Big changes in the Province of British Columbia for boilers, pressure vessels, and NH3 refrigeration processes. The Province has published Ministerial Order M225-2024 that provides amendments to the Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Refrigeration Safety Regulation (PEBPVRSR). These amendments will update the Schedule to the PEBPVRSR by adopting the new editions of the codes. […]
Since 2024, 33 mines have been granted the use of a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) through the Petition for Modification process. Electromagnetic interference can cause failure of a miner-worn Proximity Detection System (PDS) if it is not worn as recommended, such as being worn TOO CLOSE to the battery or motor/blower of a PAPR.
This is the first and only PSM citation that I have seen from IN-OSHA. It is a single violation cited for contractor safety, and it appears it may have been related to an incident involving a contractor working on an Ammonium hydroxide tank. I am NOT certain about this, just trying to read between the
SAFTENG NOTE: The fatal H2S event in Deer Park last year that claimed two (2) contractor lives was the result of contractors opening the WRONG flange! Now we have a similar event that led to a fire that burned for three (3) days. A report regarding a 2025 Refinery Fire in CA found that two
The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) has published P-95, Guideline for the Safe Installation and Use of Cryogenic Food Freezing and Chilling Equipment. This publication covers the installation and operation of food freezing and chilling equipment and associated supply systems, and the use of that equipment with refrigerated liquefied gases (nitrogen and carbon dioxide).
At 4:30 p.m. on October 25, 2024, an employee, 53, was working on a crew with four (4) other employees fueling a boat when an explosion occurred. The employee died from 3rd degree burns to his body and blunt force trauma to his head. Four (4) other employees were hospitalized to treat multiple burns.
This paper concerns refrigerant gases classified as Division 2.1 flammable gases under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG Code) or classified as Flammable Gas Category 1 using the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). It covers general work health and safety/occupational health and safety (WHS/OHS) duties, however, readers should check their legislative responsibilities at the state/territory and
On 6 December 2016, an operator at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) processing facility heard a loud noise coming from an area of the plant during start-up, following major maintenance on the process. The operator identified that high-pressure, flammable gas was being released to the atmosphere from a point beneath the insulation of process equipment.
In April 2024, a regeneration gas heater ruptured at a gas processing plant due to an overheated electrically heated regeneration vessel. Regeneration gas heaters are commonly used in the regeneration of molecular sieve dehydrators with the recirculation of dried natural gas heated to 250 degrees Celsius throughout adehydrating purge cycle. The initiation of manual operating
A worker was exposed to NH3 while working next to a live refrigeration unit. The worker was working from an elevating work platform (EWP) to install a partition wall in a large refrigerated space. The EWP was in close proximity to a chiller unit that was operating during the work. The EWP knocked a valve
Today, the CSB released its final report addressing three (3) serious chemical incidents involving toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) at a facility in Geismar, Louisiana. The incidents occurred over a period of less than three years, from October 2021 to June 2024, and reveal systemic safety failures at the facility. These incidents were LOPC events, two
Process safety management (PSM) is a suite of risk management elements designed to minimize the risk of accidents associated with industrial processes using highly hazardous materials. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) PSM regulation requires that process equipment and equipment inspection and testing adhere to recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices
