Those of you that follow me on social media know that I updated all my profiles photos last week with a photo from the Final “Jack Rabbit” Report showing a 20-ton Chlorine Release from an overhead drone. The image is UNREAL and after working with chlorine for over 25 years I was in awe of its power…...
After last weeks tragic triple fatality ammonia refrigeration accident in Canada, this weekend’s database work really caught my attention when I saw who holds the #1 spot for “# of deaths”. It seems that a food plant in Indiana with an ammonia refrigeration process with 16,000 pounds of NH3 had a release in August 2015 that…...
Operations at this installation, which featured a recent design, had been partially started in 1996; the latest in a series of plant extensions, including space designated for ammonia storage, was authorized on January 9, 1997. This plant processed 150 tonnes/day of meat (animal slaughter and production of vacuum-sealed meats, frozen ground beef, both frozen and…...
This summary report was established based on information collected from 557 French accidents (251 cases) or foreign accidents (306 cases) which took place between January 1917 (not a type-o) and May 2003. This document should be of specific interest to installations implementing large quantities of chlorine (chemical plants, paper mills, metallurgy…), as well as companies…...
This study essentially concerns refrigeration installations using ammonia as a refrigerant. However, to better understand and to place the risks associated with these installations in perspective, quantified information has also been collected on numerous accidents, both French or foreign, in other industrial or agricultural activities and the field of transport. The processing of these data allows some comparisons to…...
In early March 2017, the ARIA database identified 349 events involving fittings and seals/gaskets. These elements are often encountered on pipe flanges and are also essential sealing components for valves or other equipment. Insufficiently tightened flange bolts and deficient leak inspections on seals/gaskets are often the cause of an accident. Equipment involved, the location of seals/gaskets: flanges (ARIA…...
A chemical plant for the production of fertilizer was built in 1969 and located over 7 miles from the town of Jonova which had a population of 40,000. The plant employed 5,000 people and was positioned inside a military zone with controlled access. The ammonia tank involved in the accident was a cryogenic storage vessel with a capacity…...
In my travels around the world, I find that many still view Anhydrous Ammonia as a “chemical that changed the world.” From the fertilizer industry I hear how Anhydrous Ammonia has saved billions from starvation as it works its magic as a fertilizer; from the refrigeration industry, I head how it is the lowest global warming…...
Recently we came across a project where questions arose concerning the welders on the job. The Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) was well written and listed the welders who would be making the welds on the piping being installed. But when asked to see the welders “certification records,” those records were older than six (6) months…....
There may come a day when one of our pressure relief valves will need some type of work done on it and when that day comes we need to ensure the contractor/shop doing the work holds an “VR Stamp” from The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. The “VR” stands for “valve repair” and…...
There may come a day when one of our pressure vessels will need some work done on it, and when that day comes, we need to ensure the contractor doing the work holds an “R Stamp” from The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. The “R” stands for “repair” and anyone who makes…...
The National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) is issued every two years and this year’s edition (2017) is now organized into four (4) parts. It is developed to maintain the integrity of pressure-retaining items by providing rules for installation (Part 1), and after the items have been placed into service, by providing standards for inspection (Part…...
