Process Safety Technical Areas

Explosions in Transformer and Circuit-Breaker Tanks Due to Arcing Events

Apr 4, 2012
Timothy L. Morse
Industrial transformers and circuit breakers operate with large voltage differences between current-carrying internal components and the grounded tank walls. A breakdown in the dielectric strength of the insulating oil in the tank due to contamination or other causes can lead to the formation of an...

Flash Fire From a Hot Combustible Liquid

Apr 4, 2012
Russell A. Ogle
A truck driver loading a tanker was fatally injured in a flash fire. The accident occurred at the loading rack of a petroleum refinery. The truck driver was on top of the tank trailer loading a liquid petroleum byproduct material similar to asphalt through an open hatch on the trailer. The material...

Fire From Iron

Apr 3, 2012
Marc G. Sáenz
Although the potential consequences of combustible dust explosions are becoming more widely known, the potential consequences of combustible dust fires are sometimes overlooked. The CSB investigated three incidents involving combustible iron dust at Hoeganaes Corporation. Two people died from burns...

Evaluation of Dust Explosion/Fire Hazards During a Process Hazards Analysis [PHA]

Apr 3, 2012
Mayur Patel
Evaluation of Dust Explosion/Fire Hazards during a Process Hazards Analysis [PHA] Mayur Patel DuPont Engineering mayur.patel@ind.dupont.com and S. Dharmavaram DuPont Engineering seshu.dharmavaram@usa.dupont.com Many of the recent dust fire and explosion incidents have shown that PHA teams have...

Maintain Safety Excellence in Laboratory Test Facilities

Apr 3, 2012
Amy Theis
Our laboratory contains calorimeters to characterize reactive chemical hazards and multiple different instruments to characterize both dust and gas/vapor explosion hazards. It is a challenge to ensure that each project is completed safely since a wide variety of chemicals are used. Our goal at...

Selection of Appropriate Ignition Models for Fire and Explosion Assessments

Apr 3, 2012
Anna Qiao
A release of flammable substances can result in various fire or explosion events depending on whether there is an immediate or delayed ignition. Although developments have taken place in producing fit-for-purpose ignition models, there remain significant uncertainties, including how to identify the...

Tutorial on Combustible Dust

Apr 3, 2012
Timothy J. Myers
Recent catastrophic dust explosions, the combustible dust National Emphasis Program (NEP), and OSHA proposed rulemaking, have increased awareness of combustible dust hazards in industry. This presentation provides an overview of combustible dust. The presentation will provide a summary of recent...

Identification of Process Hazards in Laboratories and Pilot Plants

Apr 3, 2012
Christine Browning
The focus of most laboratory experiments and piloting operations is the development of a new, innovative chemical process or the improvement of an existing chemical process. These activities are designed to, and focus on, evaluation of the intended chemistry for the process being studied. The...

Auto Refrigeration and Metal Embrittlement

Apr 3, 2012
Tys Koerts
Abstract AIChE Housten Conference April 1-4 2012 Loss Of Containment Protection Auto Refrigeration and Metal Embrittlement Tys Koerts Sr. Process Safety Consultant Auto-refrigeration occurs on adiabatic expansion of gasses and boiling of liquids. The resulting low temperature can bring metals like...

PSM ? Process Safety Leadership: Practical Actions That Set PS Leadership Apart

Apr 3, 2012
Dawn Wurst
PSM ≠ Process Safety Leadership : Practical actions that set PS Leadership apart It is well known in business improvement circles that good management does not necessarily equal good leadership. This applies to PSM as well. Effectively leading the translation of PSM to action for all whom it...

Case Histories and Technology Innovations for StorageTank Loss Prevention

Apr 3, 2012
Szu-ying Huang
Storage tanks are most common material containing units in process industries. There have been many accidents associated within storage tank (material deficiency, structure design failures, operation error etc.) or among storage areas throughout the history. For example, overfilling has already...

Taking a Risk for Safety

Apr 3, 2012
Ian Sutton
Taking a Risk for Safety Over the last twenty years companies in the process industries have invested heavily in their occupational safety programs. These investments of time and money have been made in many areas, including training, behavior-based safety and the use of PPE. The results have been...

Implementation of a Highly Toxic Materials Management Program

Apr 2, 2012
Ravi Ramaswamy
Process Safety Management (PSM) is defined as the application of management systems and controls (programs, procedures, audits, evaluations) to a manufacturing or chemical process in a way that process hazards are identified, understood, and controlled so that process-related injuries and incidents...

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