Hazardous Materials

Once again I go to the well that just keeps on giving guidance… the International Fire Code (IFC). And again I do this as OSHA nor EPA have any standards for Chlorine when the amount is below the 1,500 pounds for OSHA’s PSM standard to apply. Of course, there is EPA’s RMP General Duty Clause,…...

  Violation Code Violation Description # of Inspections # of Violations % of Total Violations # of OOS Violations OOS Percent 1 177.834A Package not secure in vehicle 3,154 3,277 9.71% 3,138 95.76% 2 107.620B No Copy Of US Dot Hazardous Materials Registration Number 2,269 2,269 6.73% 3 0.13% 3 177.817E Shipping paper accessibility 2,150…...

Way back in the early 1990’s I learned a valuable lesson the “hard way,” and to this day, facility siting means something altogether different than how most view it.  Those that work with me know I hate having combustibles such as empty pallets around chemical processes, especially flammable processes.  But even non-flammable processes, such as…...

EPA has begun limiting the use of refrigerants that have high global warming-potential properties. The refrigerant manufacturing industry has responded by developing a number of replacement refrigerants. One of the characteristics of most of these products is that they are minimally flammable as compared to other flammable refrigerants. Different protection schemes exist for lesser risk…...

In the 2018 edition of the International Fire Code (IFC), which is the code, most of the states revise and adopt in some format.  As I have said for nearly 20 years now, this fire code is an EXCELLENT resource for those looking to improve their design and construction of their processes that handle hazardous…...

This video is an excellent demonstration of the power within a compressed gas cylinder.  This was an ammonia cylinder; actually, one of the more tamer compressed gases (as far as energy goes) of HAZMATs in cylinders.  But look at the damage to the side of this shipping container – peeled open like someone used a…...

I think this is NEW, but the only thing I deal with from EPA is RMP and EPCRA so this may have been around and I did not know about it; however, it just popped up on my radar as a “new” addition to EPA.gov.  And it is a NICE tool!  Substance Registry Services (SRS)…...

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) recently conducted a review of the latest compliance and incident data to identify safety trends throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The analysis pointed to a potential risk associated with gas releases. During the timeframe reviewed, thirty-one gas release incidents were reported to BSEE by fourteen unique operators…....

Those who practice “process safety” are all too familiar with “Line/Equipment Opening” safe work practices.  Although there is NO formal OSHA standard, nor even a RAGAGEP on this extremely hazardous task, we should consider implementing a “permit” of some type to manage the risks associated with opening any pipe, line, hose, equipment that handles a…...

If you work in a state/county/town/township that has a “fire code” inspector, how would your facility measure up to these Top Citations for Group H Occupancies?  By the way, here is an excellent summary of the five sub-groups in Group H: High-hazard Group H-1 buildings and structures which contain materials that pose a detonation (explosion)…...