accident at the SPROB about 12 years ago, in which one person was killed. A fire had erupted there. Otherwise, the SPROB has had "a fine safety record and it has careful people, dedicated people." "Generally, safety is part of their culture," he added.

A former SHAR Director called it "a blow" because the ISRO has had a good safety record. He pointed out that the ISRO personnel handled liquid propellants, which were far more hazardous. Besides solid propellants, liquid propellants powered the ISRO's PSLVs and the GSLVs."Our safety system is well-placed," he said. Fire had erupted while machining the propellant blocks in the previous accident. "Sprinklers got into action and the fire was put out. Compared to international standards, the ISRO is careful and we have learnt from others' mistakes," he said.

For instance, buildings at the SPROB were kept isolated from each other. The SPROB facilities are situated at a sprawling 2,500 hectares.

The world's worst-ever accident in an ammonium perchlorate plant took place at the United States' Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON) at Henderson on May 4, 1988. Fire and explosions destroyed the facility. The blasts killed two persons and injured over 300.

"It was a major plant in the world. The accident there led to a worldwide shortage of ammonium perchlorate," said Sreenivasa Setty, who was the first Project Engineer of ISRO's Ammonium Perchlorate Experimental

Plant (APEP) at Aluva, Kerala. Mr. Setty played a key role in the establishment of the APEP.

ISRO engineers denied reports that the fire and explosion on Monday at the SPROB took place when the motors for the Agni missile were being transported. "The SPROB has nothing to do with defence. It is our own facility," an engineer said.

Agni is derived from the ISRO's SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle).

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