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An Important Layer of Protection in Your Risk Management Plan

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Prevent a Catastrophic Release of a Pressurized Hazardous Chemical: Identify What Can Go Wrong & Implement Layers of Protection

The U.S. Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent federal agency that determines the cause of industrial chemical accidents, evaluates the Risk Management Plan in place when the incident occurred, and develops strategies to help prevent the situation from ever happening again.

Catastrophic Releases of Pressurized Hazardous Chemicals

In many cases cited on the CSB website, the following factors contributed to catastrophic releases of pressurized hazardous chemicals:

Shutdown Systems for Various Container Sizes including Gas Cylinders, Ton Containers, Railcars, Tank Cars, & Bullet Tanks

• Inadequate technical support and management blindness to risk.
• Deficient chemical hazard information compiled by manufacturers and distributed to employees.
• Inability to stop the release of the chemical at the chemical feed source in a minute or less.
• No properly designed or maintained emergency shutdown system in accordance with industry best practices.

Do You Have a Reliable Safety Shutdown System?

The following are examples of CSB investigated emergency shutdown systems that failed to prevent a catastrophic release of pressurized hazardous chemicals:

• Automatic shutdown systems which close automatic valves on the loading line and the scrubber vent line connected to the bulk road trailer - even when the shutdown system operates properly.
• Automatic shutdown systems which rely on shared utilities to operate.
• Reactor Isolation Valves because they did not shut off the chemical feed from the railcar.
• Automatic air-actuated ball valves (ESD valves).
• Trained personnel wearing personal protection equipment and manually ceasing the flow of the chemical at the source.

Powell Emergency Valve Closure Systems Are Proven to Prevent Reportable Releases of Pressurized Hazardous Chemicals

Powell Emergency Valve Closure Systems use industry-leading technology, design, and support and are engineered to be the most reliable valve closure systems available on the market.

Powell Emergency Valve Closure Systems stop the release of the pressurized hazardous chemical by automatically closing the container valve, stopping the chemical feed downstream. In the event of a gas leak, car or container movement, security breach, fire alarm, seismic event, or numerous other circumstances, Powell systems close container valves within 10 seconds or less – well before a reportable release occurs.

Powell is the only manufacturer of emergency shutdown systems to offer both pneumatic and electric systems for 150 lb. cylinders, 1-ton containers railcars and bulk containers.

Powell Emergency Valve Closure Systems are compatible with many hazardous fluids.