Fatal Refrigeration Accident: Compressor Explosion During Nitrogen Pressure Testing (Investigation)
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What’s the difference in Nondestructive Examinations (NDE) and Nondestructive Testing (NDT)?
While the terms “Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)” and “Non-Destructive Examination (NDE)” are often used interchangeably in casual professional conversation, they have distinct technical nuances based on the depth of the process and the intended outcome…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Catastrophic failure of an air receiver amputates both legs of the worker
Employee #1 was injured when the 300-gallon air receiver of an air compressor unit ruptured, resulting in severe injuries to both his legs. The accident was caused by rust inside the receiver, which weakened the steel because the receiver was not drained. The safety valve was inoperative due to corrosion from a lack of testing…....
OSHA has proposed $3.5M in fines for violations by 3 employers during a Houston facility chemical spill response
OSHA has proposed more than $3.5 million in fines against three (3) companies after federal inspectors determined they failed to protect workers during post-emergency response cleanup after a chemical spill at an industrial facility in Channelview. OSHA initiated three (3) inspections following a Dec. 27, 2025, sulfuric acid spill that resulted in multiple employee injuries…....
OSHA and NFPA have aligned on “the potential” for a HAZ ATM within a PRCS, but would you “reclassify” the space under their guidance?
Both OSHA and NFPA state that if the pipe does NOT terminate within the space, the pipe does NOT have to be evacuated to consider the contents of the pipe a “potential” to generate a HAZ ATM. In a recent OSHA LOI, OSHA used several thresholds that the employer should/must use in its evaluation of…...
Almost 50% of serious HAZMAT transportation incidents occur during loading and unloading operations
The transfer of hazardous materials from a cargo-tank motor vehicle to fixed-site storage poses a critical vulnerability in chemical handling. While high-speed highway collisions capture more attention, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) estimates that roughly 25% to 50% of serious HAZMAT transportation incidents actually occur during loading and unloading operations. These accidents…...
What is the Welding Certification actually evaluating when the welding will be done by a pipe welding machine?
When we introduce a pipe welding machine (such as an orbital welder) into the fabrication process, the focus of the certification fundamentally shifts. Under industry codes such as ASME Section IX, the individual operating the equipment is no longer classified as a “Welder”; they are designated as a “Welding Operator.” Because the machine handles the…...
IFC 5001.3 Performance-based design alternative ERASES the MAQ Limitations
I am working with a client who is making every effort to comply with the Maximum Allowable Quantity (MAQ) limits for a flammable liquid process area. This process is a PSM-covered process, so I offered up how to work beyond the MAQ of 480 gallons for a fire control area. This compliance option 5001.3 was…...
Drip Pan Elbow on Steam System Relief Line
It is designed to collect and remove condensate while isolating the relief valve from the mechanical stresses of the discharge piping. Here is a breakdown of its primary functions and operational mechanics:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
What are the maintenance requirements for Air Receivers and their PSVs?
I grew up in the process industries doing PSM/RMP; however, most of the air receivers at my plants were NOT associated with the PSM/RMP-covered process(es). And yet they were all in our MI program for routine inspections and testing of their PSVs. In fact, every pressure vessel in service on the plant site and its…...
OSHA updates VPP Policy and Procedures Manual
OSHA has made significant changes to Chapter 4, The VPP Safety and Health Management System. Chapter 4 now requires VPP participants’ SHMS to consist of the seven (7) core elements described in OSHA publication 3885, Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs, October 2016, and in OSHA publication 3886, Recommended Practices for Safety and Health…...
Why does the IFC 2024 Flammable Liquids Chapter (57) reference ASME B31.9 for leak testing rather than B31.3?
NOTE: If you’re in an INDUSTRIAL facility, especially one with a PSM/RMP-covered process, B31.9 is NOT your piping RAGAGEP! IFC 5703.6.3 dictates that piping for flammable and combustible liquids must be hydrostatically tested to 150% of the maximum anticipated pressure (or pneumatically tested to 110%). However, it offers a carve-out: “Unless tested in accordance with…...