The process safety world is abuzz with the potential incident in Orange County. If you haven’t been staying up-to-date, here is a brief overview: An ongoing hazardous materials incident at a GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, California, began after a 34,000-gallon storage tank containing roughly 6,000–7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (MMA) overheated and began venting vapor, raising fears of a catastrophic explosion or toxic chemical release. The incident prompted evacuation orders...

There is a persistent misconception in the agricultural ammonia world that bulk distribution facilities with large bullet tanks are “exempt” from federal process safety rules. This belief often comes from partial or outdated interpretations of OSHA and EPA exemptions. In reality, while certain exemptions do exist, they are narrow, and misunderstanding them can leave facilities unintentionally out of compliance. This article explains how anhydrous ammonia is used in agriculture, and why...

OSHA has finalized updates to its Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standards that affect how fixed ladders over 24 feet are protected in the general industry. For ammonia refrigeration facilities, the most common impact is not a single piece of equipment, but fixed ladders that provide access to rooftops where ammonia piping, Emergency ventilation fans, and sometimes evaporative condensers, are located. When the Rule Applies The updated OSHA requirements apply to fixed ladders...