February 15, 2019

Handling Hot Work Hazards @BiodieselMag

Handling Hot Work Hazards @BiodieselMag: The risks associated with performing hot work in a biodiesel facility are many. Fires and explosions caused by sparks from lit torches are, unfortunately, not uncommon. Each incident has its own string of causes and effects, but every loss caused by hot work is 100 percent preventable.

February 3, 2019

Ignition sources

The late Dr Trevor Kletz used to say "Ignition sources are free". We often tend to overlook all potential sources and focus on only the obvious sources. These include:
  • Cigarettes/matches etc
  • Cutting and welding
  • Hot surfaces
  • Dryers and furnaces
  • Sparks due to impact
  • Sparks from electrical equipment;
  • Vehicles 
  • Mobile phones
These are some additional sources of ignition you should consider: 
  • Space heaters
  • Spontaneous heating
  • Friction heating
  • Stray currents from electrical equipment
  • Static electricity
  • Lightning strikes
  • Electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths

January 26, 2019

Preventing incidents: Effective process safety management

Preventing incidents: Effective process safety management: To prevent dangerous process incidents from occurring, facilities should employ effective communication, provide workers with appropriate training, and have strong and up-to-date policies and procedures in place.