There are many safety equipments used for releasing or controlling over pressurization in chemical plant operation. One of the most common types is safety valve. Safety valve prevents equipment and piping from damage due to over pressure by releasing certain amount of fluid into the atmosphere.
Safety valves are installed on pressure vessels or high pressure pipe line. They serve as protecting devices. However, because of improper installation, safety valves could do nothing to protect the equipment from over pressurization. So, it is very important to avoid common mistakes made during safety valve installation.
Improper installation of safety valve could endanger plant equipments as well as safety of workers and people inside plant site. You have to know common types of those miss-installations. Here are six common mistakes made in safety valve installation. (more…)
Tags: inlet pipe, pressure pipe, pressure safety valve, installation safety, improper installation
Hydrostatic test is used for confirming mechanical integrity of installed pressure vessels and pipe lines. It has to be completed before putting the pressure vessels and pipe lines in use.
Plant safety inspection is purposed to examine all parts of the workplaces, as I mentioned in my previous post, 
Confined Spaces Definition
By definition, confined spaces mean spaces that are large enough spaces where workers can bodily enter and perform assigned works. Confined spaces, which can easily found in chemical plant site, at least have the following characteristics:
a. Have limited or restricted openings/ways for entry and exit.
b. Not designed and purposed for continuous workers occupancy.
c. Have poor natural ventilation.
According to the above definition, we should be able to identify all of the confined spaces exist in the plant site. And I believe we can easily identify them. Below are confined spaces that are commonly found in chemical plant site. Just add them through comment column if you would like to add another one and share with other readers
1. Solvent tanks
2. Pressure vessels
3. Boiler
4. Reaction towers
5. Product tanks
6. Gas holder
7. Absorber column
8. Kiln
9. Calciner
10. Resin exchanger column
11. Large piping line
12. Bulk chemical container
I have many experiences working in confined spaces during my assign work in chemical plant site. Storage tanks, pressure vessels and reactors are some of confined spaces that I had entered. Special precautions have to be fully given during work in confined spaces, otherwise accident will probably occur.
Tags: Confined space, storage tank, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Product tanks, piping line, Reaction towers, Occupational Health & Safety