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E-NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE - August 2010
Industry News
New Service Helps ABS Consulting Clients Recover Following Major Incidents
Events involving significant releases, fires, or explosions can result in loss of life, damage to the facility, business interruption, and regulatory agency investigations. Through onsite support, investigation activities, and follow-up, ABS Consulting helps clients return to safe operations.
One aspect of the investigation will include interfacing with regulatory agencies. ABS Consulting's practical experience with agencies, including OSHA, CSB, EPA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard, can guide you through the inspection process.
In addition to dealing with regulatory agencies, ABS Consulting helps clients:
- Secure and control the incident scene
- Identify, preserve and collect evidence
- Perform root cause analysis
- Conduct fire and explosion investigation
- Engineer demolition or removal of equipment
- Negotiate with plaintiffs, insurance companies, contractors and vendors
- Offer expert witness assistance
Learn more about ABS Consulting's Major Incident Response Services.
Related Training:
- 120 - Root Cause Analysis and Incident Investigation
- 121 - Root Cause Analysis for Supervisors
- 122 - Advanced Root Cause Analysis
- 801 - Regulatory Investigation Planning
ABS Consulting Participates in Fourth Annual Maintenance & Reliability Symposium
ABS Consulting will be exhibiting during the Houston Chapter of the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals' Fourth Annual Maintenance & Reliability Symposium on August 19-20, 2010, in Galveston, Texas. Look for ABS Consulting at Booth #211.
Michael Courtney, ABS Consulting Senior Maintenance Management Consultant, will be presenting "SMRP Body of Knowledge Directorate – Providing Value to Our Members" on August 19. For more information, visit http://www.smrphouston.org/events.htm.
CSB Issues Report on 2009 Explosion at Veolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C. Hazardous Waste Facility; Waste Industry Urged to Improve Safety Standards; Recommendations Issued to Ensure Safer Siting of Buildings
A U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) case study released on the 2009 explosion and fire at the Veolia ES Technical Solutions L.L.C. facility in West Carrollton, Ohio, calls on the industry to improve safety standards covering hazardous waste processing, handling, and storage facilities. The Board also recommended that fire protection codes be revised to require companies to determine safe distances between occupied buildings and potentially hazardous operating areas.
The accident occurred on May 4, 2009, when flammable vapor was released from a waste recycling process, ignited, and violently exploded. The blast seriously injured 2 workers and damaged 20 nearby residences and 5 businesses. CSB investigators found that the north wall of the lab and operations building – where the victims were injured – was less than 30 feet from the waste recycling processing area where the flammable vapor was released.
CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said, "This accident should not have happened. Our report notes that OSHA cited the company for inadequate attention to process safety management practices in the handling of flammable liquids. But in case of an accident, believe it is absolutely critical that buildings at chemical facilities be sited safe distances from process equipment to maximize the safety of workers. We are making recommendations that would help ensure that operating areas with occupied buildings such as control rooms be sufficiently separated from process areas containing flammable liquids and gases that have the potential to explode."
The Board issued a recommendation to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which develops codes and standards for industry, urging NFPA to require companies to perform engineering analyses to determine safe separation distances between buildings occupied by administrative and other personnel not essential to process operations, and buildings housing the potentially hazardous process equipment.
The Board also revised a previous recommendation to the Environmental Technology Council, a hazardous waste industry trade group, to petition the NFPA to develop a standard specific to hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities. This would include guidance on reducing the likelihood of fires, explosions, and releases of hazardous waste.
Dr. Moure noted, "The Environmental Technology Council did not respond adequately to our 2007 recommendation, which we issued following an explosion and massive fire at the Environmental Quality hazardous waste facility in Apex, North Carolina, to work for more stringent standards in the hazardous waste industry. I strongly urge the industry to act now. These facilities, by their nature, contain wide varieties of flammable and toxic materials that can cause significant injury to workers and threaten the well being of nearby communities. Facility owners and operators need stricter technical requirements to improve the safety of life and property."
The report notes that after a normal run of the tetrahydrafuran (THF) solvent recovery process at the Veolia facility, the unit operator began a routine shutdown. Completing the process required blowing nitrogen back through the circulation piping to clean it, prior to closing valves.
