Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

What does “relief system design basis” mean?

Relief systems include, but are not limited to, relief valves, relief headers, relief drums, and rupture disks. Design basis means documenting how the loads and sizes of the relief system and inlet and outlet sizes were determined. This includes:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...

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Response to an NH3 leak leads to serious exposures and missed shifts

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on or about July 31, Employee #1, a can and bottling operation maintenance technician, responded to a possible ammonia leak during the second shift at the plant. A 2,000-lb outside storage tank pumped ammonia into the line-filled room to cool the syrups to between 35 and 40 degrees F before the…...

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Cellular Phones and Other Risks in Classified Areas (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)

This National Safety Alert provides an update to National Safety Alert No. 5, Cell Phone Results in Fire, dated March 6, 2002, which addressed a flash fire on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico OCS. As detailed in National Safety Alert No. 5, a contract panel specialist worked on an open platform master control…...

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A look back at the first NFPA 51B committee meeting (Philidelphia, PA. May 21-25, 1962)

Cutting and welding processes using electric arcs or oxy-fuel gas flames are necessary for our industrial world. Too often, however, the persons who use, hire, or supervise the use of the processes do not fully appreciate that their improper use can result in the loss of life and property by fire and explosion. Approximately 6…...

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The BASICS on PRESSURE VESSEL SAFETY (OSHA)

INTRODUCTION Recent inspection programs for metallic pressure containment vessels and tanks have revealed cracking and damage in a considerable number of the vessels inspected. Safety and hazard evaluations of pressure vessels, as also presented in OSHA Instruction PUB 8-1.5, need to consider the consequences of a leakage or a rupture failure of a vessel.  Two…...

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5,700-gallon hydrochloric acid (HCl) storage tank ruptured during filling

On Tuesday, April 8, 1997, at approximately 8:59 a.m., a 5,700-gallon hydrochloric acid (HCl) storage tank ruptured during filling. The failure of the HCl tank caused a significant portion of its liquid contents (which totaled about 4,800 gallons of 31% HCl) to suddenly surge over the secondary containment. The force of the liquid also caused…...

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EPA’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) and Transportation Containers

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood RMP/PSM compliance issues for facilities that use rail cars as storage tanks and or use “tube trailers” as storage tanks. EPA has been clear since 1998 on how these rail cars that are hooked up to the process and those that are “stored on spurs” are to…...

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OSHA Q&A on PSM Compliance (CPL02-02-045, 1994)

Clarifications and Interpretations of the PSM Standard The guidance contained in this appendix is provided for compliance assistance. This appendix contains clarifications agreed to in a settlement agreement dated April 5, 1993, between OSHA, the United Steelworkers of America, the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, and the Building and Construction Trades Department of…...

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Process Safety Management Meer Decision (OSHRC)

Meer Corporation (Meer) was cited on January 9, 1995, for serious and non-serious violations of numerous safety requirements for managing hazards associated with processes using highly hazardous chemicals. The standard prescribing the multiple procedures is referred to as process safety management (PSM). The serious citation also includes an item alleging violation of the machine guarding…...

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