CSB Releases Safety Video on Fatal 2021 Paint Factory Explosion in Columbus, Ohio
CSB Releases Safety Video on Fatal 2021 Paint Factory Explosion in Columbus, Ohio
What Happened
On the evening of April 7, 2021, a batch resin production operation at Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation in Columbus, Ohio went catastrophically wrong. A worker added flammable solvent to a low-pressure kettle while its agitator was turned off. Instead of mixing into the hot resin below, the solvent pooled on top.
When the operator restarted the agitator, the pooled solvent rapidly vaporized. Pressure surged inside the vessel, and a newly installed manway failed under the stress, releasing flammable vapors throughout the facility. Within minutes, the vapor cloud found an ignition source. The resulting explosion and fire burned for approximately 11 hours.
One worker was killed. Eight others were injured.
What the CSB Found
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a detailed safety video breaking down the incident. CSB Board Member Sylvia Johnson identified multiple failures:
- Mechanical integrity failure: The newly installed manway was not adequately designed, constructed, or pressure tested before being put into service
- Missing engineering controls: No interlock prevented solvent addition when the agitator was off
- Inadequate emergency preparedness: The facility lacked sufficient emergency response procedures for vapor release scenarios
Key Safety Lessons
The CSB directed recommendations to Yenkin-Majestic, the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The core lessons apply to any facility that handles flammable solvents:
- Pressure test new equipment: Every new or modified vessel component must be pressure tested before returning to service
- Interlock critical sequences: If adding solvent to a hot vessel requires agitation, the system should prevent addition when the agitator is off
- Audit your mechanical integrity program: Newly installed components carry the same risk as aging equipment if not properly validated
- Review vapor release scenarios: Emergency plans should address rapid vapor generation and ignition in enclosed spaces
Why It Matters Now
The CSB is a non-regulatory body — it investigates and recommends but does not issue citations or fines. However, its findings frequently influence OSHA enforcement priorities and industry standards. Facilities handling flammable solvents should treat this video as a free audit checklist for their own mechanical integrity and process safety management programs.
Alliance's Take
This incident underscores why proper chemical handling documentation matters at every stage — from procurement through production. Every flammable solvent we supply at Alliance Chemical ships with a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that details flash points, vapor pressures, and safe handling procedures specific to the product and concentration.
If you handle flammable solvents in batch processes, the CSB video is worth 15 minutes of your safety team's time. The mechanical integrity failures at Yenkin-Majestic are exactly the kind of gap that regular process hazard analyses are designed to catch.
Need SDSs or Certificates of Analysis for your solvent inventory? Reach out at sales@alliancechemical.com — we can provide documentation for any product in our catalog.
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