-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- What the Ammonia refrigeration industry can learn from West, TX | TAO Compliance – PSM News for Ammonia Refrigeration on West Texas Damage Photos
- Resource Compliance » Overview of the DHS CFATS Regulation on Did you get a DHS – CFATS/CSAT Top Screen letter?
- FUD in the news! | TAO Compliance – PSM News for Ammonia Refrigeration on West Texas Damage Photos
- FUD in the news! | TAO Compliance – PSM News for Ammonia Refrigeration on Texas Ammonia Explosion Coverage
- OSHA is going to have a field day in 2016 | TAO Compliance – PSM News for Ammonia Refrigeration on Chicago Jewel’s Citation on Operating Procedures and PSI
Archives
- June 2021
- August 2019
- October 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- May 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- November 2017
- October 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- March 2015
- January 2015
- October 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
Categories
- Community Involvement
- Compliance
- Contractors
- CSB
- Culture
- DHS
- EPA
- General Duty
- General Information
- Good Engineering Practices
- IIAR
- Incidents
- Inspections
- LOTO
- Management of Change
- Mechanical Integrity
- NEP
- Oddities
- Operator Training
- OSHA
- PPE
- RETA
- SOP Development
- SPCC
- Standardization
- System Optimization
- Thermography
- Tier II
- Training
- Uncategorized
Author Archives: Brian Chapin
Do your Emergency Shut-down and Ventilation switches comply with IIAR2-2008b/IIAR5-2013, Appendix B?
IIAR5 was released just recently and a surprising number of people think that it introduces new requirements for emergency switches. The requirements themselves don’t differ from IIAR2-2008b – they are just laid out a little clearer in IIAR5, Appendix B: … Continue reading
Posted in Compliance, Good Engineering Practices, Standardization
Tagged Fines, RAGAGEP
Comments Off on Do your Emergency Shut-down and Ventilation switches comply with IIAR2-2008b/IIAR5-2013, Appendix B?
FUD in the news!
PSM people love their acronyms and we all have our favorites. One of mine is “FUD” or Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. I generally use this acronym when discussing how the media reports stories about topics I am familiar with. It … Continue reading
Posted in Community Involvement, General Information, Incidents, Oddities
Tagged FUD, Incidents
Comments Off on FUD in the news!
OSHA is going to have a field day in 2016
The IIAR released two new standards today which you can download (if you are a member) or purchase from their website: IIAR5 – Start-up and Commissioning of Closed Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems IIAR7 – Developing Operating Procedures for Closed-Circuit Ammonia Mechanical Refrigerating … Continue reading
Posted in Compliance, Inspections, NEP, SOP Development, Standardization
Tagged NEP, OSHA, PSM, RAGAGEP
Comments Off on OSHA is going to have a field day in 2016
OSHA to revise Palmer guidance on Hydrostatic Trapping
OSHA and the IIAR have not seen eye to eye on the issue of Hydrostatic trapping since 2006 when OSHA issued the Palmer interpretation letter which said the following: If a liquid expansion hazard exists and the only safeguard to protect … Continue reading
Posted in Compliance, Good Engineering Practices, NEP
Tagged OSHA, PSM, RAGAGEP, Standardization
Comments Off on OSHA to revise Palmer guidance on Hydrostatic Trapping
OSHA to focus on difficult inspections (like PSM) in 2014
Taken from the FY 2014 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATION of the OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION: With the agency now in its fifth decade, OSHA finds itself at a crossroads concerning how it will direct its enforcement resources. OSHA has always operated … Continue reading
The three levels of PSM Compliance…
I’ve always taught that there are three levels of PSM compliance. In my travels throughout the Ammonia Refrigeration Community I’ve seen facilities at every level. I’ve also found that you can fairly quickly figure out what their situation is by … Continue reading
Did you get a DHS – CFATS/CSAT Top Screen letter?
A lot of people got a letter recently from the Department of Homeland Security telling them that they have to file a CFATS Top-Screen. Unfortunately, some of you got this in error, but for those of you who actually still … Continue reading
What does OSHA think is the biggest concern in ammonia refrigeration components?
I read a disturbing amount of OSHA documents through FOIA requests for research. About 99% of the stuff I read is pretty useless or already known to me from previous reading, but occasionally you come across something that wasn’t redacted … Continue reading
Posted in Compliance, Inspections, Mechanical Integrity, OSHA
Tagged Fines, Mechanical Integrity, OSHA, PSM
Comments Off on What does OSHA think is the biggest concern in ammonia refrigeration components?
Interesting Times
A wise man once said that it was a curse if someone said to you: “May you live in interesting times.” EXECUTIVE ORDER – – – – – – – IMPROVING CHEMICAL FACILITY SAFETY AND SECURITY By the authority vested … Continue reading
Posted in Community Involvement, Compliance, EPA, Inspections, NEP
Comments Off on Interesting Times
Five Year Independent Full Inspection
IIAR Bulletin 110, Section 6.4.4 calls for something called an “Independent Full Inspection”: At least every five years, the annual inspection of the vessels and heat exchangers shall be carried out by a competent person independent of immediate commercial and … Continue reading
Posted in Compliance, EPA, General Information, Good Engineering Practices, Mechanical Integrity, NEP, OSHA
Tagged Fines, Mechanical Integrity, RAGAGEP
Comments Off on Five Year Independent Full Inspection