Do not disturb which of the following in LOX incidents?

• A. LOX itself
• B. LOX-soaked asphalt
• C. Surrounding vegetation
• D. Firefighters

Answer: (B)

In a LOX incident the area can become highly enriched with oxygen, turning any surface that has absorbed liquid oxygen into a potential ignition medium. LOX-soaked asphalt is especially hazardous to disturb because the liquid oxygen saturates the porous asphalt and its binder, creating a reservoir of oxidizer. Moving or scraping that surface can release or entrain a large amount of oxygen into the air and onto other surfaces, dramatically increasing the risk of a rapid, intense combustion if any fuel residues or hydrocarbons are present. The danger isn’t just the cold LOX itself, but the elevated oxidizer environment on the ground that can ignite or propagate fires with minimal heat or ignition sources. Therefore, the surface saturated with LOX remains undisturbed to prevent spreading the oxidizer and triggering a flash fire. The other elements pose hazards too, but the most critical factor to avoid disturbing in this context is the LOX-soaked asphalt.