Recent Blog Posts
Question: Do both relief valves on a dual assembly have to be replaced every five (5) years, or just the relief valve that has been subject to system pressure? Answer: Most pressure vessels in an ammonia refrigeration system exceed 10 cubic feet in volume (normal exceptions are oil pots and small oil separators), and therefore are […]
Question: If two independent ammonia refrigeration systems share a water diffusion tank should they be considered one (1) or two (2) processes under RMP and PSM? Answer: This is a great question that addresses the issue of “co-location“. In order to correctly answer this question, we must first consider the definition of a Process. Title 40 §68.3 Process means […]
Question: Where am I required to install emergency eyewash and shower stations? Answer: Both CalOSHA and FedOSHA require eyewash and shower stations in “all work areas where, during routine operations or foreseeable emergencies” an employee’s eye or body “may come in contact with a substance which is corrosive or severely irritating to the skin” [Title 8 […]
Question: Should an Emergency Control Box (e.g. Fireman Dump Box) be installed when constructing a new ammonia refrigeration system in California? Answer: Up until 2007, California used the Uniform Fire Code (NFPA 1) as the model fire code for the state. Since codes are typically revised every three (3) years, the last year that NFPA 1 was a model […]
Question: Can a single relief valve assembly be used to protect more than one ammonia refrigeration pressure vessel? Answer: While it is definitely not common-place, it is compliant to utilize one relief assembly to protect multiple pressure vessels, provided that the relief valves are sized correctly and the vessels are interconnected without allowance for independent isolation. […]