Are you an employee

Are you an employee

All workers are entitled to work in environments where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Under health and safety law, the primary responsibility for this is down to employers.

Worker s have a duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions at work. Workers must co-operate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements .

As a worker, if you have specific queries or concerns relating to health and safety in your workplace, talk to your employer, manager/supervisor or a health and safety representative.

For more details on employers and your own responsibilities in law you can read Health and safety law: What you need to know Your health and safety: A guide for workers also provides further details of your rights and responsibilities.

In addition, please refer to Frequently Asked Questions specifically for workers, or for health and safety matters in more general, please refer to theFrequently Asked Questions.

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workers/responsibilities.htm

Entitled: intitulado

Properly: controlados

Duty: dever

Affected: afetado

Queries: consultas

Concerns: preocupações

Relating: relativa

Convenção sobre Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho, de 1981 (n ° 155) - [Ratificações ] E seu Protocolo de 2002 - [Ratificações ] 

The convention provides for the adoption of a coherent national occupational safety and health policy, as well as action to be taken by governments and within enterprises to promote occupational safety and health and to improve working conditions. The Protocol calls for the establishment and the periodic review of requirements and procedures for the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases, and for the publication of related annual statistics.

Glossário:

Convention: convenção

Coherent: politica

Occupational: Ocupacional

Safety: Segurança

Health: saúde

Diseases: doenças

Governments: governamentais

Fonte:  http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:11300:0::NO::P11300_INSTRUMENT_ID:312300

Valter

Postagem Letícia Andrade

Overview

Workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk of heat stress. Exposure to extreme heat can result in occupational illnesses and injuries. Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Heat can also increase the risk of injuries in workers as it may result in sweaty palms, fogged-up safety glasses, and dizziness. Burns may also occur as a result of accidental contact with hot surfaces or steam.

Workers at risk of heat stress include outdoor workers and workers in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, factory workers, and others. Workers at greater risk of heat stress include those who are 65 years of age or older, are overweight, have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications that may be affected by extreme heat.

Prevention of heat stress in workers is important. Employers should provide training to workers so they understand what heat stress is, how it affects their health and safety, and how it can be prevented.

Glossary:

Illnesses – Doenças

Stroke – Acidente Vascular Cerebral

Rashes – Erupções cutâneas

Dizziness – Tonturas

Surfaces – Superfície

Should – Devemos

O texto fala dos problemas de saúde que o calor extremo pode causar.

As pessoas expostas ao calor deve se proteger para evitar doenças e acidentes de trabalho.

Confined spaces come in many shapes, sizes and configurations. Often, they are easy to spot. Sometimes they are not. Workers need to recognize that potentially hazardous areas in their facility exist and are big enough for people to enter, challenging to access and exit, and definitely not intended for people to routinely occupy. These areas clearly involve dangers that can be expected to cause problems for anyone trying to work within these spaces, such as atmospheric or chemical exposures, fall hazards, moving machinery, or electrical systems.


http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/12829-confined-space-hazards

many shapes: diversos tamanhos
 recognize: reconhecer
challenging: desafiador
routinely: Rotineiramente
trying: tentar

Laene F. Vilas Boas

MSHA to Propose Rule for Required Proximity Detection Systems

MSHA has announced it’s issuing a proposed regulation that would require that coal hauling machines and scoops on working section in underground coal mines be equipped with proximity detection systems. The agency reports the proposed rule would “better protect our nation’s miners from being crushed or pinned in confined underground mine spaces where large equipment is constantly in motion.” MSHA data shows that from 2010 to 2014, 41 pinning, crushing or striking incidents have been reported, and that nine of these incidents, which were fatal, could have been prevented if a proximity detection system had been in use.
Proximity detection uses electronic sensors to detect motion and the location of an object in relation to another. Proximity detection systems provide sound and visual cues that stop moving machines before miners get too close. MSHA reports that under the proposed rule, operators would have to use proximity detection systems that:

cause a coal-hauling machine or scoop to stop before contacting a miner;
provide audible and visual warning signals when a miner gets too close to the machine;
provide a visual signal on the machine that indicates that the system is working properly;
prevent machine movement if the system is malfunctioning;
prevent interface with or from other electrical systems;
be installed and maintained by someone who was trained in the system’s maintenance and installation. 

