Hazardous Materials

As we have discussed, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued a Safety Study (CSB Safety Study: No. 2024-01-H, Remote Isolation of Process Equipment) discussing the untapped advantages when Remote Emergency Shut-Off Valves are used in hazardous processing.  I have written about these requirements for all types of hazardous materials; this post is for Flammable Gases…...

Those who follow my accident posts are well aware of my crusade to help everyone understand the LIMITATIONS of our atmospheric monitors. Just this year, I did my 2-day PRCS training course for a well-known petrochemical business and was challenged on the limitations of the LEL sensors on these devices. During the lunch break, several…...

As many of you know, I have a love of bollards. This love has come over many years and many accidents where I have seen them protect a critical asset and PREVENT a serious event. This is a new county building built near my home, and when I drove by, I had to take a…...

If we spend enough time in chemical plants, we will encounter a widespread, albeit severe, human failure regarding a “safety-critical instrument.”  I am referring to the IMPROPER placement of personal gas monitors.  Nine times out of 10, where do we find these personal gas monitors on the worker’s body?  I am betting your experiences are…...

Following the investigation of a natural gas explosion in Loudon County, Virginia, in 1998, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended (Recommendation P-01-002) that PHMSA require that excess flow valves be installed in all new and renewed gas service lines, regardless of a customer’s classification, when the operating conditions are compatible with readily available valves…....

The simple explanation of what is happening… Styrene (Stabilized) is shipped with an “inhibitor.” This inhibitor is TIME and TEMPERATURE dependent. Should the inhibitor expire and/or the solution exceed its safe temperature, the inhibitor weakens, and the Styrene will begin to polymerize (chemical reaction), which is an EXOTHERMIC reaction with “run-away” potential. This means the…...

According to reports, thirteen (13) explosions, three (3) of which involved fatalities, occurred over the past ten (10) years, leading to the grounding of hundreds of refrigerated containers worldwide. The causes of the explosions were investigated and thought to have been caused by contaminated or incorrect refrigerant being added to the refrigeration system while it…...

It has been 1-month since the tragic death of Greene County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Eddy in GA while working a semi-truck fire on the side of the roadway. We still have not received any formal information on this event, but there has been some erroneous reporting.  Out of respect for Mr. Eddy, I…...

1910.252(a)(3)(i) Used containers. No welding, cutting, or other hot work shall be performed on used drums, barrels, tanks or other containers until they have been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain that there are no flammable materials present or any substances such as greases, tars, acids, or other materials which when subjected to…...

On April 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., a 72-year-old employee of a farm supply wholesaler was working on an anhydrous ammonia tank trailer on the south side of the shop. The employee was located near the tank’s valves and hose. While working on the tank, anhydrous ammonia was released. The employee died from asphyxiation from…...

If we spend enough time in chemical plants, we will encounter a widespread, albeit severe, human failure regarding a “safety-critical instrument.”  I am referring to the IMPROPER placement of personal gas monitors.  Nine times out of 10, where do we find these personal gas monitors on the worker’s body?  I am betting your experiences are…...

This was another WRONG CHEMICAL—WRONG TANK incident at a resort. It was an unloading accident, and “human error” was said to have caused it. The chemical leak is believed to have resulted from hydrochloric acid being accidentally poured into a chlorine tank during a delivery. The incident, attributed to human error, is under thorough investigation…...