New CSB Document on Process Unit Startups and Shutdowns

A new document outlining the safety concerns surrounding process unit startups and shutdowns was recently published by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) to help operators prevent process safety incidents.

The CSB’s paper, “Safety Digest: CSB Investigations of Incidents During Startups and Shutdowns,” describes three events where safety issues occurred during startup or shutdown of process units and provides insights on the lessons learned from each incident.

“To prevent these types of incidents from occurring, facilities should employ effective communication, provide workers with appropriate training, and have in place strong and up-to-date policies and procedures for hazardous operations such as startups and shutdowns,” the authors of the paper wrote.

Agency researchers included a thermal decomposition incident that killed three people at a BP Amoco facility in March 2001; a reactive explosion and fire at a First Chemical Corporation site in October 2002; and a pesticide waste tank explosion at a Bayer CropScience building in August 2008.

Click here to read the full text of the document.

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