Most people recognize Ethanol and Methanol as flammable liquids, and many of those people fail to recognize the large difference in the TOXICITY HAZARDS between these two (2) alcohols. As I wrote about during the COVID pandemic, these differences led to 28 fatalities linked to hand sanitizer made with Methanol vs. Ethanol. Those who may…...
This is a response to a client regarding their question… do we need to use non-sparking tools in our flammable and combustible dust areas? This is a GREAT practice, but many people may be surprised that OSHA has to use its GDC to cite this requirement, as it is NOT an OSHA/NFPA/IFC requirement. Of course,…...
These sleeves/pouches are a really handy tool for managing work permits. SDSs, etc., while making them highly visible. In my facilities, we used contractor work permits to control entry, scope of work, and exit for our covered processes. But most contractors had to obtain additional safe work permits for their specific work. And most of…...
As we have discussed before, this old saying is one that has stuck with me from the mid-1990’s when I learned it a process piping course. Catchy phrase – easy to remember. And I still use it, although my 2023 post made it clear it may be a thing of the past. So I asked…...
A little trick you can use when you think you have come across a misaligned flange. No special tools needed, just the key to your house! We recently came across this flange during a process walkdown and pointed it out. Some folks wanted to debate whether it was misaligned. I was 100% confident it was…...
3-way valves have grown in popularity over the past 10-15 years, as they have begun to find their way into relief systems. Today, codes allow “relief trees” to be used, so Pressure Safety Valves can be changed out without emptying and degassing the vessel. The 3-way valve is the means by which the PSV is…...
Another crazy question that I was asked a few weeks back by a friend and up-and-coming safety pro. Again, the side bar group discussions ALL said NO, the authorized employee doing the LOTO must be the one to verify ZES of the LOTO, not the “affected employee” who has nothing to do with the LO…...
This debate has been going on amongst a number of us, as a friend asked the question. 99% of of agreed – NO, it can not be reclassified when the COM DUST is inside the space. Cleaning it would be a Permit-Entry; once clean AND FREE of the COM Dusts, then we could discuss reclassifying…...
If you can’t tell, I am having a ball playing with these AI systems. And to be honest, my numbers were a bit more conservative than Gemini and Grok, but darn, they were excellent answers that are SOLID nonetheless. These AI tools may make amazing tools for PRE-PLANNING for Pool Fires and FOAM INVENTORY needs…....
My question: How much water flow in GPM is necessary to cool a 1,000 gallon LPG tank that is involved in a pool fire to prevent it from experiencing a BLEVE? Their answer… Google Gemini is learning who I am! Given your work with SAFTENG.net, you likely know that while 55 GPM is the “engineering”…...
Yes, there are two (2) types of BLEVEs, and much like the myth that BLEVE’s only happen to Pressure Vessels with liquified flammable gases, COLD BELVEs account for nearly 25% of all BLEVEs. So what is the difference between the two? Super GROK explains it better than I could… A BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor…...
I continue to play with and test Google Gemini Plus and Super GROK in the OSH and Process Safety space. Today, my question to both was: How much of a Class II flammable liquid will it take to burn under a 1,000-gallon LPG tank to cause a BLEVE? BOTH of the systems had outstanding answers!…...
