The 2027 edition of NFPA 30 introduces significant structural and technical updates designed to improve clarity, streamline protection requirements, and integrate emerging safety technologies. Here are the primary changes professionals need to know…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Low humidity makes most LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) detectors read lower than they should, because catalytic‑bead sensors depend on moisture for heat transfer and baseline stability. This can lead to under‑reporting of gas concentration, slower response, and—in extreme dryness—temporary sensor desensitization. Below is a clear, technically grounded explanation based on how LEL sensors work and…...
With this week’s event in Japan, where the roofs of the flammable liquid storage tanks were blown off, I shared OSHA’s “emergency venting” requirements to explain why the roofs were off the tanks, which sparked a lot of sidebar discussions. Sizing these emergency venting options is quite easy, as I explain in this article with…...
Yes, both terms essentially mean the same thing, but they refer to very different hazardous atmospheres. LEL, or Lower Explosive Limit, applies to gases and Vapors. MEC, which is Minimum Explosive Concentration, deals with Combustible Dusts. Here are some other differences:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a...
This is a response to a client regarding their question… do we need to use non-sparking tools in our flammable and combustible dust areas? This is a GREAT practice, but many people may be surprised that OSHA has to use its GDC to cite this requirement, as it is NOT an OSHA/NFPA/IFC requirement. Of course,…...
I am not sure who, where, and when this dirty little lie began, but we have been seeing an incorrect application of NFPA 70, 500.7(K) Detection System for Flammable Gases, item (3) Interior of a Building or Enclosed Space. It seems businesses are looking for any way out of having an electrically classified area and many are…...
We routinely find facility siting issues when LPG Tank(s) and Flammable Liquid Tank(s) are located in the same area. OSHA, NFPA, IFC, etc., all require a separation distance between the two (2) types of tanks. This is ALL about preventing a setup for a BLEVE, as a pool of flammable liquid finding its way under…...
Employee #1 was using an oxygen-acetylene torch to weld a sign to the top of a school bus in the southwestern bay of a six-bay garage. While performing this task, he sprayed water from a fire extinguisher onto a coworker walking by the bus. In retaliation, the coworker picked up a hubcap filled with liquid…...
This week I was in that “state up north”. It is how Ohio State fans refer to the great state of Michigan. If you did not know, the two programs are crazy rivalries in all sports. While I was conducting a Flammable Liquids Process Engineering/Code Design Review, I came across a greater risk… three (3)…...
Under the International Fire Code (IFC), N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is not classified as a “Toxic” or “Highly Toxic” material. While NMP is legally classified as a toxic substance under environmental and labor laws (such as the EPA’s TSCA and OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard) due to its health effects, the IFC uses a very specific, narrow definition…...
I’m in Grand Rapids this week working with a client on a flammable liquids process that is under the PSM TQ, but over the Maximum Allowable Quantity for “outside”. The city began adopting the IFC in 2006 and is now using the 2021 edition. I am sharing the PPT file for the management presentation/training, if…...
My SDS list toluene’s lower explosive limit (LEL) as 1.2% by volume, often given as:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
