CSB Meeting on NDK Crystal Recommendations
The investigation into the December 2009 explosion identified pressure vessel design and material selection requirements, learning from previous incidents, and routine and thorough inspections of equipment as key issues.
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has scheduled a meeting on Nov. 14, 2013, starting at 10:30 a.m. CST in Rockford, Ill., to vote on the draft case study and recommendations from the explosion it has been investigating at NDK Crystal, Inc., in Belvidere, Ill., on Dec. 7, 2009.
A 50-foot pressure vessel used to produce synthetic quartz crystals exploded. Although it was housed in an enclosed building, the blast threw projectiles at least 300 yards, killing a member of the public and injuring a second person. An adjacent business sustained significant property damage, according to the agency.
Staffers will present their investigative findings to the board at the meeting, focusing on three key issues they've identified: pressure vessel design and material selection requirements, learning from previous incidents, and routine and thorough inspections of equipment.