Early Saturday morning a chlorine gas leak, resulting from a faulty container, sent operators at the Shelter Belt Water Treatment Plant into action to contain the problem.
Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), in a press statement issued yesterday, said that fast action prevented any escalation of the gas leak. Guidelines specified by GWI’s Plant Safety Management System were followed to deal with the issue.
The company’s Health and Safety Officer Christopher Cathro has since advised, “the leak posed no danger to nearby residents. Due to the swift action by our operators, the amount of gas which escaped into the open air was minimal and did not cause any harm to the plant operators, plant or other animal life within the vicinity.”
He further indicated that a full investigation was conducted with the aim of minimizing similar occurrences. All safety measures, Cathro said, for the handling of chlorine gas cylinders will continue at all GWI facilities. These are constantly reviewed and recommendations for improved safety are implemented with the aim of eliminating any potential hazards to public safety.
The smell of chlorine gas would have resulted from the minimal amounts of chlorine that would have been diffused and diluted in the air around the treatment plant, GWI said. The leak was minimal and “would not have resulted in any adverse consequences to plant or animal life.
The company offers all assurances that the safety of its customers and residents living and working in communities in which GWI operates remains a top priority.”