Source:http://ehsworks1.blogspot.com.br/2015/09/msha-to-propose-rule-for-required.html

Glossary:
issuing - emitindo
coal - carvão
hauling - reboque
underground coal mines - minas de carvão subterrâneas
rule - regra
pinned - preso
motion - movimento
pinning - imobilizando
crushing or striking  - esmagamento ou golpear
provide - fornecer
properly - corretamente
malfunctioning - não funcionar 
maintained - mantido
maintenance - manutenção

Aluna: Paula Paiva Tashima

Long shifts double injury, illness risk for EMS workers: study

     Pittsburgh – Emergency medical services workers whose shifts last longer than 12 hours have double the risk of an occupational injury or illness than those who work shorter shifts, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh.

     Researchers examined data from nearly 1 million shifts of more than 4,000 EMS workers over a three-year period, as well as 950 occupational health records for 14 large EMS agencies. They found that injury risk rose as the work shift grew longer.

     After accounting for worker type, day or night shift, and other factors, the researchers discovered that working a shift longer than 12 hours was tied to a 50 percent higher injury risk. The risk increased to 60 percent for EMS personnel working shifts of 16 to 24 hours.

     EMS workers have to be able to lift and move patients, drive safely, and stay focused despite stress, yet they frequently work shifts of 12 hours or longer, the researchers noted.

     The study was published online Sept. 14 in the journalOccupational & Environmental Medicine.

     source: http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/13035-long-shifts-double-injury-illness-risk-for-ems-workers-study

shift - turno

last - último

those - essa

shorter - mais curto

found  - encontrado

grew - cresceu

well - bem

accouting - computado

tied - amarrado

higher - superior

able - capaz

lift - elevar

stay - fique

despite - apesar de

yet - ainda

Elisângela Carla Lara

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Case 075: Breaking the pump body.

On October 12, 2001, at 5h20m, an oil tank operator located next to a dock the bank of the river Seine in the commune of Hauts-de-Seine (nearby Paris), France, was alerted by a driver who heard a strange noise in the pump station No. 1. By checking this alert, discovered a furnace fuel oil spill (Furnace Fuel Oil - FFO) that flooded the pit retention of pump station with about 80 cm of FFO.

The leak occurred in a tank farm consisting of 23 tanks, each with a nominal capacity of between 537 m³ and 19 193 m³, for a total nominal capacity of approximately 107,000 cubic meters.

CAUSES

The leak occurred in the No. 01 pump station where one of the bombs had your body (housing) broken due to the accumulation of excessive stresses associated:

·           Incorrect support lines and accessories lines (suction and discharge);

·           Lines incorrectly connected to the pump.

The phenomenon was exacerbated by the nature of the pump (made of cast iron) which did not support the stresses caused by poor installation of the pump in place and the resulting mechanical vibration.

Furthermore, leakage of the product is possible as the result of various disorders:

·           A liquid hydrocarbon detector was set at 2 meters pump in question, but were dead at the time of the incident;

·           FFO was intercepted by a "trap" the gravity equipped with a plug (floaters) that prevented the spill reached the Seine, but as the closing was not immediate, several hundred liters of FFO leaked to the Seine;

·           The pump in question was a back-up pump that was not in operation at the time of the incident, however, an error, which was subsequently identified as bad operational management, the valves were kept open permanently.

AFTERMATH

About 500 liters of FFO was improperly dumped in the Seine a distance of 3 km from the spill source point (iridescence was found along this stretch).

The loss calculated by official agencies was about € 200,000 (euros) can be specified as follows:

·           Damage to property: € 112,000;

·           Environmental decontamination / cleaning costs: € 23,000;

·           Operating loss: € 61,000.

LESSONS LEARNED

·           Insertion of this type of scenario studies and risk assessment;

·           Keep closed suction manual valves and discharge the back-up pump;

·           Further evaluate pumps and pipes to draw up action plan based on the elimination of tensions and check if the material used is suitable for the job. The plan also allows the replacement of pumps that point similar problems;

·           Keep hydrocarbon detectors in perfect condition so there is the rapid closing of valves during a detection signal, either liquid or gas.

PROPOSED STUDIES

·           System study fast closing of these valves for the detection of the leak;

·           Verification of the correct positioning of the hydrocarbon detection device located at the outlet of the separator. The device must be located in the discharge line downstream of the shut-off valve to prevent any discharge into the Seine. In case of detection, reaction and valve closing time must be taken into account,

·           A study on the installation of a floating fixed permanent barrier in the Seine release point. This possibility of having a boom operating permanently presents some problems to the dock;

·           Study on the closing of all valves of pump stations when the unit is out of operation.

