Be vigilant about parallel pumping conditions that can lead to catastrophic failures During my career, I have seen several massive centrifugal pump failures caused by pump users attempting to operate pumps in parallel without the proper equipment review, procedural review…
Early in 2016, OSHA (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration) announced its “final rule” regarding respirable crystalline silica. This rule has been under consideration since 2013. The final ruling reduces the permissible exposure limit (or PEL) for workers in businesses…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) has finalized a rule adding a hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) category to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals. This action will expand the scope of chemicals subject to TRI reporting and provide…
Water is both a life-giving source and a potentially devastating force. Citing this range of water’s power during the opening session of Weftec (New Orleans; September 24–28; www.weftec.org), New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu described how the city has triumphed over…
A new technology that uses plasma to kill bacteria and simultaneously oxidize organic material in water systems offers a non-chemical alternative to water treatment in several industry sectors, such as food and beverage, power generation, oil and gas and others.…
The ability to reduce fugitive emissions through the use of strategic design modifications not only protects workers and the environment, but reduces losses of valuable process materials The industrialized nations of the world have all placed increased emphasis on the…
Passage of the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act has created a long and challenging road ahead for U.S. EPA rulemaking On June 22, 2016, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA) was signed into law with…
Significant improvement in reducing fluid loss, optimizing flow paths and easing operation are among the advances in next-generation coupler technologies According to the National Response Center’s (NRC) “Spills and Accidents” database, which collects data on toxic chemical spills and other…
Follow this guidance to understand today’s cybersecurity risk landscape and take the necessary steps to create a sound industrial control system cybersecurity program, including the development of a comprehensive, in-depth cyber-asset inventory In industrial facilities, cyber incidents typically result from…
Patented Lance-Less Sorbent Injection for Significant Savings Lance-Less Sorbent Injection Dry sorbent injection is a technology often used in the mitigation of various of air pollutants from utilities and industrial boilers. It offers a low-capital cost method to mitigate SO2,…