THE HAZARDS OF FRP CHEMICALS

Many plants use FRP lnes and tanks for various services. When they are in need of repair, in situ repair is carried out by re applying the resin. Be careful and warn your maintenance and operation personnel about the hazards of the chemicals used for repair. Read the
following accident report by OSHA:

Accident: 14293922 -- Report ID: 1054196 -- Event Date: 12/07/1987
Inspection	Open Date	SIC	Establishment Name
105249494	12/07/1987	3732	Marlin Boats Inc
A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES WERE CONSTRUCTING A FIBERGLASS BOAT IN THE CHOPPER GUN AREA. THEY WERE WORKING WITH STYRENE MONOMER, METHYL ETHYL KETONE PEROXIDE, AND FIBERGLASS. THEY WERE RUNNING LOW ON MEK PEROXIDE, SO THEY ADDED THREE PARTIALLY FULL CONTAINERS OF WHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE MEK PEROXIDE TO THE RESERVOIR. AS EMPLOYEE #1 RESUMED OPERATION OF THE CHOPPER GUN THERE WAS A SUDDEN EXPLOSION AND FIRE. LUCKILY, THE MAIN FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION BLEW AWAY FROM THE EMPLOYEES. THE EMPLOYEE WAS TREATED FOR MINOR CHEMICAL BURNS AND EXPERIENCED A TEMPORARY THRESHOLD SHIFT IN HEARING. LAB ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STYRENE IN ONE OF THE MEK PEROXIDE CONTAINERS. CAUSAL FACTORS WERE DETERMINED TO BE EMPLOYEE LACK OF TRAINING ON THE PHYSICAL HAZARDS OF CHEMICALS, AND LACK OF LABELLING OF THE MEK PEROXIDE, WHICH CONTAINED STYRENE.

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Lessons for Gulf of Mexico blowout

http://theconversation.com/drilling-in-the-bight-has-bp-learnt-the-right-lessons-from-its-gulf-of-mexico-blowout-65471

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Process safety education initiative

 http://www.powderbulksolids.com/news/Eastman-and-AIChE-Launch-Process-Safety-Education-Effort-11-10-2016

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The importance of OEM manuals!

During a routine stroke testing of a shutdown valve, it was found that the valve was not passing the test. A technician who checked the valve heard a hissing noise coming from a fitting on the valve stem that looked like a grease injection point.
The valve had historically been lubricated with grease through the stem injector fitting to aid the performance of the valve. This fitting had been wrongly assumed to be a grease injector fitting. The actual purpose for the fitting was to inject a sealant in the event of a lower stem seal failure. As technicians were unknowingly greasing the cavity between upper and lower stem seal, it caused the collapse of the lower stem lip seal, causing gas to migrate up to the injector fitting.
This is a lesson why we need to read OEM manuals!


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2017 promises to be a ear of unprecedented risk - Huffington post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-wagner/2017-promises-to-be-a-yea_b_13690632.html

 

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Safety Integrity level - myths

 Safety Integrity level - myths


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Four workers critically injured in fire at Louisiana refinery By Tom Hall

Four workers critically injured in fire at Louisiana refinery  
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Massive explosion in Italys larget refinery

massive-explosion-rocks-one-italys-largest-oil-refineries

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New EPA Rule Aims to Bolster Chemical Plant Safety

New EPA Rule Aims to Bolster Chemical Plant Safety

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Electrostatic heater explosion - safety alert

https://www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee.gov/files/wd-105-e-safetybulletin-clean-copy-november-2016-electrostatic-heater11-10-2016-final-draft.pdf

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The Development of Inherently Safe Static Protective FIBCs | Powder/Bulk Solids

The Development of Inherently Safe Static Protective FIBCs | Powder/Bulk Solids

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Hot work accident kills 3

A hot work accident in a detergent manufacturing plant in North India has reportedly killed tbree persons. It appears that the workers were trying to remove some bolts that were corroded when the explosion occured.
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Accident in plant kills 1

Thanks to Shri M.K.Rao executive director India Glycols Limited  for sharing this link
http://www.wltx.com/news/local/explosion-at-calhoun-county-plant-injuries-reported/364147611
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Vessel overpressurisation incident

Vessel overpressurisation incident

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The importance of SOP's for start up after an emergency shutdown

After an investigation of a fatal refinery furnace explosion, OSHA has concluded that catastrophic incident all started with a power outage. The report mentions an emergency shutdown that apparently took place in the furnace unit where the victim was working just before the explosion. The emergency shutdown was needed after a power outage occured, and a furnace exploded when workers were lighting up burners to bring the plant back online.
OSHA claims the company failed to provide clear instructions to operators for proper startup and use procedures after an emergency shutdown. The citation notification issued by OSHA said the same startup procedures were used for normal startup and startup after an emergency shutdown.
OSHA also claims proper furnace purging procedures were not performed on the furnace that eventually exploded and killed the victim.


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Another Anniversary of Bhopal but have we learnt the lessons?

In my view, the answer to the questions posed in the title of this blogspot is sadly "NO". We are making the same mistakes as Bhopal even today, as shown by the root causes of incidents that occur in current times. Please spend this week in your organisation as "Process Safety Management Week - Lessons from Bhopal" and educate your young workforce.
See all my earlier postings on Bhopal in this link.

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Lessons Learned from a Hydrogen Explosion

Lessons Learned from a Hydrogen Explosion: On January 8, 2007, a hydrogen explosion at the Muskingum River Power Plant’s 585-MW coal-fired supercritical Unit 5 caused one fatality, injuries to 10 other people, and significant damage to several buildings. The explosion occurred during a routine delivery of hydrogen when a hydrogen relief device failed, which allowed the contents of the hydrogen tank to escape and be ignited by an unknown source. This article covers the findings of the incident investigation and the actions the plant has taken to prevent a reoccurrence.


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