Not sure why “Over Pressure” events get all the attention. It is my belief that we destroy more vessels each year due to a vacuum than we do with over-pressure events. Of course, overpressure events have more layers of protection because they pose far greater risks. In my career, I have seen these failures occur…...
The tragic fatal explosion that claimed a Firefighter’s life last week has a lot of folks claiming this was a COM DUST event. But after close examination of scene photos, I am confident this event was a syn-gas explosion with possibly some “fines” igniting during the event. These events are not all that rare and…...
Storing Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) requires a delicate engineering balance. Because it is both a Class IB Flammable Liquid and a Class 2 Unstable Reactive, the storage design must simultaneously mitigate the vapor-fire hazard while actively feeding the chemical inhibitor to prevent thermal runaway. When evaluating bulk storage tanks from a Process Safety Management (PSM) perspective,…...
The simple answer is yes, we can use ACGIH TLVs or NIOSH RELs to calculate the Maximum Use Concentration (MUC), but with one ABSOLUTE regulatory caveat: The resulting limit must be more protective (stricter) than what the OSHA standard dictates, or be applied to a chemical that OSHA does not currently regulate. Under 1910.134(b), OSHA…...
We keep hearing all these different temps from the media and OCFA. I am pretty sure they are both using Farenheit and Celsuis interchangably in their remarks and this can be confusing as heck. I just heard a media update state that “50 degrees is the happy place” for MMA. 50°F is the Flash Point…...
Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) is a flammable liquid used to manufacture plastics and resins. While it is regulated by OSHA and the EPA for occupational safety and toxic release reporting, it is currently NOT included on the EPA’s Risk Management Program (RMP) regulated list. It is a PSM Covered Chemical with a TQ of 10,000 pounds. MMA monomer weighs approximately 7.84 pounds per…...
5/29/262 UPDATED using NFPA 30, Tables 22.4.1.5 and 22.4.1.1(b). It was brought to my attention that CA has more stringent requirements, so I have updated my post using NFPA 30, Chapter 22 – Storage of Ignitible (Flammable or Combustible) Liquids in Tanks — Aboveground Storage Tanks. My previous post was using IFC Tables. Using Google…...
While routine, closed-loop transfers are inherently safe from internal static ignition, bonding and grounding become critical whenever the system is opened to the atmosphere or when specific maintenance activities generate massive static charges. When we break the closed loop or introduce external energy, the hazard profile shifts from NFPA 58 back to the static mitigation…...
This post is a follow-up to my earlier post about NH3 being a CAT 2 Flammable Gas, as there are still businesses that dont fully grasp the full hazard profile of NH3. The fact that the facility is under the OSHA/RMP TQ of 10,000 pounds has NOTHING to do with needing the engine/mechanical room to…...
The fundamental conversion rule is that 1% equals 10,000 ppm. Here is the conversion table scaling down from a completely pure atmosphere (100%) to a microscopic trace (1 ppm)…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
The 2027 edition of NFPA 704, Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, includes new definitions of the terms “battery energy storage system” and “lithium-based battery,” along with associated annex material. Updates have been made in Section 6.2, Degrees of Hazards for Flammability Hazards, to align with NFPA 1…...
NFPA has updated its NFPA 497, Recommended Practice for the Classification of Flammable Liquids, Gases, or Vapors and of Hazardous (Classified) Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas, with a few minor revisions. Probably the most significant revision is NFPA’s position on “intentional releases and maintenance venting.” The most beneficial revision was NFPA officially…...
