Pressure Vessel Failed When Sight Glass Ruptured Spraying Hot Liquid in Workspace

Location: Vancouver

Regulated industry sector: Boilers, PV & refrigeration - Boiler and pressure vessel system

Incident overview

A pressure vessel at a food processing facility failed when a sight glass ruptured during an overpressure event, spraying hot liquid at 100 psi into the workspace. The vessel had been operating above its maximum allowable working pressure for weeks due to clogged filters, bypassed safety interlocks, and a lack of maintenance on pressure relief valves. Contributing factors included untrained staff, missing regulatory permits, and poor system design, which left parts of the vessel unprotected from overpressure.