Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

RMP and Population Estimates from 2010 Census Data

For those of you who have been using Landview to estimate your populations impacted by your WCS and ARS(s), you may be a tad disappointed to learn that it appears “Landview” will no longer be available with UPDATED data!  “Landview 6” was the last update and it used the population data from the 2000 Census…...

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Challenging PHA assumptions during revalidations

UPDATE: Many thanks to my friends who must remain nameless on my website for sharing their article on this topic.  They are MUCH more elegant than me and quite a bit more technical, but all in all we agree… not all safeguards should be counted!  For those doubting my position, you need to pay close…...

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NH3 Refrigeration Auto Purger Design Change

It has come to our attention that some manufacturer(s) have changed the design of their auto purgers by installing a Relief Valve (RV) with the package.  The owner’s manual of the component specifically lists the RV as a pre-assembled component and requires the installation of a “vent line” on this RV.  This seems to be…...

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Are you tired of pressure testing your process piping after the pressure boundary has been breached?

Are you tired of spending thousands of dollars on high-cost nitrogen to pressure test your process piping?  Are you tired of all the procedural documents you must have in place to perform this testing?  And all of the training you must do for the personnel performing this testing?  Well, I have a special deal for…...

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PHAs and the consequences of engineering and administrative controls failing

“Now there’s something you don’t see every day” is the quote I will never forget when the OSHA CSHO began looking over the PHA. When we asked what sparked his comment, he showed us…… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

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A start for discussing Hydrostatic Relief Valves (HRVs)

In the world of process safety and piping design, Hydrostatic Relief Valves (HRVs)—often simply called thermal relief valves—are the unsung heroes that prevent piping ruptures during periods of inactivity. While a standard Safety Relief Valve (SRV) protects against massive surges or process upsets, the HRV is specifically designed to handle the thermal expansion of trapped…...

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Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Ammonium Nitrate

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) (“we”) are issuing this advisory as part of an ongoing federal effort to improve chemical risk management, and to advance safety and protect human health and the environment. This advisory contains information on…...

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What is a “Tell-Tale” gauge and why is it significant in process safety

How can such a little gauge play such a BIG role in process safety? It is actually quite simple, yet so many relief system designs fail to incorporate them. These gauges are BOTH critical to process safety AND compliance with PSM/RMP. In this article, I will explain what a “tell-tale” gauge is and what purpose…...

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Pipe RAGAGEPs and Hydrostatic relief

A quick search of SAFTENG.net and one will see that over the years I have written dozens of articles discussing the need for hydrostatic relief protection on piping where a liquid that gets blocked in could expand and rupture the pipe.  Yet it seems that each industry somehow feels the need or requirement does not…...

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Is the 1-U form for my pressure vessel really not a PSM requirement?

Already, in less than 24 hours from when I posted the OSHRC decision on the BP Refinery, I have received over a dozen e-mails asking me “do I have to have U-1 forms for my pressure vessels?”.  There are not many PSM/RMP facilities that have not been dinged with one of these findings over the…...

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OSHRC frowns on OSHA’s use of “Internal Reports/Documents” to issue PSM citations

On March 8, 2010, the Secretary issued three citations to a refinery, alleging twenty serious, forty-two willful, and three other-than-serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Act), 29 U.S.C. §§ 651, et seq. The Secretary issued the citations following an inspection conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at…...

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