Many thanks to DS at the U of MO for sharing this excellent safety guide on liquid nitrogen containers. The document (FREE DOWNLOAD) covers the following: Understanding liquid nitrogen Structure of a liquid nitrogen tank Storage and care Transporting and handling Monitoring nitrogen levels Tank damage The images are very helpful in their explanations, such […]
PHMSA identifies the hazardous materials that have been linked to the most serious consequences in terms of deaths and major injuries relative to exposure. The Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) periodically reviews the incident data to explore, develop and refine methodologies that illustrate which hazardous materials are most likely to be involved in death
The phase-down and restriction of the most common and widely used refrigerants was initiated in the late 1980’s and has spurred innovation, both for the alternative refrigerants that have been introduced as well as in the equipment that uses them. Safety Group A2L refrigerants (lower toxicity and lower flammability) represent the most recent in the
After nearly 20 years in ER specializing in large-scale incidents, I can say that with this news I am sorry I got out of the work when I did. This addition to the rails of the USA will be a fun and wild addition. LNG—referred to as “Methane, refrigerated liquid” within the HMR—has been transported
As of January 1, 2021, hazmat shippers will no longer be able to use the ORM-D Consumer Commodity marking on packages containing limited quantities of low-risk hazardous materials. Packages must be marked with the Limited Quantity marking in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Section 173.156. PHMSA published a final rule in
The City of Henderson, NV has upped their game when it comes to their adoption of the 2018 International Fire Code in order to address “remote tank filling”. The new item addresses requirements for tank filling operation connections preventing unwanted filling into the wrong tanks where properties have both acids and bases, which has occurred
Three (3) Elk Grove Village Fire Department investigators, along with one from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), established that a faulty 1/4″ drain valve on a vessel level controller system caused the liquid ammonia leak at the food processing plant in Elk Grove Village, IL. The leak led to an explosion
Almost every safety professional on the planet that works with chemicals, emergency response, and confined spaces knows that the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) exposure is a game changer! But so many also struggle with what it means to actually work in an IDLH atmosphere. In this article, I want to try and
Most of us know that a properly designed and installed ventilation system is our FIRST option for controlling hazardous concentrations of flammable vapors, gases, fumes, mists or dust, and volatile or airborne materials posing a health hazard, such as toxic or corrosive materials. And thankfully, most workstations and areas that need proper ventilation have it
A hazardous exhaust system shall be required wherever operations involving the handling or processing of hazardous materials, in the absence of such exhaust systems and under normal operating conditions, have the potential to create one of the following conditions:
There are five (5) basic types of ventilation systems: dilution and removal by general exhaust; local exhaust; makeup air (or replacement); HVAC (primarily for comfort); and recirculation systems Most ventilation systems generally involve a combination of these types of systems. But there are some specific requirements, that need to be met:
With the new 2021 International Fire Code comes some interesting changes. One such change impacts how we establish how many “control areas” within our buildings and floors. Personally, I was surprised they made this change, but after close examination, it actually makes sense. So let’s look at what liberties the 2021 edition gives us in
