INFORMATIVE LINK ON WEST FERTILIZER PLANT EXPLOSION

Worth a read:
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/18/the-texas-fertilizer-plant-explosion-is-horrific-but-how-common-is-this/

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

UPDATE ON TEXAS FERTILISER PLANT EXPLOSION

News reports indicate that the Fertilizer plant that exploded held an estimated 54,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia to produce ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer.


Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

HUGE EXPLOSION IN TEXAS FERTILISER PLANT

Thanks to Abhay Gujjar and Ravi Varma for sending details of a huge explosion in a fertilizer plant in Texas. Reportedly there have been many casualties.  Read the news report and graphic video of the explosion in this link.

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Fukushima - status

Thanks to Sanjeevi for sending this article on the status of the Fukushima disaster clean up. It is scary! Read it in this link.

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Regulatory oversight of PSM

There may be regulations and regulations but regulatory oversight (checking of implementation by legal authorities involved) need to be strong to enforce the regulations - this is one of the lessons learnt from the refinery fire in California. In India, too there are many good regulations but the problem comes when enough manpower and competency is not available with the regulatory authorities.
Read the article on the lessons learnt from a regulatory point of view from the refinery incident in California in this link.        http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_22966315/federal-officials-say-regulatory-system-needs-overhaul-wake


Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Accident in a refrigeration plant

Thanks to Satya Subrahmanyam for sending details about an accident in  a diary that killed three people, where according to Deccan Chronicle,  "An oil separator exploded due to reported electro-mechanical failure and the entire refrigeration unit caught fire. The blast occurred an hour after work started in the morning".
Read the article in this link. 
Read another associated article in this link 


Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Ammonia leak in Urea plant

An ammonia leak in an urea plant in North India has affected 8 workers according to a news report. The shift in charge and a DGM were arrested and later released on bail. Read the news article in this link.


Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

CSB statement on Chevron refinery fire

The CSB has posted their statement about the Chevron refinery fire.An important statement is given below:
"The CSB also has identified deficient management of change reviews conducted by Chevron where more corrosion resistant metallurgy such as 9CR was identified as needed for crude unit high temperature service that could have addressed the piping circuit that failed. However, this more corrosion resistant metallurgy was not implemented more broadly in crude unit high temperature service. Under the current regulatory system Chevron cannot be cited for conducting “ineffective” MOC’s – they are only required to simply conduct them and implement agreed upon actions. Too many of the elements of the PSM regulation simply require paper procedures or activities,rather than concrete measures toreduce risk at every opportunity"
Read the CSB statement in this link.

.

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Accidents and gas releases at a smelter

Read the article in this link

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Beware of the alligator in a PSSR!!

A participant in a recent training session told me of an incident where a cross country pipeline was being welded in marshy territory. The job was completed for the day and the next morning when the welder approached the pipe to start his job, an alligator which had entered the pipe in the night caught him and fatally wounded him.
I am reminded of such "alligators"  when people do not conduct a PSSR properly. Hidden hazards ("Alligators") will be waiting for you and will kill you when you least expect it. Take PSSR's seriously!


Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Another sight glass incident

A worker died at a refinery when he was exposed to propane and HF when a sight glass ruptured. Read about the accident in this link.

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"

Refinery tank fire - lessons learnt

In 1995 two petrol tanks caught fire in a refinery in Gujarat. See the presentation in this link and learn lessons from the incident.

Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"