The new means to analyze risks associated with flammable gases is their “burning velocity,” and the new limit is 10 cm/s. So I wanted to provide some real-world examples of what this looks like. So I asked AI to compare 10 cm/s flame front with the speed of a person walking and a jackrabbit. OSHA…...
As the experts begin their investigation into the tragedy, I was curious about whether the Co-Gen facility on site played a role. So, using some aerial images, I pieced together the scene as best I could from the accident image and drone footage. This is just how I do my scene examination when my services…...
I recently was helping a client with some questions regarding their CAT 1B Flammable Refrigerant Process and was surprised to see that the “new” MAQ for these refrigerants is 10,000 pounds. Add the footnote exceptions, and we could have 30,000 pounds of this flammable refrigerant in a single fire area, either in “storage” or in…...
You just knew it was a matter of time before I did this. It took me only 4 revisions to get to this final product. It is NOT perfect, but it is an ACCURATE rendition of how they must be built/installed. The second infographic was me asking the question in a different way and it…...
Yes, we can absolutely max out the Maximum Allowable Quantities (MAQs) for multiple different hazard classes within a single control area and still avoid triggering a Group H (Hazardous) occupancy. However, there is also a major caveat regarding how those materials are categorized and whether they pose overlapping physical or health hazards. Here is how…...
5703.6.8 Piping supports have three (3) recognized methods to protect piping that may be exposed to a “pool fire”. First lets look at the code language: 5703.6.8 Piping supports. Piping systems shall be substantially supported and protected against physical damage and excessive stresses arising from settlement, vibration, expansion, contraction or exposure to fire. The supports…...
NFPA 496 (Standard for Purged and Pressurized Enclosures for Electrical Equipment) is one of the most powerful engineering tools available for hazardous locations, but it is also one of the most abused standards for HAZLOCs. Like the Combustible Gas Detection System (CGDS) provisions in NFPA 70, NFPA 496 allows a facility to install ordinary, non-classified…...
In NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code / NEC), the use of a Combustible Gas Detection System (CGDS) is a highly specialized engineering provision. It essentially acts as a “get out of jail free” card—or more accurately, a reclassification tool—for specific industrial locations. When you install a qualified CGDS, the NEC allows you to lower the…...
Auto-Refrigeration & Flashing and Cold Ambient Exposures We see around a half dozen pressure vessels in a “service” they were not initially designed for. There are literally hundreds of excuses as to why we find these issues, but they are simply excuses. It was not uncommon for us to find a PV in an NH3…...
We see this practice all across this great nation as we travel for our work. At most of the plants we visit, backing in is required. Recently, some HOAs took issue with homeowners backing into their driveways. Now I can not find the full story behind this issue with these HOA’s, but these viral videos…...
The concept of the weak seam welded roof—officially referred to in modern engineering standards as a frangible roof joint—has been a foundational safety mechanism for atmospheric storage tanks for over 90 years. NOTE: In 2015, NFPA 30 Section 22.7 was amended to eliminate the use of a weak roof-to-shell seam as an allowed means of…...
Back in 2021 – 2023, I spent time with some Class 1 Railroads attempting to help them develop and implement an SMS. During this time, I was impressed by the FRA’s Risk Reduction Plan (RRP), which required certain railroads to develop a written RRP and submit it for “FRA approval”. This was a massive step…...
