We see this far too often… a management system failure related to 3-year PSM/RMP audits. A company with multiple facilities should be “trending” its 3-year audit findings to IDENTIFY opportunities for improvement across the company. I did this years ago when I was a member of the Corporate EHS Team for a semi-conductor. And was…...
A video I posted over two years ago has come full circle. A citizen (some may call him homeless) was allowed to sit (and smoke) within 20′ of a gasoline tanker unloading operation at a gas station. His actions may not have been his sole demise, as we can see in the video evidence that…...
Victor Dearman Jr. CIRO, CRST Social media can be a great thing, especially for getting the word out about your services/offerings and showcasing through pictures and videos the work you absolutely should be proud of. Or, should you be proud of it? Yep, this won’t be popular but needs to be said. Engineers, service technicians,…...
Fire Severely Burned an Employee and Resulted in $350 Million in Damages The CSB released its final investigation report into the November 19, 2023, fire at the renewable diesel facility in Martinez, CA. The incident seriously injured one employee, who suffered third-degree burns over most of his face and body and resulted in approximately $350 million in…...
Victor Dearman Jr. CIRO, CRST No, it doesn’t involve anything with refrigeration. Same equipment, the same people, and a better layout to improve efficiency. So why would an MOC be required if it doesn’t impact refrigeration/PSM? Well, we have to think a little beyond equipment changes in the refrigeration system for a moment, or procedural…...
Volume 2 covers 25 serious chemical incidents in 14 states: Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. These serious incidents resulted in 7 fatalities, 23 serious injuries, and approximately $1 billion in property damage. Link to Volume 2: http://www.idevmail.net/link.aspx?l=1&d=86&mid=421120&m=2672 The reports give the public important information about…...
Victor Dearman Jr. CIRO, CRST One of the challenges to my post was “What if the flagging tape was to indicate that the valve was in an abnormal position?” This was followed up with a challenge as to whether or not anything forbids such a method. Operating procedures should be designed to meet the requirements…...
“Why did they have a Rupture Disc and a Relief Valve together?” As I alluded to in my post regarding CBS’s update, this arrangement is fairly common but comes with some very SPECIFIC requirements. These requirements can be found in: But the top four (4) requirements, we as safety engineers should be looking for in…...
I have shared the ASME and NBIC “code” requirements for these arrangements and it has already stirred a number of debates/questions; of which the API has offered some excellent guidance on this design. (emphasis by me)… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
It has grown tiresome, but it remains a teachable moment, to debate “engineers” who want part of ASME/NBIC to be the gospel and other parts not so much. The ammonia refrigeration industry just can’t seem to grasp the critical need in their “Common PRV Header Design” v.s. having more “holes in the roof” (as they…...
Recently I was asked if “torquing” threaded pipe is required by code. I answered the inquiry by referring the client to ASME B1.20.1-2013, which states: 1.4 Sealing (NPT and NPSC Only)…1.4.3 Tightening Torque.Due to application-specific variables such as materials, wall thickness, operating pressures, etc., no guidance is given in this Standard regarding joint-tightening torque. However,…...
A lot of folks may not know that Hydrogen gas is used as a refrigerant on generators at power plants. When I first started working on power plants in 2005, I was shocked at this practice and at how some plants managed these risks. I have never done work for the company involved in this…...