Breaking= quebrando

Pump= bomba

Body= corpo

Operator= operador

Tank= tanque

Oil= oleo

Alerted= alerta

 Checking= verificar

 Furnace= fornalha

Flooded= inunda

 Pit= poço

 Retention= reter

 Pump=  bomba

 station = estação

Decent Work Country Programmes and OSH country profiles

Decent Work Country Programmes and OSH country profiles

Many countries have identified occupational safety and health as one priority in their Decent Work Country Programme . The reinforcement of safety and health conditions at work and compliance with relevant OSH legislation are often key aspects of these plans. This database assists countries in delivering safer and healthier working conditions and allows them to learn from more advanced laws and criteria. It helps shape national OSH strategies, policies and programmes. The database facilitates information analysis and it is useful for preparing country comparative reports. By offering the possibility to document good practices and highlighting legal trends across regions, the database acts as a driver for better OSH legal requirements at the country level.

Source: http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_217849/lang--en/index.htm


Glossary
reinforcement - reforço
compliance - conformidade/observância
in delivering - no fornecimento
allows the - permitir-lhes
laws- lei
highlighting - destacando
trends - tendências
across region - em toda região
acts - atua/funciona
as - como
level - nível


Student: Monike Faustino Laudino

Fall Protection Training in the Wind Energy Industry

Fall Protection Training in the Wind Energy Industry

©iStockphoto.com/Terrance Emerson

Various OSHA regulations and ANSI standards apply to general industry and specifically address fall protection. Yet, few regulations are specific to wind energy or generation.

One answer is industry-specific training. In a new article from Windpower and Engineering & Development, John Eckel, senior technical training specialist at Miller Fall Protection says, “Wind construction has many safety hazards and that’s why industry-specific training is so important.”

OSHA says falls are the leading cause of occupational fatalities. Workers at heights of 6 ft or greater must have safeguards in place to protect them from the risk of falling. Technicians should also know what’s available in fall protection equipment, including how to inspect it and use it properly.

Eckel explains that the most effective way to ensure safety is proper training, and combining theory and application is the most ideal. That way “properly trained workers will understand the basics of the job” and they will also learn to seek the requirements at each job site. Rescue is imperative and should be a guaranteed component of training.

The article also reports that ANSI requires workers to return every 2 years for refresher training. The organization has also established regulations for competent person trainer under ANSI Z359.2. It is also recommended that students find a training facility that prioritizes safety.

Introduction to International Labour Standards

"The rules of the global economy should be aimed at improving the rights, livelihoods, security, and opportunities of people, families and communities around the world." - World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, 2004 (Note 1 )

Since 1919, the International Labour Organization has maintained and developed a system of international labour standards aimed at promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. In today's globalized economy, international labour standards are an essential component in the international framework for ensuring that the growth of the global economy provides benefits to all.

Source: http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/introduction-to-international-labour-standards/lang--en/index.htm

Glossary:

Rules - Regras;
Aimed - Destinado;
Livelihoods - Sustento;
Maintained - Mantido;
Standards - Padrões;
Opportunities - Oportunidades;
Decent - Decente;
Freedom - Liberdade;
Equity - Equidade;
Dignity - Dignidade;
Framework - Estrutura;
Growt - Crescimento.


André de Faria Lopes.

Alert: Photovoltaic Systems

The generation of electricity and heat from solar energy is a growing industry and various worker health and safety hazards exist in the construction (installation), operation and maintenance of solar energy equipment and systems. The purpose of this Alert is to raise awareness of these hazards.

In particular, the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (the conversion of solar energy to electricity) presents health and safety concerns for workers involved in the construction (installation), and maintenance of the systems as well as for other workers (i.e., emergency response or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance workers) who work on or near these types of systems.

Fonte: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/alerts/a28.php

Glossário:

Photovoltaic - Fotovoltaicos
Systems - Sistemas

generation - Geração

electricity - Energia

safety -Segurança

healt - saúde

maintenance - manutenção

awareness - consciência

raise - aumentar

heating - aquecimento

ventilation - ventilação

air conditioning - ar condicionado

Thalis Paschoal

The WHY, WHO and WHAT of Quitting Smoking in the Workplace

Increased Productivity

Helping employees quit smoking is good for business. On average non-smokers take fewer sick days than smokers. Non-smokers can be more productive because they do not take the unscheduled smoking breaks that some smokers do.

