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 […]
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
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
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
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
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
For new processes, you must document both material and energy inputs and outputs of a process. For example, you would document the quantity of a regulated substance added to the process, the quantity consumed during the process, and the quantity that remains in the output. This requirement will not generally apply to storage processes. CLICK
In the past couple of months, I had several conversations with process safety professionals asking about “running equipment to failure” within a chemical process handling a highly hazardous chemical (HHC) or extremely hazardous substance (EHS). These discussions were often lively and I was actually called “a consultant” “that needed to walk a mile in my
The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors has released its First Quarter Report of Violation Findings for 2013. The modified violation tracking system launched in July 2012 and captures a clearer picture of problem areas and trends related to boiler and pressure vessel operation, installation, maintenance, and repair. The data also identifies problems
The National Board has announced 1,530,716 registrations of boilers, pressure vessels, attachments, and nuclear equipment for the fiscal year 2013 (July 1, 2012–June 30, 2013). The National Board maintains manufacturers’ data reports on all boilers and pressure vessels registered with the National Board. Each data report includes the name of the manufacturer, the item’s National
More than 44,000 preliminary assessments were reviewed by DHS from facilities with chemicals of interest 4,298 facilities are currently covered by CFATS More than 3,000 facilities voluntarily removed, reduced, or modified their holdings of chemicals of interest 1276 visits to assist facilities with compliance 589 Security Plans authorized 182 Security Plans approved following an onsite inspection
Section 27.110(b) of 6 CFR exempts from CFATS “Treatment Works,” as defined in section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Pub. L. 92-500, as amended. If an industrial facility treats its wastewater and that water is directly discharged into a body of water without further treatment, then the facility must be registered with
