Those of you that have followed me and my ramblings for years know that I am a stickler for unloading/loading operations involving HAZMAT(s). Some of the worst accidents in my career in the chemical industry involved the unloading/loading of HAZMATs. I have written many times about the hazards of unloading even mildly hazardous materials into […]
Goal To determine a recommended, non-destructive metallurgical testing method and protocol for detecting cracks in a nurse tank, and to develop guidelines for when to require repair or order a nurse tank out-of-service. Research results are intended to support a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended rulemaking by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
I am always amazed at the number of facilities that do not understand their hazardous materials and the proper safety techniques in managing the hazards these HAZMATs present. Recently I came acorss a sitution where a contractor was left to “prepare piping for a line break”. The facility utilizes natural gas, as a fuel, within
For the doubting Thomas (no offense to actual people named Thomas), here is a bit of info to BELIEVE… I can not believe I have to say this in the Year 2026, but: Anhydrous Ammonia is a FLAMMABLE GAS Look it up on any reputable SDS. Yes, it is shipped as a non-flammable gas, but
When comparing a Wheatstone bridge detector and a catalytic bead detector (often called a pellistor), it is essential to clarify their fundamental relationship: they are not competing technologies, but rather complementary components of the exact same industrial gas detection system. A catalytic bead sensor CANNOT function without a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and in the context
Recently, a compressed gas cylinder exploded in a state university campus laboratory. The explosion was attributed to dangerous alterations that had been made to the cylinder. At approximately 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2006, an explosion occurred in a state university chemistry building laboratory, causing substantial building damage. The explosion resulted from a rupture
Marking Hazardous (Classified) Locations is a critical step in both compliance and personnel safety. While OSHA and the NEC (NFPA 70) mandate the classification of these areas, they are surprisingly quiet on exactly how to physically mark them. Because “invisible” hazards like flammable vapors or combustible dust can’t be seen, you should use a tiered
In the world of pressure vessels (like those governed by ASME Section VIII), the terms “stress relieved during fabrication”, Cold-Formed Heads, and Hot-formed Heads relate to heat, but they are very different techniques used in PV construction. PWHT is about treating the material after it’s been worked, while “hot formed heads” is about shaping the
UPDATED 5/2016 Each year more and more states are adopting International Codes. The chart below is a list of all states and US Territories that have adopted these codes, the code edition they adopted, whether the code is enforced state wide or local governments, etc. This listing is up-to-date thru September 2015. Are you complying
The North Dakota Industrial Commission has adopted new conditioning standards to improve the safety of Bakken crude oil for transport. Order No. 25417 sets operating standards for conditioning equipment to properly separate production fluids into gas and liquid. The order includes parameters for temperatures and pressures under which the equipment must operate to ensure that
The maximum allowable quantity per control area is specified in Tables 5003.1.1(1) through 5003.1.1(4) of the IFC. Tables 5003.1.1(1) through 5003.1.1(4) establish the maximum quantities allowed in a control area (see Section 5003.8.2 for design and protection requirements). If the quantity of chemicals used in a building does NOT exceed the maximum allowed per control
Over the years I have posted several articles about hazardous materials being unloaded to the wrong tank. And it seems that each time I do I get several e-mails stating how rare these events are and that I am being an alarmist. So I thought I would post a section of a PHMSA Investigation Report