Employees who smoke may also take longer breaks than non-smoking employees. Because of new municipal bylaws and stronger provincial legislation smoking is no longer allowed in most workplaces. This means that employees must go outside to smoke a cigarette, often to a designated smoking area and sometimes they must leave the premises completely. Because it now takes more time for employees to reach a place where they can smoke this translates into longer breaks. It also costs employers to pay for and install commercial ashtrays outside as well as to clean the ashtrays and the surrounding area.


Glossário

On average - Em média
take fewer - Tem menos
unscheduled - programados
longer breaks - pausas mais Longas
bylaws - Status
longer allowed - mais permitido
designated - Especifica
ashtrays - Cinzeiros
outside - Exterior
surrounding - Secundante

Fonte: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/pubs/tobac-tabac/cessation-renoncement/index-eng.php

Aluno: Geovanni Silva

                       Know Your Rights

Every state or territory has a different legislative framework, but there are some basic rights to safe workplaces that every worker is entitled to:

• Not to have your health and safety put at risk from work that is carried out
• Be provided with safe systems of work
• Have your employer monitor your health and conditions at the workplace
• Be provided with facilities at work
• Be provided with accomodation, if needed
• Be consulted on work health and safety issues that affect your work
• Refuse to perform work that you reasonable think would expose you to serious risk

Representation

• Request a workgroup to be established - to elect a Health and Safety Representative (HSR)
• Request that your Union represent you in negotiations for the establishment of a designated work group (DWG)
• Be represented by your HSR
• Have your HSR present at any interview between you and your employer or WHS Inspector
• Seek the help of a HSR to direct that unsafe work cease
• Change your HSR

Souce: http://www.safeatwork.org.au/rights-and-obligations/know-your-rights/httpsafeatworkorgauknow-your-rights

Vocabulary:

Every: cada

Framework: estrutura

Entitled: entitulado

Put at risk: colocar em risco

carried out: realizado

acconodation: alojamento

Issues: problemas

Refuse: recusar

Reasonable: razoável

would: seria

Request: pedir

elect: eleito

Seek: buscar

cease: cessar

HSR: Health & Safety Committee ( Comitê de Saúde e Segurança)

WHS: Work Health & Safety ( Trabalho Saudável e Seguro) 

Aluna: Nicolly Carolyn Monteiro

OSHA extends comment period for proposed rule clarifying employers' continuing

obligation to make and maintain accurate records of injuries, illnesses

WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending the deadline for submitting comments on the proposed rule that clarifies an employer's continuing obligation to make and maintain an accurate record of each recordable injury and illness. The comment due date has been extended to Oct. 28, 2015.

OSHA issued this proposed rule in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in AKM LLC v. Secretary of Labor (Volks)* to clarify its long-standing position that the duty to record an injury or illness continues for as long as the employer must keep records of the recordable injury or illness. The proposed amendments add no new compliance obligations; the proposal would not require employers to make records of any injuries or illnesses for which records are not already required.

The proposed rule was published in the July 29, 2015, issue of the Federal Register. Members of the public can submit written comments on the proposed rule at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. See the Federal Register notice for submission details.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

Source: https://www.osha.gov/newsrelease/trade-20150921.html

Glossary:
Extending: Estendendo
Deadline: Prazo de entrega
Accurate: Exato
Recordable: Gravável
Duty: Dever
Amendments: Alterações
Compliance: Conformidade
Published: Publicado
Providing: Fornecendo
Enforcing: Reforçando

Aluno: Daniel Alves da Silva

Case 071: Catastrophic rupture of a Heat Exchanger (2010).

Case 071: Catastrophic rupture of a Heat Exchanger (2010).

The moment a heat exchanger, of forty years old, was being lined up to start the drive, the hull of the machine failed catastrophically, pouring highly flammable hydrogen and naphtha causing an explosion that claimed seven lives (one shift supervisor and six operators). They were working in the vicinity of the heat exchanger and aided in the area of ​​the operator unit in the starting time of the incident. The intense heat burn for more than three hours.

Blast site.

The accident occurred on April 2, 2010 in the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes in Washington State (USA), when a break suddenly ripped hull heat exchanger E 6600E Reform Unit Catalytic / Naphtha Hydrotreating (NHT).

A - Operating Room; 
B - Exchangers NHT Heat.

The NHT unit Tesoro Anacortes refinery contained an array of equipment to six heat exchangers and divided into two parallel batteries (A / B / C and D / E / F), used to preheat the process fluid before it enters a reactor where the impurities were treated for subsequent disposal. The heat exchanger "E" (E-6600E) is constructed of carbon steel worked with high temperature naphtha over 260 ° C.

