Safety in oil movement and storage
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 21, 2016
March 18, 2016
Remote Safety Shower Monitoring Using Wireless Transmitters
Remote Safety Shower Monitoring Using Wireless Transmitters
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 14, 2016
Eight killed in Thai bank chemical accident
Eight killed in Thai bank chemical accident:
At least eight people were killed and seven others injured after fire suppression chemicals were accidentally released at a bank in Thailand's capital Bangkok, the media reported on Monday.
This incident has lessons for us in CPI- what is your control room fire suppression system? Do you practice drills in case the system is activated? Does the timer for evacuation allow enough time for all people to escape?
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At least eight people were killed and seven others injured after fire suppression chemicals were accidentally released at a bank in Thailand's capital Bangkok, the media reported on Monday.
This incident has lessons for us in CPI- what is your control room fire suppression system? Do you practice drills in case the system is activated? Does the timer for evacuation allow enough time for all people to escape?
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 10, 2016
EPA safety alert on applicability and limitations of excess flow valves
EPA safety alert on applicability and limitations of excess flow valves
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 7, 2016
Sewage systems and H2S
Plant and housing colonies sewer systems must be treated as a confined space entry with permit requirements as they may contain hydrogen sulfide. Read about a warning in this link
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 4, 2016
Hydrotest fatality
Hydrotest fatality incident
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
March 1, 2016
The Value of Machine Criticality Ratings
The Value of Machine Criticality Ratings
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 28, 2016
OSHA QUICK CARD: Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram
OSHA QUICK CARD: Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 26, 2016
Confined space hazard alert
Confined space hazard alert
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 24, 2016
Baffles Needn't Be Baffling | Chemical Processing
Baffles Needn't Be Baffling | Chemical Processing
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 22, 2016
Work permit incident
A hot liquid sulphur splashed in the
surrounding area as a maintenance technician opened a filter cover on a live
line. Fortunately, no injuries happened.
Operations raised notification to clean the filter in the molten sulphur line. A work permit was raised by maintenance personnel. Shift Supervisor approved the permit without asking the field operator to isolate the equipment. Field operator also signed the hard copy of the permit without isolating the equipment. However, the field operator told the maintenance foreman that the line is not yet isolated and it would be isolated when he was ready to carry out the job. The maintenance foreman gave the permit to the technician but forgot to tell him that it was still live. The technician opened the drain blind flange and opened the drain valve. On finding nothing coming out, he opened the filter cover. Since the line was not isolated hot liquid sulphur sprayed all over the area. Fortunately nobody was injured.
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Operations raised notification to clean the filter in the molten sulphur line. A work permit was raised by maintenance personnel. Shift Supervisor approved the permit without asking the field operator to isolate the equipment. Field operator also signed the hard copy of the permit without isolating the equipment. However, the field operator told the maintenance foreman that the line is not yet isolated and it would be isolated when he was ready to carry out the job. The maintenance foreman gave the permit to the technician but forgot to tell him that it was still live. The technician opened the drain blind flange and opened the drain valve. On finding nothing coming out, he opened the filter cover. Since the line was not isolated hot liquid sulphur sprayed all over the area. Fortunately nobody was injured.
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February 19, 2016
Inside the control room of the future: Experion Orion Console [VIDEO]
Inside the control room of the future: Experion Orion Console [VIDEO]: Honeywell Process Solutions offered a rare insight into the development work being done in Australia to create the advanced display technology that brings the plant control room of the future to life.
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 15, 2016
IOCL Paradip Refinery: An Engineering Marvel IOCL
Read about the details of the recently commissioned Paradip refinery in this link. The CCR is blast proof.
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 11, 2016
Massive fire at steel plant in UK caused by lightning
News reports coming in of a massive fire at a steel plant in UK, attributed to lightning. See the news and pictures in this link
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 10, 2016
The Chemical Engineer | News | Three killed in Pemex rig fire
The Chemical Engineer | News | Three killed in Pemex rig fire
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 9, 2016
6 burnt alive in factory blast
6 burnt alive in factory blast:
Six workers were burnt alive and one sustained injuries in a fire following an explosion at around 6.30 a.m. in Hasita Aromatics Private Limited factory, at Maheshwaram, located in Telegana.
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Six workers were burnt alive and one sustained injuries in a fire following an explosion at around 6.30 a.m. in Hasita Aromatics Private Limited factory, at Maheshwaram, located in Telegana.
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February 8, 2016
TransAsia Airways slammed for poor flight safety management | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS
Lessons to learn:
TransAsia Airways slammed for poor flight safety management | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS
'Though the council put most of the blame for the accident in Penghu on the pilots, it said the airline was also responsible, citing numerous flaws in the carrier's management, including inadequate risk management processes and ineffective safety meetings.
It also questioned senior management's commitment to safety."
