Hazardous Materials

There have been many questions as to how the ammonium nitrate at the West, TX fertilizer distributor could have blown up.  Investigators have still not stated with 100% certainty that the explosion involved AN, but it is my belief they are just crossing all their “t’s” and dotting all their “i’s” before stating this.  Unless…...

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has announced that the increased maximum civil penalties for safety violations of Federal hazardous materials transportation law and the regulations issued under that law that lead to death, serious injuries or extensive property damage are now in effect. The increased penalties are being…...

Many safety and process safety professional think incidents like this are “rare”.  They would be wrong, unless of course their definition of “rare” is a bit looser than mine!  I do not have official numbers of the frequency of this type of incident but I am trying to obtain them and will certainly pass them…...

PHMSA is issuing this Advisory Bulletin to inform owners and operators of gas transmission pipelines that if the pipeline pressure exceeds maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) plus the build-up allowed for operation of pressure-limiting or control devices, the owner or operator must report the exceedance to PHMSA on or before the fifth day following the…...

Effective January 1, 2007, PHMSA adopted a shipping description sequence consisting of identification number first, followed by the proper shipping name, hazard class or division number, and packing group (e.g., UN1133, Adhesives, 3, PG II).  This new shipping description sequence is mandatory on shipping documents prepared according to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions…...

One problem that seems to run wild across all businesses is DOT’s “25 feet and in line of sight” rule for unloading/loading hazardous materials.  Just this year (September & November 2012) the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued LOIs on the matter, reaffirming their expectation in regards to this rule.  The letters stated…… Membership Required...

Gas detection systems are required to detect leaks in many uses and hazardous operations as regulated by BOTH the IBC and IFC. Gas detection systems are required in:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

The Centers for Disease Control released a report today saying that a Tyson poultry plant worker who poured a solution into a 55-gallon drum, releasing chlorine gas, could not read the English label on the drum that would have alerted him to its contents, but Tyson disputes the findings…. Membership Required You must be a member to...

Since 2003, the International Fire Code has offered an “alternative” to complying with all the special hazard chapters of the “code”; it’s called the Performance-Based Design Alternative (PBDA).  This alternative was intended to provide some relief to facilities that are already doing PSM/RMP style activities for their hazardous material(s) and to provide an IMPROVED alternative to…...

Recent reports published by the National Academies Press provide conclusions and recommendations for improving acute exposure guideline level (AEGL) documents for several chemicals and chemical classes. AEGLs were developed by the National Advisory Council to provide values with which to assess acute adverse health effects for extremely hazardous substances (EHSs)…. Membership Required You must be...