Operators of Tesoro were in the final stages of startup activity (starting unit) where they had to line up a group of heat exchangers (A / B / C) back into service after the internal cleaning of the tube bundle. The heat exchangers D / E / F (the second parallel group) remain in service during this operation.

Because of the long history of the refinery frequent and occasional leaks fires during this activity start the service should be classified as hazardous and not be treated as routine as it was considered by the management of the refinery, passing this "insecurity culture", being wrongly assimilated the operation.

FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS 

CASE, SEE THE SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN BELOW VIDEO:

KEY FINDINGS PURSUANT TO U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD (CSB)

Project failures and Inspection

• The rupture of the heat exchanger is made of carbon steel was severely weakened by a mechanism known as HTHA (attack by hydrogen at high temperature). Although the heat exchanger B is not failed at that time, it was also affected by HTHA Also, since the changer B had the same settings, made with the same materials and under similar operating conditions to the other (working in parallel with exchanger E);

To understand HTHA (CLICK HERE)

Micrograph showing bubbles that give
rise cracks due to hydrogen pressure
contained in that region.

• The HTHA mechanism can operate in areas of high tension in carbon steel such as solder does not heat treated. The welds of the heat exchangers B and E (the latter failed catastrophically) carbon steel were not heat treated. The location of the break from the heat exchanger It was along these high-voltage welding regions; 
• In 1970, the American Petroleum Institute (API) published an API Recommended Practice (RP) for steel 941 in service with hydrogen at elevated temperatures and pressures in oil refineries and petrochemical plants. This document provides Nelson curves to predict the occurrence of HTHA in various materials on temperature and partial pressure of hydrogen;
• The curves are based on Nelson incidents with equipment that have faults in the past and are drawn based on the process conditions which are inconsistent and ill-defined;

Positioning the heat exchangers of the NHT.

• It was performed by US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) a computer simulation of the process conditions within the NHT heat exchangers. The results showed that carbon steel portion of the heat exchanger E which was broken was regarded as the Nelson curves applicable (values ​​below the curve). Thus, it was considered safe for operation without risk of HTHA. Therefore, the methodology of Nelson curves for carbon steel is inaccurate and can not be applied to avoid failures in equipment for HTHA because it was not effective to predict this type of damage mechanism;
• The hottest parts of heat exchangers B and E were cladeadas with stainless steel, which has improved resistance to HTHA. It is estimated that this coated stainless steel portion operated at process conditions above the curves Nelson.However, the portion with no cladding (carbon steel) where the break occurred and the heat exchanger, it was found that operating below the Nelson curves;
• It is very difficult to detect HTHA through equipment inspection. The mechanism can bedetected by microscopy but often is present only in small localized areas of the equipment.   The successful identification of HTHA is highly dependent on the specific techniques employed and the ability inspector, and there are few inspectors who have this experience.Therefore, the inspection is not reliable enough to ensure the physical safety and prevent equipment damage by HTHA.

This micrograph shows cracks (1) resulting from HTHA, interconnected

together forming a set (2). Regions "descarbonetadas" (3)

appear lighter in color (no carbon) 

than unaffected regions (4).

• Inspections on equipment and heat treatment after welding depend on implementation procedures and training that are considered low in the hierarchy of controls and therefore are not guarantees to prevent failures by HTHA. It is preferable to use materials that are not susceptible to damage HTHA;

Sample cross-section of the weld heat exchanger NHT.

The cross-section of a multi-pass weld represented

 in macrography (upper picture) was removed from the heat exchangers B. 

The lower drawing schema defines the terms associated with welding. 

• Safe projects are considered to avoid HTHA   according to API steels   with high content of Cr. Heat exchangers B and E were not built or completely coated from these inherently safer materials. 

Management and Security failures

• The departure of the heat exchangers NHT was a dangerous and non-routine work. Constant leaks presented risks to workers during startup activities. Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) refinery failed repeatedly not controlling this risk;
• Fifteen years before the April 2010 incident, the assumptions used by the PHA teams in  refinery Tesoro Anacortes contributed to catastrophic outcome, the identification and control of risk was ineffective to prevent equipment failures by HTHA;
• Shell Oil (formerly owning the refinery) indicated in its PHA in 1995 a relationship of changes in the process that may increase the partial pressure of hydrogen in the heat exchangers NHT. However, while managing these changes did not take into account the assessment and recommendations that were indicated on the potential of HTHA in damage this equipment; 
• Shell Oil and Tesoro held periodically reports on mechanism of damage and risks to process reliability. However HTHA not identified as a risk to the heat exchangers B and E. This conclusion failures were found in the reports, mainly because they were based design of operational data, instead of operating data in real conditions. This practice contributed to incorrect data entry on the chart of Nelson curves;

The explosion of force, in addition to breaking

the hull over 1 "thick, folded

easily the tube bundle.