CSB lead investigator Johnnie Banks said, "At the time of the shutdown, witnesses reported hearing the sound of a sudden, loud vapor release and smelling a very strong odor of THF solvent which knocked several employees to their knees. It was a matter of just a couple of minutes until the highly flammable vapor ignited."
The vapor drifted to the laboratory and operations building and found an ignition source inside the building. A worker in the control room reported being enveloped in a fireball that went through the building. The first explosion knocked over a bank of lockers, severely injuring an employee and pinning him underneath.
Because of the extensive fire damage, the CSB was unable to conclusively determine the exact initiating event for the vapor release, concluding one of two possible scenarios likely occurred. In the first scenario, air may have been drawn into a tank containing THF residue and peroxides, causing increased pressure in the tank and forcing flammable vapor from the tank to escape through a manway cover or a vacuum breaker.
In the second possible scenario, CSB investigators believe a line hose, intended to send pressurized nitrogen into a different tank, may have instead been connected to a tank containing unprocessed, flammable liquid. When the nitrogen was applied, it forced flammable vapor out through the tank vent. In either scenario, the vapor drifted to the operations building and ignited, causing the injuries.
In addition to issuing recommendations to NFPA and the hazardous waste industry, the Board also issued recommendations to Veolia, which is rebuilding the plant. The CSB called on the company to restrict occupancy in buildings in close proximity to the operating plant to personnel trained in the safe operation and orderly shutdown of the plant. The Board also called on the Center for Chemical Process Safety, a division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, to revise control room siting guidelines to address the characteristics of all Class 1B flammable liquids.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. For more information, visit www.csb.gov.
VISIT US!
SMRP Maintenance & Reliability Symposium
August 19-20, 2010
Galveston, TX
Booth #211
FEATURED ABS CONSULTING TRAINING COURSES
Compliance Auditing with PSM Overview
September 15-17, 2010 - ABS Consulting - Knoxville, TN
Compliance Auditing
September 16-17, 2010 - ABS Consulting - Knoxville, TN
Learn how to prepare for and conduct PSM and RMP compliance audits with exercises that include a simulated audit and a closing meeting. Take our regular two-day version in conjunction with our Process Safety Management course (with savings if you sign up for both). Or take the three-day version, where the first-day is a regulatory refresher overview on process safety for those who do not need to take the full Process Safety Management course.
Clean Water Compliance Institute
September 14-16, 2010 - Hilton Garden Inn - Las Vegas, NV
Get a comprehensive overview of the regulations, permitting programs, and compliance requirements under the Clean Water Act, including NPDES permits, Section 404 and storm water construction permits, TMDL requirements, current trends in EPA enforcement, and changes to SPCC plans you should have.
DISCOUNT OF THE MONTH
Great savings and flexibility for you and your company. Savings of up to 57% per day on any ABS Consulting public training course – one coupon per day (or partial day) per person. Passes may be used by anyone in the company. A 20-day Gold package is now only $5000 (a savings of over 35% off the former price) and a 50-day Platinum package is now only $11,500 (a savings of over 36% off the former price). Click here for details.
Upcoming Courses: August 2010 - September 2010
*Take two or more courses during the same week to SAVE! Combination options are highlighted. View the course calendar for a complete list of courses.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Certified ISO 14001 Lead Auditor** |
Certified ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor** |
Implementing ISO 14001 |
Environmental Compliance Bootcamp |
Clean Water Compliance Institute |
Certified ISO 9001 / OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor |
SPCC Plans Made Easy |
Stormwater Discharge Regulations |
Regulatory Inspection Planning |
PROCESS SAFETY
Consequence Analysis |
Facility Siting Hazard Analysis Techniques |
Risk Management Program Compliance |
Resubmitting EPA RMPlans |
Process Safety Management Compliance* |
Compliance Auditing* |
Compliance Auditing with PSM Overview |
Hazard and Accident Analysis |
Reliability Management |
Reliability Centered Maintenance |
SAFETY
Certified OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor** |
QUALITY
ISO 9001 Internal Auditor |
Certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor |
Nonconformities, Corrective and Preventive Action |
SECURITY
ISPS Code Security Officer* |
Maritime Security Implementation* |
MARINE
We're sure you'll be satisfied with the content of our courses. If you're not, tell us why in a brief letter, and we will credit your investment toward another course.
**No training discounts apply.
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