Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

CSA Z767 stipulates that human factors must be considered in risk identification and quantification.  In doing so, the design of operator process/equipment interfaces with written guidelines and procedures, staffing levels, and the working environment (noise, vibration, lighting, temperature) should all be considered from the perspective of their effect on both the levels of protection (line […]

First, let’s DEFINE what we mean when we use the term “remotely operated shutoff valve.”  I have come to love the UK’s HSE definition, which is: A valve DESIGNED, INSTALLED, and MAINTAINED for the primary purpose of achieving rapid isolation of plant items containing hazardous materials in the event of a failure of the primary

Whenever we are dealing with piping and vessels that use nuts and bolts as their joining method, there was always this “rule of thumb” about “short-threading” and “3-threads showing.”  But now these “rules of thumb” may be no more, based on ASME PCC-1–2019, 8.2 Bolt Lengths.   I was raised/trained in this as a fundamental in

There is a new source for RMP Data.  This new source is provided by the Data Liberation Project.  Below is a breakdown of the new site – data was last updated in 2022.

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on March 15, 2022, an employee, 30, disconnected nuts to a line for service and repair work. The employee was working to depressurize lines of ammonia for service work. The team had isolated, performed proper lockout/ tagout, and bled the line assigned for work off. The employee began disconnecting nuts on

When a facility’s hazardous materials piping is assembled with bolted flanged joints, it needs a maintenance procedure to properly assemble and disassemble these flanged joints.  Along with this procedure, a means to pressure/leak test the bolted flanged joint must be used to ensure leak tightness. Subject to code/regulatory requirements, the worker should establish:

ASME PCC-1, Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly, is a MUST have (and read) for process safety professionals managing piping systems that have bolted flanged joints.  In fact, Chapter 15, JOINT DISASSEMBLY, has some specific requirements that a facility should adopt as part of its Line Break SWP for flanged joints. HINT: the

A RAGAGEP, which is often overlooked for pipe flanges but is fair game for OSHA and EPA to reference, is ASME PCC-1, Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly.  The RAGAGEP outlines the training personnel needs to safely assemble and disassemble flanged joints in hazardous material(s) piping circuits.  A facility with flanged piping should

Training and qualified personnel must assemble flanged joints in hazardous materials piping systems (see Appendix A of ASME PCC-1). Consideration should be given to establishing a finished joint examination process as part of the facility’s QA/QC assurance program.  A leak or failure in a piping system can be a minor inconvenience for low-consequence fluids, or

There are many different pipe support designs, types, and styles. They include hanger type, support shoes, saddles, bearing surfaces (e.g., structural members, concrete plinth blocks, etc.), spring type, dummy legs (trunnions), slide plates, sway braces/snubbers/struts, stands, sleeves, rollers, straps, clamps, and restrictive guides or anchors. An understanding of the function and design of pipe supports

Flexible hoses are often used to temporarily transfer hydrocarbons and other process fluids to facilitate turnaround activities (clearing equipment, de-inventorying, purging, etc.) and transfer process fluids/products to rail cars and/or/or tanker trucks for shipment. Flexible hoses may also be installed within process piping systems to mitigate the effects of thermal expansion, vibration, or movement during