On September 22, 2022, at approximately 9:00 a.m., a liquid mixture comprised of aniline, formalin, and hydrochloric acid was accidentally released, seriously injuring one contractor at a chemical manufacturing facility in Geismar, Louisiana. On September 20, 2022, two days before the incident, an off-site power outage caused an immediate loss of process flow into the…...
On October 1, 2020, at approximately 9:00 a.m., approximately 554 pounds of chlorine gas were accidentally released. Exposure to the toxic chlorine vapors seriously injured one employee. At the time of the incident, four (4) workers (two unit employees and two contractors) were trying to stop a chlorine leak (described as a fugitive emission) from…...
At the time of the event, contract workers were disassembling a 2-inch flange to remove a blind (a solid metal plate used to isolate equipment) before reinstalling a section of piping that had been removed and cleaned. This type of equipment opening is commonly referred to as a “line opening” or “performing a line break.”…...
In some processes, there is ALWAYS a need to “leak test” before returning a segment of piping to service. These “leak test” pressures are done at NORMAL Operating pressures using a calibrated solution such as SNOOP. And every once in a while, I get a question about doing a “leak test” at some really low…...
There are limitations on even the best “bubble solutions” used for “leak testing. My favorite is SNOOPS, and as I indicated in the title, even it has limitations. There are two (2) different types of SNOOPS:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
The old question… Do we need to pressure-test and leak-test our piping after we breach the pressure boundary? My response is always YES; however, the International Gas Code says something very different. Can we apply this approach to ASME B31.3 piping?… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a...
This is a real-life story of Elimination vs. Engineering Control We see some odd designs in our work around the world, but recently we came across a setup that defied any logic for a relief valve design basis. For some reason, the OEM and Installer of this process equipment wanted it enclosed for “efficiency”; however,…...
I fight this battle every year! It’s usually a learning experience for people unfamiliar with chemical processing and ASME B31.3. But I do my best to ensure they understand how the 10-minute Pressure Test is done, and then how the Leak Testing is done. So today I decided I need to “test” my practice that…...
Chemical and refinery facility personnel open piping and equipment to perform routine maintenance, add/replace components, or modify pipe routing. The piping may contain hazardous material, such as flammable hydrocarbons, toxic chemicals, or thermally reactive chemicals. Safe work practices dictate the removal or mechanical isolation of hazardous material from piping and equipment (e.g., using valves or…...
In an earlier post tonight, I shared an OSHA Hazard Bulletin from 1993 titled: Chemical Exposures from Industrial Valve and Piping Systems. In that Bulletin OSHA, talks about the hazards and accidents related to workers opening processes. But there is another serious error we see often… Open Ended Piping. This is a serious NO-NO in…...
OSHA Hazard Information Bulletins – Chemical Exposures from Industrial Valve and Piping Systems May 14, 1996 MEMORANDUM FOR: REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS FROM: MICHAEL CONNORSDEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY SUBJECT: Hazard Information Bulletin – Chemical Exposures from Industrial Valve and Piping Systems The purpose of this Hazard Information Bulletin is to heighten public awareness of the potential for death,…...
The risks in sampling activities can be off the charts without engineering controls, Administrative Controls, and PPE. This post shares my sampling system. I learned this the hard way, and I hope some will take this advice and reduce the risks when we ask operators to collect a sample from a “live process”. As I…...
