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Author: Veress Árpád · Explosion-protection expertDAILY Ex - 21 OCTOBER 2026
Today's focus: People, processes and protective barriers - are they working together? A new government report from South Korea reveals a troubling increase in fire and explosion fatalities. Meanwhile, a refinery staffing disruption in the United States, a combustible-material fire in Russia and today's hazardous-area conference in the UK raise important operational questions. Today's message: Explosion protection depends on competent people making the right decisions, supported by effective engineering controls.
⚡ DAILY Ex | 21 OCTOBER 2026
Explosion Protection | Operational Ex | Global Watch
Today's focus: People, processes and protective barriers - are they working together?
A new government report from South Korea reveals a troubling increase in fire and explosion fatalities. Meanwhile, a refinery staffing disruption in the United States, a combustible-material fire in Russia and today's hazardous-area conference in the UK raise important operational questions.
Today's message: Explosion protection depends on competent people making the right decisions, supported by effective engineering controls.
▶️ 1. SOUTH KOREA - FIRE AND EXPLOSION FATALITIES INCREASE 46%
🔴 NEW REGULATORY DEVELOPMENT | 20 October 2026
South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor published its third-quarter industrial accident statistics yesterday.
The figures reveal an important contradiction.
Overall workplace accident fatalities fell by 19.9%, from 457 to 366.
However, fatalities associated with fires and explosions increased from 26 to 38 - a rise of 46.2%.
Manufacturing fatalities also increased by 10.9%, reaching 132.
The government is strengthening inspections of workplaces handling flammable substances and conducting hazardous operations.
Why it matters operationally
Improving overall accident statistics can conceal deteriorating performance in specific high-consequence hazards.
Head of Operations action: Review fire and explosion risks separately from general occupational safety performance.
A low accident frequency does not demonstrate that major accident hazards are controlled.
https://www.moel.go.kr/news/enews/report/enewsView.do?news_seq=20117
▶️ 2. RUSSIA - FIRE INSIDE INDUSTRIAL DRYING EQUIPMENT
🔴 NEW INCIDENT | Voronezh region - 19 October
A fire occurred at a starch-and-syrup processing facility in Novozhivotinnoye, Russia.
According to regional reporting citing emergency authorities, the fire involved industrial drying equipment containing sunflower-seed husks.
Approximately five tonnes of material were destroyed.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in approximately 50 minutes. No injuries were reported.
The ignition mechanism has not been established, and no explosion was reported.
Why it matters operationally
Drying combustible materials combines heat, airflow, potentially combustible deposits and mechanical equipment.
Operational lesson: Verify temperature monitoring, material accumulation, shutdown procedures and the condition of downstream conveying and filtration systems.
A dryer fire may also require assessment of connected equipment before restart.
https://obozvrn.ru/archives/357611
▶️ 3. USA - REFINERY STAFFING DISRUPTION RAISES COMPETENCE QUESTIONS
🔴 CURRENT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT | New Jersey - 20 October
https://www.phillips66.com/ has locked out approximately 385 union-represented employees at its Bayway refinery and Linden terminal following the expiry of a contract extension.
The refinery can process approximately 275,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The company states that operations will continue using trained personnel.
The report does not establish any deficiency in the competence of those personnel. https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/phillips-66-locks-out-union-workers-new-jersey-refinery-after-contract-extension-2026-10-20/
Why it matters operationally
Refineries require continuous competence across process control, maintenance, hazardous-area operations, emergency response and safety-critical systems.
Significant staffing changes make verification of task-specific competence particularly important.
Management action: Confirm that every safety-critical position has competent, authorised personnel and effective shift-handover arrangements.
▶️ 4. UK - ATEX DESIGNATED-STANDARDS UPDATE EXPECTED TOMORROW
🟡 REGULATORY WATCH | Scheduled: 22 October
The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards has proposed updating its designated-standards list for equipment intended for explosive atmospheres.
The proposed amendment includes EN IEC 60079-28:2026, addressing equipment and transmission systems using optical radiation.
Publication is scheduled for tomorrow, 22 October.
The amendment remains a proposal until formally published.
Why it matters operationally
Optical sensors, laser instruments and fibre-optic systems may introduce ignition hazards that are not addressed by conventional electrical protection alone.
