Dear Editor,
The recent newspaper reports about damage to the boilers at Guysuco and Barama are a matter for concern. Very simply, a boiler is a pressure vessel that provides steam/hot water for such purposes as product processing and electricity generation. When improperly operated a boiler can be like a bomb waiting to explode. To safeguard against such explosion/damage several safety factors are incorporated in a boiler system. In addition, boiler operators are usually required to undergo intense training and certification.
Your newspaper reported that the cause of the boiler damage at Barama was the failure of an operator to open a feedwater valve.
However, industrial boilers all have built-in safeguards such as low water cutoffs to prevent a boiler from firing under such conditions, except the lower water cutoff is intentionally bypassed. There are also low water alarms to notify the operator of an impending problem. In addition there are sight gauges to show the operator the water level in the boiler. Were such protective systems present? If not, why not?
The Ministry of Labour is the agency charged with the administration of the factory ordinances that regulate the operation of boilers. These two incidents should serve as a wake-up call.
Yours faithfully,
Abraham David
