Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

On Dec. 3, 2004, a 50,000-pound steel pressure vessel violently exploded at the southwest Houston Marcus Oil and Chemical facility. The pressure vessel contained flammable hydrocarbons such as hexane. The pressure vessel was a horizontal tank 12 feet in diameter, 50 feet long, and operated at a pressure of approximately 67 psi. Marcus Oil did…...

On January 15, 2008, a pressure vessel at a New Jersey foundry exploded, killing one 60-year-old worker instantly while injuring eight other workers with shrapnel. The pressure vessel in question was used to pressurize/depressurize molten aluminum to prevent/eliminate porosity from the metal. The incident occurred while two (2) workers, including the one who was killed,…...

At 11:30 p.m. on March 19, 2009, Solus Industrial Innovations LLC employees from the third shift had just come to work. Their employer is a manufacturer of plastic conveyor parts. One employee (Employee #1) pointed out to the on-shift supervisor that there was a pool of water near an 80-gallon water heater that was being…...

On March 3, 2010, a Peoples Gas worker died, and another was seriously injured after they were struck by a pipe while pressure-testing an underground gas main…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

Summary On the days leading to January 6, 2014, unusual weather conditions with high-temperature variations caused a large pressure rise inside the three storage vessels at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility. The pressure increase reached the point where the relief valve on each vessel opened automatically and released gas…...

Worker Fatality During Attempted Removal of Blind Flange on Cell 14 Magnet Cooling Water System Summary On October 21, 2015, two National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) mechanical technicians were involved in an incident while attempting to remove a Victaulic blind flange from supply piping on a Magnet Cooling Water (MCW) System. The mechanical technicians…...

As a part of the hazard assessment requirements in 40 CFR Part 68, Subpart B, I must analyze worst-case release scenarios and document certain analyses in my risk management plan (RMP). How many worst-case release scenarios must be analyzed, and how many analyses must be specifically documented in the RMP?… Membership Required You must be...

How do the Clean Air Act (CAA) risk management program requirements differ from the hazardous chemical reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)?… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

I have spent much time with clients doing “Engineering and Code Reviews.”  These have been instrumental in avoiding many issues when it comes time for the INITIAL PHA. Depending on the process size and complexity, these can take 0.5 – 3 days, but that time is spent ensuring the primary containment systems and all the…...