Text For Citation: 03 Item/Group: 007C Hazard: REFINERY

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i)[D] Information concerning the technology of the process shall include at least the following: Safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions; A. The employer did not ensure that information concerning the technology of the process included safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions. This violation was identified during inspections of the facility from November 2009 to March 2010, Silver Eagle Refining Inc., 2355 South 1100 West, Woods Cross, UT, 84087. During the inspection, the safe upper limit (pressure) for the #1 Crude Unit, entitled "Crude Unit #1 Operating Limits", was an undated document which listed the maximum "safe limit" for pressure for the COL- 10201 at 30 psig. Noted was that the above mentioned safe limit was the setting at which the PSV relieves and not a safe upper limit to prevent PSV relief. Furthermore, COL- 10201 was operated at 25 psi which was above the 20 psi maximum allowable working pressure for the vessel as documented per document MDDW 1-UOSH-134. By not developing and documenting safe upper and lower limits, information involved in critical decisions was not available to ensure the operation was safely operated within specified parameters. In the event of an equipment failure, employees could be exposed to hazardous situations such as fires, explosions, and/or chemical releases which can result in serious injury or death. This may be a system-wide occurrence that requires evaluation of all safe upper and lower limits for all equipment throughout the facility. B. The employer did not ensure that information concerning the technology of the process included safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions. This violation was identified during inspections of the facility from November 2009 to March 2010, Silver Eagle Refining Inc., 2355 South 1100 West, Woods Cross, UT, 84087. During review of the Crude #2 Operating Manual, Operating Limits, revision 2, Nov. 17, 2005, Section 3. Normal Operating Limits, documents provided indicated that two different temperature maximums are measured by the same temperature sensor (TE_29201) located on the outlet of the furnace. The maximum temperature for outlet from the furnace is listed as 650 F, whereas the maximum temperature for the feed to COL-20250 measured by the same sensor is listed at 630 F. Clearly both temperature maximums measured by the same sensor cannot be valid. By not developing and documenting safe upper and lower limits, information involved in critical decisions was not available to ensure the operation was safely operated within specified parameters. In the event of an equipment failure, employees could be exposed to hazardous situations such as fires, explosions, and/or chemical releases which can result in serious injury or death. This may be a system-wide occurrence that requires evaluation of all safe upper and lower limits for all equipment throughout the facility. C. The employer did not ensure that information concerning the technology of the process included safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions. This violation was identified during inspections of the facility from November 2009 to March 2010, Silver Eagle Refining Inc., 2355 South 1100 West, Woods Cross, UT, 84087. During review of the Crude #2 Operating Manual, Operating Limits, revision 2, Nov. 17, 2005, documents provided list a maximum safe limit for pressure on COL- 20250 at 30 psig, indicating that PSV-20250 will lift. P&ID drawing 02-PR-PID-005 indicates thatthe PSV valve for this column is tagged as 29401 with a relief setting of 15 psig. The upper safe limit for pressure for the column must be less than the relief setting, and this instance the upper safe limit has been established at 30 psig, whereas the relief valve is set at 15 psig. By not developing and documenting safe upper and lower limits, information involved in critical decisions was not available to ensure the operation was safely operated within specified parameters. In the event of an equipment failure, employees could be exposed to hazardous situations such as fires, explosions, and/or chemical releases which can result in serious injury or death. This may be a system-wide occurrence that requires evaluation of all safe upper and lower limits for all equipment throughout the facility.