This is a MUST read for those of us in the process safety arena… OPEN to everyone as this is from ABSA – the pressure equipment safety authority… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Here is a listing of just some of the Loss of Primary Containment (LOPC) events involving pressure equipment unsafe conditions, accidents, and fires that have been reported to and investigated by ABSA. This information is provided to make people aware of the general nature of pressure equipment unsafe conditions, accidents, and fires. The intent is to…...
An operator was found unresponsive at an Oil Battery. The operator’s body was found lying inside a partially open utilidor where a valve was open and gas escaping. The battery is a sour gas (oil & gas with hydrogen sulphide) site. The Medical Examiner report stated the cause of death was due to hydrogen sulphide…...
A bleeder valve was left open during transport truck anhydrous ammonia delivery, causing a large amount of ammonia to enter and violently rupture an aluminum caged plastic Intermediate bulk container (IBC or tote) filled with water. The IBC/Tote rupture released ammonia and the delivery driver suffered fatal injuries and other workers, including a facility employee,…...
NOTE: this occurred in 2007 – I just missed it in my research and just now posting it. At a meat product processing plant Employee #1 and Employee #2 were working on the production floor near a section of piping that had been removed the prior day during the rerouting of an ammonia refrigerant line…....
It is not unusual to hear many engineers lay claim that by using stainless steel piping, that they are fully eliminating the risk of corrosion under insulation (CUI) within their piping circuits. But could stainless steel piping be susceptible to CUI much like it’s cousin in the piping family… carbon steel? The short answer is…...
If you have ever participated in or facilitated a Process Hazard(s) Analysis before you have certainly heard the phrase “never happened before” and the implication that we would be wasting our time if we spent any more time discussing the scenario. As a facilitator, it is our responsibility to force the discussion, as we should…...
Those that follow my PSM & RMP Citations / Analysis postings most likely have noticed a significant change in the level and depth that EPA and OSHA are conducting their RMP and PSM inspections. They have cited many more RAGAGEP issues and now dig deep into PHA’s and SOP’s than they ever had before. This…...
A contractor was performing rust corrosion removal and prevention services on pressurized piping at a chemical plant in Freeport, Texas. In October 2016, two contractor employees were seriously injured when a pipe ruptured, releasing trichlorosilane. Following an inspection, OSHA issued the contractor a two-item serious citation. The first item, grouped for penalty purposes, alleges violations…...
A major plant upgrade to the ammonia refrigeration machinery room was completed in September 2019. This upgrade included new: compressors heat exchangers pressure vessels pressure piping controls The refrigeration system was in operation for 3 months and on January 4, 2020, @ 0800 the shift engineer observed a reading of 12 ppm on the ammonia…...
This is OSHA’s PSM (1910.119) Inpsection Activity for their 2020 Fiscal year (October 2019 through September 2020). I have broken down the data by # of Citations, # of Inspections, Penalty $’s, and NAICS Industry Classification. As you can see, OSHA issued 195 citations from 50 inspections for a total of $1,806,072 in fines. Here…...
Way back in February 2016 I introduced many of you to ISA-RP12.12.03, Standard for Portable Electronic Products Suitable for Use in Class I and II, Division 2 for the first time and I received many e-mails, texts, and phone calls about those 2016 posts. Although the posts were speaking to smaller electronic devices, most notably “fitness…...