Compliance lesson: IEC publication, IECEx certification, EU harmonisation and UK designation are separate processes.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/designated-standards-new-or-amended-notices-of-publication
▶️ 5. UK - HAZARDOUS-AREA COMPETENCE AND FAKE CERTIFICATES
🟢 CURRENT EVENT | Norwich - 21 October
The HazardEx in the Regions technical event takes place today.
Its programme addresses electrostatic hazards, Ex manufacturing competence, IEC 60079-0 Edition 8, counterfeit certification and hazardous-area inspection follow-up.
One presentation asks a particularly relevant question:
What happens after the inspection report?
Why it matters operationally
An inspection identifies defects.
Management must determine their significance, prioritise corrective actions, implement controls and verify closure.
Operational lesson: The inspection report is an input to operational decision-making—not the end of the process.
▶️ 6. RESEARCH - CAN WATER SPRAY MITIGATE HYDROGEN DETONATIONS?
🔬 RECENT RESEARCH | Spain - September 2026
Researchers affiliated with Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid investigated water-spray mitigation of hydrogen–air detonations.
Their modelling study found that suppression behaviour depends strongly on water loading and droplet size.
Small droplets can vaporise rapidly and influence detonation propagation, while larger droplets may be much less effective.
The findings are theoretical and do not establish the performance of a particular industrial suppression system.
Why it matters operationally
Hydrogen protection cannot rely on generic assumptions about suppression performance.
Engineering lesson: Protective measures must be validated for the actual hydrogen release and credible explosion scenario.
https://portalcientifico.upm.es/en/ipublic/item/10552484
▶️ 7. FIELD LESSON - A SMALL MECHANICAL DEFECT CREATES A DUST FIRE
📘 HISTORICAL INCIDENT LEARNING | France - 6 March 2026
France's official ARIA industrial-accident database documents a fire inside a grain-silo bucket elevator.
An operator noticed abnormal vibration and an overheating smell.
Investigation identified a loosened gearbox component that had shifted and created friction and heating near adjacent equipment.
Combustible dust deposits became involved in the fire.
Why it matters operationally
Mechanical ignition sources can develop gradually.
Abnormal vibration, friction, bearing temperatures and equipment misalignment are operational warning signs.
Field lesson: A machine can remain electrically compliant while developing a dangerous mechanical ignition source.
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/66549/
▶️ OPERATIONAL Ex USE CASE
Maintaining Ex competence during an unexpected staffing change
PRACTICAL | Illustrative scenario, not a finding about the Bayway refinery
A refinery experiences an unexpected reduction in available operations personnel.
Management introduces replacement staff to maintain production.
The replacement personnel have relevant industrial experience.
They understand the process.
But have they been authorised for the site's specific Ex-related tasks?
Consider hazardous-area equipment isolation, gas detection, temporary deviations, inspection findings, safety-critical maintenance and return-to-service decisions.
Before assigning responsibility, Operations must verify:
Individual competence → task-specific authorisation → site familiarisation → access to current documentation → escalation authority → emergency responsibilities.
A general training certificate is not sufficient evidence of competence for every task.
Owner: Head of Operations, supported by the Ex Responsible Person and Training Manager.
Required evidence: Current competence matrix, individual authorisations, shift coverage and documented handovers.
Measure: 100% of safety-critical Ex tasks assigned to verified, authorised personnel.
Where adequate coverage cannot be demonstrated, affected operations must be restricted until appropriate controls are established.
▶️ TODAY'S Ex QUESTION
“If our most experienced Ex personnel were unavailable tomorrow, could we demonstrate that every safety-critical task would still be performed competently?”
Check who can authorise Ex maintenance, evaluate defects, approve modifications and release equipment for operation.
Then ask whether those responsibilities are assigned to specific competent individuals or merely to job titles.
DAILY Ex | CLOSING THOUGHT
Today's developments highlight three interconnected responsibilities.
Engineering establishes the protection.
Competent personnel maintain it.
Management verifies that it remains effective.
A certified device can be installed incorrectly.
A protective system can be maintained inadequately.
An inspection can identify a defect that remains unresolved.
And an experienced team can change without the necessary competence being transferred.
Operational Ex is the continuous management of these connections.
For the Head of Operations, the objective is not simply to demonstrate compliance.
It is to ensure that explosion protection remains effective with the people, equipment and operating conditions present today.