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TransAsia Airways slammed for poor flight safety management | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS
'Though the council put most of the blame for the accident in Penghu on the pilots, it said the airline was also responsible, citing numerous flaws in the carrier's management, including inadequate risk management processes and ineffective safety meetings.
It also questioned senior management's commitment to safety."
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February 5, 2016
Propane incident
Read about a propane explosion in the incident available in this link.
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
February 1, 2016
Handling of a cyclone with high wind speeds
I was recently talking to the Unit Head and Head-EHS of a large chemical company which had safely managed a cyclone of wind speeds upto 220 KPMH. They had warning about the cyclone and had planned very well, safely shutting down the plants ahead of the cyclone. Their lessons learnt are summarised as follows:
There is no greater safeguard than pre planning to the last detail before the cyclcone hits.
You must have alternate means of communication (radio) ready
Big trees should be avoided near OHC, Fire station, emergency control centres, main entrances etc as they may fall and block access.
Access to JCB's which can be used to clear pathways is necessary.
Remember every cyclone has an eye. Once the initial phase passes, there will be a calm when the eye passes, followed again by ferocious winds, when the rest of the cyclone passes through.
Insulation damage is inevitable and a plan to restart the plant with partial insulation should be discussed and a management of change done.
The unit managed the cyclone safely without a single injury. Hats off to them!
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There is no greater safeguard than pre planning to the last detail before the cyclcone hits.
You must have alternate means of communication (radio) ready
Big trees should be avoided near OHC, Fire station, emergency control centres, main entrances etc as they may fall and block access.
Access to JCB's which can be used to clear pathways is necessary.
Remember every cyclone has an eye. Once the initial phase passes, there will be a calm when the eye passes, followed again by ferocious winds, when the rest of the cyclone passes through.
Insulation damage is inevitable and a plan to restart the plant with partial insulation should be discussed and a management of change done.
The unit managed the cyclone safely without a single injury. Hats off to them!
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 28, 2016
Agencies need to address ammonium nitrate safety, report on West Fertilizer explosion says | AgriPulse
Agencies need to address ammonium nitrate safety, report on West Fertilizer explosion says | AgriPulse
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Hazards of aerosol cans
"Two electricians suffered singeing burns when residue in an
electrical switchgear cubicle was ignited shortly after an electrical
contact cleaner aerosol had been used. In another case
solvent from a pressure can was ignited by a heat gun. A safety risk
exists where any aerosol container with flammable contents is used in a
confined space or near an ignition source, whether this is electrical
switchgear or some other source of raised temperature.
As they are used so frequently, it is important to refer to information on the can itself or preferably to the appropriate material safety data sheet regarding the flammability of the contents or any other restrictions on usage. Some material safety data sheets state that the aerosol container must not be used in confined spaces or may burst if exposed to temperatures exceeding 50°C.Incorrectly used or stored aerosol containers may represent a safety risk. It is important that material safety data sheets are available" Courtesy Queensland Government - department of mines
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As they are used so frequently, it is important to refer to information on the can itself or preferably to the appropriate material safety data sheet regarding the flammability of the contents or any other restrictions on usage. Some material safety data sheets state that the aerosol container must not be used in confined spaces or may burst if exposed to temperatures exceeding 50°C.Incorrectly used or stored aerosol containers may represent a safety risk. It is important that material safety data sheets are available" Courtesy Queensland Government - department of mines
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January 26, 2016
Fire at Deccan Fine Chemicals unit
Fire at Deccan Fine Chemicals unit: Creates panic in Vizag villages
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 25, 2016
Updated: Worker injured as high-pressure hose ruptures at Cassar Ship Repair - The Malta Independent
Updated: Worker injured as high-pressure hose ruptures at Cassar Ship Repair - The Malta Independent
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 22, 2016
Common sense is not so common
I was chatting with a Plant Manager recently when he lamented the fact that his operators believed the instrumentation rather than common sense. A pump was not delivering the required flow, even though the current drawn by the motor was normal. The operators checked the position of the recirculation control valve in the DCS and it indicated close. They then requested maintenance to replace the pump twice but the problem remained. Finally they found out that the recirculation valve was open in the field though it was indicating close in the DCS.
I see similar things happen in complicated PSM systems where poeple loose sight of what is the objective of PSM. PSM is common sense applied to keep the hazardous chemicals where they belong.
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I see similar things happen in complicated PSM systems where poeple loose sight of what is the objective of PSM. PSM is common sense applied to keep the hazardous chemicals where they belong.
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January 19, 2016
Deadly accident sounds alarm for safety in Chinese labs | Chemistry World
Deadly accident sounds alarm for safety in Chinese labs | Chemistry World
Good article on why lab safety needs to be focussed on .
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Good article on why lab safety needs to be focussed on .
