LOPA is a Layer of Protection Analysis and is a type of PHA that looks at the actual layers of protection a particular scenario would have. As you know, process safety is built upon the fundamental concepts of prevention, threat, and mitigation. Hence, we want to prevent the scenario from even starting, but if we can’t, then we want to protect our assets (including people), and then we want to...

After some good debate in a LinkedIn forum, I came to the conclusion that this practice should not be called an “industry practice” as there were a lot of people in the industry that did not do it and had never heard of it. … HomeRead More »

Every year an estimated 2000 dust explosions occur in factories and refineries in Europe. There are approximately 50 reported dust explosions in the UK alone – that’s roughly one every single week. But these explosions are not solely the preserve of chemical or wood processing companies.  A staggering 24 per cent of them occur within the food industry.  In fact dry ingredients such...

NFPA 654 provides a framework from which to address combustible dust hazard identification and control. Currently developed by the Committee on Handling and Conveying of Dusts, Vapors, and Gases, NFPA 654 prescribes a step-by-step approach, beginning with characterizing the properties of the combustible particulate solid. These steps form the core requirements of the standard and are the subject...

Two workers lost their lives when the supplied breathing air cylinders they were breathing from contained low levels of oxygen. The two workers were working on top of a scaffold, sandblasting the interior of a boiler. A third worker was outside the entry to the boiler to make sure the breathing lines did not become tangled and served as a communications link. … HomeRead More »

E-mail from VP @ Crosby: I have uploaded the two documents he refers to in his e-mail to my LinkedIn Profile. Please see the attachments regarding the counterfeit alerts that have been circulating recently. The Crosby Group, Inc. has prepared a letter addressing the issue, and also has received a clarification letter from the OSHA Office of Maritime Enforcement. Both of these documents are attached...

Model: JLG LIFT 600AJ During a prestart inspection it was noticed that water was leaking out of rivets on the top boom section near the basket, upon closer inspection was found that a drain hole was block and approximately 300mm of water was retained inside the boom section. The drain hole was unblocked and the water drained, an area of rusted metal flaked off externally near the drain hole further...

If you have a non-conductive flammable liquid and you are passing them through a filter, the hazard associated with static electricity generation can be up to 300X greater. This actually goes with any type of obstruction in the pipe/hose (orifice plate, partly opened valve, flow probe, etc). If you must have a filter/strainer in your delivery system, “relaxation time” becomes critical!...

The most common generators of static electricity are processes involving flammable liquids. Static electricity is generated by liquids flowing through pipes, and in mixing, pouring, pumping, filtering, or agitating liquids. The rate of generation is influenced by the conductive of the liquids, the amount of turbulence in the liquid, the interfacial surface area between the liquids and other surfaces,...

Here is the condensed version of what NFPA 2113 requires when FRC are determined to be needed: The organization shall define those facilities and areas of the workplace and tasks that require personnel to wear flame-resistant garments.  Organizations shall provide users with the instructions provided by the manufacturer on the care, use, and maintenance of flame-resistant garments, including...

So far I have tried to explain how a vapor cloud develops by discussing Flash Point, Vapor Density, etc. Now I would like to explain how a vapor cloud develops and just how LITTLE energy is needed to be an ignition source.  If you ever experience a spill of a flammable/combustible liquid and the temperature of the liquid is even CLOSE TO THE FP, then we MUST treat the spill as a HAZMAT situation....

I want to touch a bit more on two of the elements I mentioned in my original post…Vapor Density and Lower Explosive Limit (sometimes called Lower Flammable Limit).  Vapor Density is basically the weight of the vapor or gas in air. It tells us whether the gas/vapor will rise or fall when it flashes off the liquid surface. As it is flashing off, the energy created from the liquid reaching...