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Page last reviewed: 12/07/2006
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Pressure Vessels
Generally, a pressure vessel is a storage tank or vessel that has been designed to operate at pressures above 15 p.s.i.g. Recent inspections of pressure vessels have shown that there are a considerable number of cracked and damaged vessels in workplaces. Cracked and damaged vessels can result in leakage or rupture failures. Potential health and safety hazards of leaking vessels include poisonings, suffocations, fires, and explosion hazards. Rupture failures can be much more catastrophic and can cause considerable damage to life and property. The safe design, installation, operation, and maintenance of pressure vessels in accordance with the appropriate codes and standards are essential to worker safety and health.
Pressure vessel hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry.
Standards
This section highlights OSHA standards and national consensus standards related to pressure vessels.
OSHA
Note:
Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved
State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement
policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are
identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different
standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement
policies.
General Industry (29
CFR 1910)
Shipyard Employment (29
CFR 1915)
- 1915
Subpart K, Portable, unfired pressure vessels, drums and containers,
other than ship's equipment
- 1915.172,
Portable air receivers and other unfired pressure vessels
- 1915.173,
Drums and containers
Construction Industry (29
CFR 1926)
National Consensus
Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do
provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker
protection, and may be referenced by OSHA inspectors for informational purposes.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- 2004 Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
American Petroleum Institute (API)
- 510, Pressure Vessel Inspection Code: Maintenance
Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration. 9th
ed. (2006, June 1).
- 572, Inspection of Pressure
Vessels. (2009, November).
- 910, Digest of State Boiler, Pressure Vessel, Piping &
Aboveground Storage Tank Rules and Regulations.
8th ed. (1997, November 1).
- 620, Design and Construction of Large, Welded, Low-Pressure
Storage Tanks. 11th ed. (2008, February 1).
- 941, Steels for Hydrogen Service at Elevated Temperatures
and Pressures in Petroleum Refineries and Petrochemical
Plants. 6th ed. (2004, February).
- 945, Avoiding Environmental Cracking in Amine
Units. 3rd ed. (2003, June).
Hazard Recognition
The following references provide information to help
with the recognition and control of pressure vessel hazards.
Recognition
- OSHA
Technical Manual (OTM). OSHA Directive TED 01-00-015 [TED 1-0.15A], (1999,
January 20).
- Pressure Vessel Guidelines.
Provides
technical information on pressure vessel types, cracking experience, examination methods, and
safety assessments.
- Guidelines
for Pressure Vessel Safety. OSHA Directive STD 01-10-001
[PUB 8-1.5], (1989, August 14). Presents a
technical overview and information on metallic pressure containment vessels and tanks.
Also provides information on design codes, construction materials, fabrication processes, inspection, and
testing applicable to these vessels and tanks.
-
"Pressure." Volume II: Health & Safety -- Controls and Hazards;
Environmental Safety and Health Manual. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(LLNL).
- Potential Over Pressurization of Bromochlorodimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) Treatment Systems.
OSHA Health Information Bulletin (HIB), (1994,
August 30). Describes how these systems experienced an unexpected and rapid
evolution of gases causing the feed system to over-pressurize and rupture.
- Potential for Feed
Water Pipes in Electrical Power Generation Facilities to Rupture Causing Hazardous Release
of Steam and Hot Water. OSHA Health Information Bulletin
(HIB), (1996, October 31). Describes how feed water pipe
failures were attributed to wall thinning as a result of single-phase erosion/corrosion, leading
to rupture of the pipes under high working pressures.
Evaluation
-
"Pressure Testing." Volume II: Health & Safety -- Controls and Hazards;
Environmental Safety and Health Manual. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(LLNL).
Control
-
"Pressure Vessel and System Design." Volume II: Health & Safety -- Controls and Hazards;
Environmental Safety and Health Manual. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(LLNL).
Additional Information
Related Safety and Health Topics Pages
Training
Other Resources
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