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 17, 2016
One dead, three injured in plant accident
One dead, three injured in plant accident: One person is confirmed dead and three others injured following an incident Saturday afternoon involving a chemical explosion at a Pasadena chemical plant.
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 16, 2016
Explosion report issued - Vernon Morning Star
Explosion report issued - Vernon Morning Star
The above news item about an incident investigation is worth reading as an explosion occurred in a dryer furnace because the combustion air fan was shut off before the furnace was cooled adequately. When the furnace was opened, an explosion occurred. This incidents highlights the importance of following SOP's
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
The above news item about an incident investigation is worth reading as an explosion occurred in a dryer furnace because the combustion air fan was shut off before the furnace was cooled adequately. When the furnace was opened, an explosion occurred. This incidents highlights the importance of following SOP's
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 14, 2016
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Finds Multiple Safety Deficiencies Led to February 2015 Explosion and Serious Near Miss at the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Torrance, California - General News - News | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Initial findings seem familiar!
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Finds Multiple Safety Deficiencies Led to February 2015 Explosion and Serious Near Miss at the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Torrance, California - General News - News | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Finds Multiple Safety Deficiencies Led to February 2015 Explosion and Serious Near Miss at the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Torrance, California - General News - News | the U.S. Chemical Safety Board
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January 13, 2016
Maintaining old assets
An interesting article has been published in Offshore Engineer, titled "Tackling the backlog".
It talks about how many assets in the UK oil exploration industry is more than 25 years old and that critical maintenance backlogs have been going up since 2010. It mentions "Safety critical maintenance backlog has increased from just above 700 man hours per installation to more than 4000, as at Q3-4 2014, with the increase having started from 2010, and the greatest rises in 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile, unplanned losses account for the greatest increase in the lost production efficiency, with planned shutdown time also increasing” . The article is worth a read. Please google "Offshore Engineer Tackling the backlog"
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It talks about how many assets in the UK oil exploration industry is more than 25 years old and that critical maintenance backlogs have been going up since 2010. It mentions "Safety critical maintenance backlog has increased from just above 700 man hours per installation to more than 4000, as at Q3-4 2014, with the increase having started from 2010, and the greatest rises in 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile, unplanned losses account for the greatest increase in the lost production efficiency, with planned shutdown time also increasing” . The article is worth a read. Please google "Offshore Engineer Tackling the backlog"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 10, 2016
Skyscraper blaze in Persian Gulf raises questions about safety | The Japan Times
Skyscraper blaze in Persian Gulf raises questions about safety | The Japan Times
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 8, 2016
Explosion in plant injures 4
http://www.breakingnews.com/t/IKq
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Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 7, 2016
Human error by a Pilot
On 08.08.2014, an Indian commercial passenger jet was involved in loss of altitude incident during cruise over Turkish Airspace. The incident occurred after the aircraft had flown for 04 hours 43 minutes from Mumbai. The aircraft was flying on westerly track which was between 230 and 300 degrees and was flying on auto pilot at a height of 32000 feet. The Pilot in command was undergoing controlled rest as per statutory requirements and the controls were with the First Officer.
The First Officer, while updating the direction heading 292 degree, instead turned the altitude knob to 292 FL (29000 feet) and pressed thereby causing the aircraft to descend as the auto pilot obeyed the order to descend to 29000 feet. The Turkish Air Traffic Controller noticed the aircraft descent and called through radio about the unauthorized descent. Subsequently, the First Officer pressed ALT HOLD and climbed back to FL320 (32000 feet). The First Officer then woke up the Captain who was undergoing controlled rest and informed him of the incident. (Source: DGCA incident report).
In our industry, there have been numerous incidents where wrong setpoints or outputs have been entered by the DCS operator, leading to plant upsets. Do you consider this in HAZOP's?
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The First Officer, while updating the direction heading 292 degree, instead turned the altitude knob to 292 FL (29000 feet) and pressed thereby causing the aircraft to descend as the auto pilot obeyed the order to descend to 29000 feet. The Turkish Air Traffic Controller noticed the aircraft descent and called through radio about the unauthorized descent. Subsequently, the First Officer pressed ALT HOLD and climbed back to FL320 (32000 feet). The First Officer then woke up the Captain who was undergoing controlled rest and informed him of the incident. (Source: DGCA incident report).
In our industry, there have been numerous incidents where wrong setpoints or outputs have been entered by the DCS operator, leading to plant upsets. Do you consider this in HAZOP's?
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 5, 2016
One man dies in water-treatment plant explosion - MRT.com: Top Stories
One man dies in water-treatment plant explosion - MRT.com: Top Stories
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
January 4, 2016
OSHA Announces Top 10 Safety Violations for 2015
OSHA Announces Top 10 Safety Violations for 2015
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
Contribute to the surviving victims of Bhopal by buying my book "Practical Process Safety Management"
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