• Procedures Tesoro Anacortes refinery, not prohibited or limited the use of additional staff during start (starting the NHT exchangers) despite being dangerous and non-routine. The correct startup procedure specified using only an external operator to perform the initialization operations.However, on the day of the accident, a supervisor asked for five more operators to help with the startup of B and C exchangers;
• NHT heat exchangers often the leaked flammable hydrocarbons during startup, and sometimes resulting in fires. The management of Tesoro was compliant with these leaks and not always investigating the cause of the leaks. The Tesoro has taken some actions to prevent leaks, but to no avail. So it was decided to use additional operators during startup of the heat exchanger, to respond to potential oil spills or fires. This practice contributed to the presence of six additional employees in the unit during the accident in April 2010;

Steam lines used
to ease the gas leaks
 through the "suppression of explosion"
of dilution by gases.

• The two battery NHT heat exchangers are designed on a single block, making it difficult to manually operate the valves at different levels of the structure of the heat exchanger. These valves were used to initiate the heat exchangers and many adjustments are necessary to maintain temperature specifications. The difficulties with the valve operation during initialization usually results in the need for additional assistance operators; 
• The CSB found several indications of process safety culture deficiencies in Tesoro Anacortes. Refinery management considered the occurrences of hazardous conditions as normal, including frequent leaks of NHT exchangers using steam to mitigate leakage, instead of fixing heat exchangers of design problems to eliminate leaks. This procedure with steam required more operators around the exchanger during the match.

Fault Codes and Standards

• API RP 941 - steels Service with hydrogen at pressures and temperatures High in Oil Refineries and Petrochemical Plants does not require that managers of these industrial plants to check the actual operating conditions to establish operational limits for the selection of materials that prevent HTHA;
• API RP 941 directs the industry to predict the occurrence of HTHA in many building materials, by means of curvesNelson. The creation of such curves was based on the experience of industry on the subject; so is purely empirical, and there is no substantiated scientific basis. Some oil refining industries mistakenly apply these curves as a parameter;
• The CSB became aware of at least eight incidents occurred in refineries where the HTHA below the Nelson curves in equipment in carbon steel. In 2011, API issued a warning about the HTHA to refineries. The API alert noted several incidents of carbon steel equipment under operating conditions where previously it was believed that they were resistant HTHA and which were based by Nelson curves to remain in operation;
• The CSB found that Nelson curves for carbon steel are inaccurate and can not be invoked to prevent equipment failures by HTHA or accurately predict damage to the equipment by HTHA; 
• The API RP 941 does not require the industry to use safer materials to avoid failures by HTHA.

Construction material of the hull of Heat Exchangers NHT

Exchanger A / D: Mn-0.5Mo steel (SA-302-B) cladeado with Type 304 stainless steel with 1/8 "thick steel;

Exchangers B / E: Carbon steel (SA-515-70), cladeado with stainless steel type 316 with 1/8 "thick, in section 4 as shown in the following drawing.

Exchangers C / F: Carbon steel (SA-515-70).

Limitations of the Inspection Strategy in Case HTHA

While the inspection is an important component of the maintenance program and physical integrity of the equipment, there are significant limitations and the success of the inspection depends solely on strategies adopted to avoid equipment failure for HTHA. HTHA generally can be identified only after there have been the first damage HTHA. From there must be monitored by inspection to track the progress of HTHA and try to identify other corrosion points on the equipment. API RP 941 includes a discussion of the extreme difficulty in identifying the HTHA through inspection. Below are some points listed:

• The HTHA is a difficult challenge for inspection. The early stages of cracking can be difficult to detect. The advanced stage of the same with any leaks are much easier to detect, but now there is already a higher probability of equipment failure;
• Some existing control methods to try to identify the HTHA (micrograph field, for example), however, the inspection may not be the only reliable element to identify and control the HTHA. The inspection results may be unreliable and many often misleading; 
• The successful identification of HTHA is highly dependent on the specific techniques used and the skill of the inspector, and few inspectors have this level of expertise; 

• The mechanism can be eliminated in inherently safer design used HTHA more resistant materials, such as Series 300 stainless steels as well as alloy with 5% to 12% Cr. In conditions observed, usually in refining units, these materials were not susceptible to HTHA.