Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) is a flammable liquid used to manufacture plastics and resins. While it is regulated by OSHA and the EPA for occupational safety and toxic release reporting, it is currently NOT included on the EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) regulated list. It is a PSM Covered Chemical with a TQ of 10,000 pounds. MMA monomer weighs approximately 7.84 pounds per…...
An uncontrolled polymerization event in a Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) storage tank is a classic, catastrophic thermal runaway scenario. When the monomer begins linking into polymer chains, the system enters a self-accelerating feedback loop that can rapidly overwhelm the vessel’s pressure-relief systems, leading to a violent rupture that often resembles a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion…...
5/29/262 UPDATED using NFPA 30, Tables 22.4.1.5 and 22.4.1.1(b). It was brought to my attention that CA has more stringent requirements, so I have updated my post using NFPA 30, Chapter 22 – Storage of Ignitible (Flammable or Combustible) Liquids in Tanks — Aboveground Storage Tanks. My previous post was using IFC Tables. Using Google…...
While routine, closed-loop transfers are inherently safe from internal static ignition, bonding and grounding become critical whenever the system is opened to the atmosphere or when specific maintenance activities generate massive static charges. When we break the closed loop or introduce external energy, the hazard profile shifts from NFPA 58 back to the static mitigation…...
This post is a follow-up to my earlier post about NH3 being a CAT 2 Flammable Gas, as there are still businesses that dont fully grasp the full hazard profile of NH3. The fact that the facility is under the OSHA/RMP TQ of 10,000 pounds has NOTHING to do with needing the engine/mechanical room to…...
A company has been fined £350,000 after the catastrophic collapse of a storage tank at its premises, which left a self-employed worker with life-changing injuries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident, which occurred on 21 June 2023 at an offshore supply base. The base handles around two thousand ship movements per year,…...
The 2027 edition of NFPA 704, Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, includes new definitions of the terms “battery energy storage system” and “lithium-based battery,” along with associated annex material. Updates have been made in Section 6.2, Degrees of Hazards for Flammability Hazards, to align with NFPA 1…...
NFPA has updated its NFPA 497, Recommended Practice for the Classification of Flammable Liquids, Gases, or Vapors and of Hazardous (Classified) Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas, with a few minor revisions. Probably the most significant revision is NFPA’s position on “intentional releases and maintenance venting.” The most beneficial revision was NFPA officially…...
In the 2027 edition of NFPA 30, the standard now provides a NEW schematic illustrating the spatial layout of hazardous (classified) locations for indoor areas with process equipment containing ignitible (flammable or combustible) liquids at pressures of 100 psig or less. I am not sure why they included this in NFPA 30 (Chapter 7) or…...
The new means to analyze risks associated with flammable gases is their “burning velocity,” and the new limit is 10 cm/s. So I wanted to provide some real-world examples of what this looks like. So I asked AI to compare 10 cm/s flame front with the speed of a person walking and a jackrabbit. OSHA…...
I recently was helping a client with some questions regarding their CAT 1B Flammable Refrigerant Process and was surprised to see that the “new” MAQ for these refrigerants is 10,000 pounds. Add the footnote exceptions, and we could have 30,000 pounds of this flammable refrigerant in a single fire area, either in “storage” or in…...
You just knew it was a matter of time before I did this. It took me only 4 revisions to get to this final product. It is NOT perfect, but it is an ACCURATE rendition of how they must be built/installed. The second infographic was me asking the question in a different way and it…...
