Hazardous Materials

IL has another TOTAL LOSS of NH3 from MC331 during loading/unloading @ fertilizer facility

UPDATE 4/9/2016 Shelby County Emergency Management Agency Director Jared Rowcliffe described in an email Wednesday afternoon that the driver connected the truck’s tank to the storage tank to offload, but the truck rolled. Instead of the hose breaking, causing an automatic shut-off, the fitting on the truck failed and the product was released.  Fire Chief…...

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Callaway, MN MC331 Tanker vs. Train incident does NOT appear to have been a BLEVE

This week (3/20/16) we saw yet another serious incident involving a DOT propane container (MC331). And although there is NO doubt in my mind that the incident in Alabama last was clearly and unmistakably a BLEVE (most likely a COLD BLEVE from impact damage), this most recent incident in Callaway, MN was NOT a BLEVE…....

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FREE ACCESS to the 2015 International Fire Code (IFC)

The International Code Council (ICC) has seen fit to provide FREE access to the 2015 International Fire Code (IFC).  This access is for read/view ONLY and can not be copied or printed; but it is searchable and FREE.  CLICK HERE for this access.  CLICK HERE to buy the 2015 for $83… Membership Required You must...

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2nd BLEVE in as many days??? (MC331 – Propane)

2018 UPDATE – NTSB Report issued on this incident From the NTSB Report… About 6:20 a.m., as the combination vehicle was traveling northbound on US Highway 431 (US-431), a two-lane undivided highway, near Stroud, Alabama, it entered a right curve near the intersection of County Route 256 and began to encroach on the southbound lane,…...

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IL Fire Marshal explains state codes and NFPA Life Safety Code

One area that we commonly find during audits and assessments is the lack of complying with the state’s fire, building and mechanical codes.  Often times we find that no one involved in the project(s) were even aware of these baseline state requirements for storing and/or processing hazardous materials.  Now EACH STATE is different, but this…...

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Ohio is revising the State Fire Code for 2017

State Fire Marshal Larry L. Flowers is pleased to announce the initiation of the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) administrative rule update process for the 2011 Ohio Fire Code (OFC) and associated SFM rules (also known as Ohio Administrative Code sections 1301:7-7- 01 through 1301:7-7-47). The targeted effective date of…...

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Another WRONG material to WRONG tank incident

At a brewery in 1997, an operator confused filling nozzles for two commonly used acid cleaning agents and transferred nitric acid into a tank with P3, a proprietary phosphoric acid based cleaner that also contained 5-15 percent isopropanol. 10-15 minutes later the mixture exploded violently. The stainless steel tank disintegrated with such force that fragments…...

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Metallurgical Evaluation of a Nurse Tank Cracked Head (Failure was SCC)

The purpose of this project is to analyze a ruptured 1000 gallon NH3 tank to determine the crack initiation site (CIS) and the cause of the tank failure.  On 11/21/2007 it was reported that, “a nurse tank carrying anhydrous ammonia exploded and pieces were found laying in the front yard of a farm just outside of Silver…...

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SAFETY NOTICE ON BENCH TESTING OF PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES (FMCSA)

Recent investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on USDOT specification cargo tank testing and repair facilities have resulted in a consistent pattern of non-compliance regarding bench testing of Pressure Relief Devices (PRD). Specifically, cargo tank testing and repair facilities are either failing to bench test PRDs or…...

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Respect Chlorine – a little bit goes a long ways!

One of my favorite hazardous materials to work with is Chlorine (Cl2).  And yes I know and no I have not been taking my meds!  “Like” is probably a poor choice of words to us – Respect is probably more fitting in describing my relationship with Cl2.  I have been working with this hazardous material…...

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2015 Lessons Learned with HAZMAT UNLOADING accidents

In 2015 we saw six (6) unloading accidents that involved serious injuries to workers, with some of the workers injured being those who were in the WRONG place at the WRONG time.  Here is a summary of these six (6) incidents.  PLEASE take notice that 4 of the 6 incidents involved UNLOADING HOSES.  These temporary…...

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Cryogenic tank for liquefied carbon dioxide ruptured (Lack of Car Seal Program)

Repair work for liquefied carbon dioxide at a low-temperature storage tank (CE) in a steel mill was carried out. At the time, the main block valve below the safety valves was closed, while liquid CO2 remained in the tank. In addition, the heat source from the tank heater was still active. Therefore, in the tank,…...

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