3 replies to this topic

[Art Montemayor]

mohazeem:

This is such an important part of a plant engineer's responsibilities and concerns that I can't write enough on this subject. We would require a special forum that would probably last weeks - if not months - discussing all the important items and details that must go into ensuring a safe entry into distillation towers. Obviously, we don't have that availability on this forum so I'll be terse and direct: You require procedures and training; procedures and more training; and still more procedures and more training.

Items to always be aware of are:

1) never allow anyone to enter the tower without an authorized safe entry pass issued by the unit's principal engineer or manager;

2) never allow any piped or hosed connection to the tower to remain intact; always inspect and insure that all piped and hosed connections have an "air break and are blinded and valved off - and tagged appropriately.

3) never allow anyone to enter without sniffing, testing and ensuring a safe, breathing atmosphere inside the tower;

4) never allow anyone to enter without a trained and recognized "partner" directly on the outside of the enterance manway 100% of the time and ready with phone communications to the entry person and to the main control room where the shutdown control center is located.

5) always keep a faithful and true written account of who enters and under what conditions with a full report of the results.

There are many, many other points and recommendations to make mention of and I could go on for hours. Suffice it to say that this subject can't get enough attention from the interested parties. Every operating company I have worked for has had its own set of instructions and detailed procedures - I presume yours has also.

I anticipate others will write their comments on this thread and I look forward to reading other people's notes and ideas on this very important subject and how to communicate creative and good recommendations.

Art Montemayor

[jom]

Confined spaces fatalities are so common.

Never treat nitrogen as a harmless gas. It's a killer. It should be odorised. It should be made to stink.

Never go in to help a collpased colleague. Get AIR in to him.

Art, you're so right - this is a topic that deserves its own forum.

[mannan]

for planning to safe entry the distillation tower. drain the liquid to lbd or wherever the safest while some pressure inside the column, after completed drain confirm 100 percent, remove the gases to flare, total blind for tower connected lines including psv line(avoid back pressure to allow the gas inside the tower).
after completing blind, make nitrogen hose for sweep purging for remove all traces of hydrocarbon, after checking N2 rich.. then remove N2 with air for man power entry...to entry column need strict gas test which one is oxygen rich should above 21 percent .. lel should be nil
make 2 permits.. one is vessel entry( confined space entry) another one is hot permit. with all of these need all employee details like emp no.. company name including outside the vessel one man(attendant)should stand and communicate the people whoever inside the vessel..
after entering the tower they should enter the time.

hopefully this answer will help..