A balloon causes a refinery outage!

A news report indicates that a refinery in the US experienced a "momentary power problem that prompted a plant restart". Apparently, the problem was caused by a Mylar balloon that got caught in power lines supplying the refinery. Read the article in this link.

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

Explosion in solvent tank

An explosion took place in a solvent tank that was part of a process that was being started up for the first time. It is reported that the explosion took place even though there was a nitrogen blanketing system of the tank. When you start a plant for the first time or after any modifications, be very careful. Humans make mistakes and especially during the time pressures for commissioning.


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

Management of Change survey

Dear Readers,
Kindly take a few minutes to complete a Management of Change survey (6 questions, multiple choice) in this link.

Date of closing of survey is 24.7.13. Results will be published in blog. Thank you for your participation.


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

Operating discipline!

For those of you folks who are practicing behavior based safety in your organisation to improve safety culture, see this very educational video in this link. 


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

An organisations take on Safety Culture

In an article in Power Magazine, I read about a company called NV Energy who have developed a very good safety culture and it shows in their accident stats. You may argue that they are a small organization but I believe what they are doing is also applicable to big organizations.

 Read the article in this link.


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

3d printed chemical reactor achieved

Further to my last post, "Scientists in the UK have used reactors made on a 3D printer to complete a three stage organic synthesis. The reagents, catalyst and purification step for the synthesis are completely integrated into the chambers of the sealed reactor. When the reactor is rotated, gravity pulls reactants through the different chambers to complete the synthesis".

Read the article in this link.
The next step in process safety may well be micro reactors and micro plants.......stay tuned!! 

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

3d printing and process safety

The news has been full of reports of how a company put their plan for 3D printing of a plastic gun on the net and how one person was even able to fire a bullet from it. It appears right now that the printer prints using plastic material. The advantages claimed are accuracy, less wastage. An article by Bloomberg  "Your future will be made by 3D printers" is interesting to read.

In the future, maybe 3D printing will improve process safety by eliminating manufacturing defects!!


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

Drones for flare tip inspection

While we read about drones being used for military purposes, here is another use for them -a refinery has used a drone fitted with a camera for inspection of the flare tip while refinery was in operation. Now this is what I call as innovative usage of technology! Read the article in this link. 

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

A confined space fatality

Three years ago, a experienced person (17 years experience) lost his life when he entered a space inside a ship that was inerted with nitrogen. This, through he was trained and experienced.
 Read the accident report in this link.

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

Another hot work tank explosion

A refinery in China experienced a hot work accident that killed two workers. Apparently the tank in which the accident took place was decommissioned. Ensure you take all precautions when doing hot work on tanks.
Read the news articles in these links:
Tank explosion 1
Tank explosion 2

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

Vessel blast kills one

In a fertilizer manufacturing facility very close to the Louisana unit, one person was killed when a vessel ruptured when it was being pressurized with nitrogen.
Read about the incident in this link.

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

Photos of the fire in chemical plant

See photos of the fire in the chemical plant in Louisana in this link

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