Have you ever wondered how relaible your relief devices actually are? Ever wondered why five years is the mximum baseline timeframe for testing and replacement? As a result of years of testing, The National Board has accumulated a good deal of data that helps us analyze the quality and reliability of relief valves. We can…...
National Board RV Testing Data Read More »
Most have seen the amazing CCTV footage from the 2007 ammonia release from the ag business in Seward, IL, but those two videos leave a lot of questions. This posting is a follow-up video regarding the trucking company’s clean-up plan and contains a news video that gives us some perspective on the area’s layout. In…...
Putting Seward, IL 38,000 NH3 release into some perspective Read More »
I have discussed Stress Corrosion Cracking in refrigeration vessels and have been asked “if it can occur in vessels, can it occur in our piping too”. The short answer is YES. But I want to state again, I am NOT a metallurgist and I am not the person to contact about your SCC concerns. I…...
Can Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) occur in Ammonia Piping? Read More »
Unfortunately there are countless industrial disasters that led up to the USA’s version of Process Safety Management standards from both OSHA and EPA; but in my world of flammable liquids and gases, it was Flixborough that resonated with me. It just seemed that every process safety or flammable liquids/gases training that I attended Flixborough always…...
Flixborough… the beginning of the PSM movement Read More »
UPDATED on 6/4/2016 – Police investigating the accident said that the hydrofluoric acid spill might have been caused by human error as two workers unloaded the chemical from a delivery tanker. A closed-circuit security video camera recorded the two workers on top of the tanker without protective gear. They connected an air hose to a valve…...
VIDEO UPDATE on Fatal HF Release – 5 Dead 18 Injured Read More »
I have highlighted some surprises for those of you in OH that may be reading this! FYI, Anhydrous Ammonia is a Group B2 refrigerant, based on Addenda to Designation and Safety Classifications of Refrigerants. Be sure to click on the Links to the other applicable OH Fire Codes referenced in this section!… Membership Required You must...
Ohio Fire Code Requirements for Mechanical Refrigeration facilities using Ammonia Read More »
After the fatal phosgene incident in WV on January 23, 2010, the CSB asked OSHA to take sustained measures to minimize the exposure of hazards to workers handling highly toxic gases from cylinders and associated regulators, gages, hoses, and appliances. Ensure that OSHA managers, compliance officers, equivalent state OSHA plan personnel, and regulated parties conform, under…...
OSHA Enforcement Memo – Use of Flexible Hoses in Toxic Gas Service (10/2/2012) Read More »
The management system required under Subpart A of 40 CFR Part 68 is essentially a system defined by facility managers for integrating the implementation of the risk management program elements and assigning responsibility for that implementation (58 FR 54196; October 20, 1993). The extent of the management system will depend on the size and complexity of…...
What is a RMP management system? (EPA) Read More »
The International Fire Code has another version of OSHA’s and EPA’s General Duty Clause. It is 5001.3 Performance-based design alternative. The code contains 18 elements that very closely mirror OSHA’s PSM and EPA’s RMP requirements, but the BIG DIFFERENCE is that the code makes no mention of quantities/thresholds! The rule applies to all hazardous materials,…...
IFC’s Performance-Based Design Alternative (PBDA) Read More »
Often times we get so involved with meeting OSHA and EPA regulations that it is easy to loose site of the State Fire and Hazardous Material codes. In some states these codes can be even more stringent that OSHA and EPA process safety requirements! PLEASE keep in mind, each state will have their OWN SET…...
Process Safety and Ohio State Fire & HAZMAT Codes Read More »
EPA issued a Process Safety Alert in 2007 in response to several investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) which involved the failure of excess flow valves (EFV). While EFVs are in extensive service and have prevented numerous pipe or hose breaks from becoming much more serious incidents, experience has shown that in some cases the…...
Applications and Limitations of Excess Flow Valves Read More »
The information in this report was collected by staff in the North Carolina Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) Program. Ammonia releases in North Carolina have resulted in injuries, hospitalizations, and workplace evacuations. Some examples of ammonia releases in NC include:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a...
Ammonia Releases in North Carolina (1993-1997 Data) Read More »
