Corrosion concerns prompt Cal/OSHA to inspect refineries

In the USA, Cal/OSHA - the employee health and safety division of the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) - reports that its Process Safety Management (PSM) unit has completed investigations at all of California's refineries in the aftermath of the deadly explosion during April 2010 at the Tesoro Refinery in Washington State.

This extraordinary measure was taken to ensure safeguards are in place to prevent the state from experiencing a similar disaster. Cal/OSHA's PSM unit released its inspection findings on 11 October 2010 and concluded that the hydrogen corrosion which led to the Tesoro accident was ascribed to circumstances that do not exist in this state.

The California Emphasis Program report found that California's refiners are using the most advanced technology available for controlling the type of corrosion that can be caused by crude oil refining. The report highlights the existence of best practices in California's refinery industry. The DIR’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which runs the Cal/OSHA Program, provided each refinery with a copy of the findings.

“Cal/OSHA's unprecedented approach to refinery safety is because the PSM unit has developed a good working relationship and partnership with the refineries in California,” said John Duncan, Director, DIR.

“As the only agency in the nation having a dedicated Process Safety Management unit, Cal/OSHA takes a cooperative, hands-on approach to process safety management. In addition to conducting accident investigations, our PSM unit also conducts planned inspections, which means instead of waiting for accidents to happen, we go out there and make sure the proper measures are in place to minimise the potential for them to occur.”

California's refineries cooperated fully with the PSM unit's investigations by allowing inspectors unlimited access into the refineries, and promptly providing it with documents on request. Investigators also met with safety managers at the refineries to discuss safety issues that can be caused by corrosion damage.

The PSM unit examined each refiner's procedures and practices for identifying and mitigating the kind of corrosion damage that is known to be produced in a naphtha hydro-treater process unit - the same type of unit where the Tesoro blast occurred. This unit uses hydrogen to bring out impurities in naphtha, which is a flammable liquid by-product of crude oil.

“Crude production is an inherently dangerous industry, but California's refineries are some of the safest in the nation because of the PSM unit's multi-dimensional approach to refinery safety,” commented Cal/OSHA chief Len Welsh.

Cal/OSHA's PSM unit was created in the aftermath of the 1999 settlement with the Tosco Corp, which operated a refinery in California where an explosion killed four workers. In the 11 years since the unit was created, there have been three worker fatalities at refineries in California. The unit also regulates food-handling facilities, alcohol and beverage manufacturers, and chemical plants, among other industries.

For further information, contact:

California Department of Industrial Relations, Office of the Director, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco CA 94102, USA. Tel: +1-415-703-5050, Web: www.dir.ca.gov/dosh