One of the most requested slide deck over the years has been from my 5-Day RAGAGEP course, specific to ASME B31.5, Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components. The PowerPoint file below is only 12 slides from a 300 slide presentation, but the requirements noted in these 12 slides are often not understood at the plant…...
Fabrication and Field Testing of Refrigerant Piping (ASME B31.5) Read More »
7/8/20 UPDATE: this LOI was NOT removed from the OSHA website; it was merely MOVED to the Year 2017 LOI Page (Linked Below). The letter was MOVED without any changes to its content – it was just moved to its proper year. This was merely a recordkeeping move by OSHA to reflect the year the…...
On February 18, 2020, the audible alarm and light outside the Ammonia plant was activated at approximately 6:40 pm. The plant operator checked the NH3 (ammonia) readings and it read 43 ppm (parts per million). At 6:45 pm the readings increased to 51ppm and staff activated the Emergency Response Plan, contacted 911, the Chief Engineer,…...
Compressor vibration may have caused ammonia leak Read More »
Two persons received minor injuries from exposure to ammonia after a refrigeration system failed and released ammonia that was intended to be contained within the evaporator and refrigeration system. INCIDENT OVERVIEW The evaporator within a refrigeration system of an industrial food processing facility failed and released ammonia in a cold storage room. Two workers suffered…...
Ammonia released from a cold storage room evaporator Read More »
A hydrogen leak originating from a tank within a high-pressure storage unit serving a hydrogen vehicle fueling station resulted in fire and explosion. Emergency responders were on scene within 7 minutes and contained the fire within 3hours. No damage was reported to the separate forecourt H2 dispenser or to other major station components within the…...
Improper torque leads to Hydrogen fire and explosion Read More »
Recently a fire district posted a video of a HIT occurring on a gasoline storage tank at a residence in Alaska. In their posting, they called the event a BLEVE and technically speaking we can see (as I show below) that this event was NOT a BLEVE. A Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) is…...
Visual differences between a BLEVE and a HIT Read More »
A safety feature(flanged connection)failure in a refrigeration system released 10 to 20 lbs of ammonia intended to be contained. The ammonia refrigeration system is designed to operate at 250 Psig. The system uses welded or flanged connections to connect components such as compressors, condensers, evaporators, and liquid receivers. Piping and fittings including flanges, different types…...
Check valve flange failure leads to Ammonia release (Technical Safety BC) Read More »
PSM/RMP covered processes that operate above 15 psi will have relief valves to protect pressure containing components such as vessels, piping, pumps, compressors, etc. It is standard practice that these relief valves get changed out at least every five (5) years or so; please follow your RAGAGEP and/or the RV manufacturer instructions for specific change/test…...
What can happen when pressure testing is not done by the book Read More »
Sorry, I have not seen any actual citations or details of how this incident occurred, but I will update if I get anything. A chemical supplier and an Ingredients’ facility have been fined $1 million each for violating the federal Clean Air Act when a cloud of toxic chlorine gas was released over Atchison, Kan.,…...
Two Kansas Companies Fined $1 Million Each In Atchison Chlorine Gas Case Read More »
Today, the EPA’s RMP Info Center published the following guidance on the REVISED emergency coordination activities in the RMP Rule. The Risk Management Program regulations require owners and operators of stationary sources to coordinate their response needs ANNUALLY, or more frequently if necessary, with local emergency planning and response organizations (40 CFR §68.93(a)). Are stationary…...
UPDATED 6/4/2020 with an FR face-covering item. (NOT an endorsement!) Westex UltraSoft® FR Face Mask 7oz. Westex UltraSoft® 88% Cotton / 12% High Tenacity Nylon Sizes: Regular Colors: Orange (OR) Style: FR9805 Source: https://rascofr.com/product-category/face-covering/ Last week the good folks are DuPont opened a can of proverbial worms that about a dozen of us have been…...
Face Coverings, flame-retardant/resistant clothing (FRC) and hazardous locations Read More »
Date of incident: March 2014 Notice of incident number: 2014155400035 Employer: Heavy equipment manufacturer Incident summary Two workers were bending aluminum tubing as they assembled a decanting post, a metal pipe structure used to decant liquid natural gas from tanks. Another worker was pressure testing a nearby decanting post to identify leaks. An explosion occurred…...
Worker injured by explosion in hose during pressure testing (WorkSafe BC) Read More »
