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Background and objectives: The use of fossil fuels in industries has the potential to the occurrence of accidents such as fires and explosions. The occurrence of these accidents will have irreparable financial, human, and environmental consequences, which can be prevented by identifying and controlling their contributing factors. This study aimed to identify and model the factors affecting the fire incident of fuel oil tanks in an industrial plant.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on fuel oil tanks of an industrial plant using the Tripod Beta method in 2020. The necessary data for modeling were collected using methods of interview, observation of operations, and review of documents. Then main risk factors, preconditions, and hidden causes as well as the existing protective barriers were identified and an accident tree was drawn.

Results: The results of this study identified 19 main risk factors and showed that the highest share was related to controlling methods and equipment (36.8%) and the lowest was related to design and hardware (5.2%). Failure of escape and rescue methods and equipment and inadequate supervision was identified as the widespread prerequisites, and failure to appropriately or adequately define the current monitoring method of work activities in the company as the common latent problems.

Conclusions: The results showed that the methods and equipment of defense, training, and organization had the greatest role in causing fuel tank fires, respectively. Therefore, it is necessary to use appropriate methods and equipment for improving safety, as well as train the managers and employees for the …