In my time in petro chem I had two releases (Cl2 and Br) that were caused when the handle of a 1/4-turn ball valve (bleed) was accidentally OPENED (one by a utility hose and one by a pant’s leg). Here is another example from The European Process Safety Centre (EPSC) What Happened:During scaffolding maintenance work, a valve was inadvertently opened. This valve was in the refill line of a pump...

ASME has allowed dual PRD systems ever since I started in process safety back in 1993. These systems usually have a Rupture Disc (RD) BEFORE the Pressure Safety Valve (PSV). This is usually done to protect the more expensive and more complicated PSV from the corrosive process gases. Although I never managed a PR system where a RD was placed after the PSV, this too is allowed by the code. This Releif...

For decades, we used Appendix M-5 in Section VIII as our design basis for having intervening/stop valves before and/or after a Pressure Relief Device (PRD).  But in 2021 (amid the global pandemic), ASME published its new Section XIII, Rules for Overpressure Protection.  We now use Appendix B of this new ASME section when we have a design basis using “stop valves” (or sometimes called “intervening valves”)...

I was always taught the “bubble test” method had a climate limitation regarding cold ambient temperatures. As we have discussed, ASME B31.3 refers us to ASME Section V for the Bubble Test method for leak testing. It is there we can find the “surface temperature” limitations… (emphasis is by me) … HomeRead More »

Sad state of affairs… At 2:15 p.m. on December 7, 2023, an employee working as a pipefitter for a shipyard was tasked to inspect JP5 tanks to ensure they were safe for a permit required confined space entry and then assist with troubleshooting a repair connection. The employee entered a tank and was overcome by lack of oxygen cause by argon gas. The employee died due to asphyxiation. Norfolk...

I have uploaded one of my more popular “culture” presentations/exercises I do with senior leaders and their safety leaders. It is a 2-day “reflective” workshop that intends to identify opportunities to improve the culture around safety at an organization. Experienced safety leaders can facilitate this exercise in-house and gain a lot of traction in putting plans in place that...

HSE has identified inconsistencies in the application and supervision of welding of safety-critical metallic components, leading to failures with high consequences. Examples include loss of containment of dangerous substances, major structural collapses, and fatalities. HSE specialists carried out a study to identify common causes of these and to highlight priority areas for improvement of weld quality...

I talk a lot about inspecting welds/flanges and then pressure testing and leak testing our piping. However, there is more to this story. Inspecting our piping actually begins before it is installed. 341.4.1 Examination – Normal Fluid Service … HomeRead More »

It is true that not all flanges and threaded joints have to be visually examined. However, this exemption is seriously limited. (4) a sufficient number of threaded, bolted, and other mechanical joints selected at random to satisfy the examiner that they conform to the applicable requirements of para. 335. Here is the qualifier… … HomeRead More »

A look back at OSHA’s 15 largest citations from 2015-2024. These figures are based on the INITIAL citations and NOT on the settled amounts. I have added the safety matter that drove the bulk of the citations. Just a tip… LOTO is by far #1 by a long shot (>50% of the cases). I’m not sure if we should cry or celebrate, but at least OSHA shows signs of getting serious with LOTO violations....

Maybe I’m just old school, but I have seen a strong focus on the safety fundamentals make tremendous progress in both performance and culture. Once we have milked the fundamentals for all they have to offer, then (maybe) our management system and culture will have matured to a point where we could manage a nice shiny cherry on top to drive that “continuous improvement” element to the next level. But...

A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio pleaded guilty in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head. The company operates several facilities in the United States,...