We at Chemipetro supply high quality flanges and pipe fittings to a range of industries. The petrochemical environment is especially demanding in its need for heat, pressure, corrosion and stress-resistant flanges, which is why we manufacture them to extreme precision, and in high-grade alloys like Super Duplex.

However, even the highest specification pipe fittings will fail, if they are not backed up with competent system management and the correct hardware. Too often, flanges are expected to carry more than their fair share of responsibility in preventing leaks and accidents.

The OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), is the US equivalent of the UK’s HSE. A recent report outlined a disturbing series of violations in several US refineries. However, it isn’t all down to penny-pinching oil companies and poorly maintained pipe fittings. The OHSA admitted its Process Safety Management Emphasis program had yet to include chemical plants – and that the 2-year timeframe to investigate the remaining 64 plants was not long enough.

The investigation uncovered 11 violations at the Total Petrochemicals refinery in Texas. But this was nothing compared to the 45 violations at an Ohio facility, or the 19 found at a plant in Kansas. An El Dorado refining company was cited for hazards associated with having a permanently occupied building in a high hazard zone, and failure to address chemical, fire and explosion hazards. The fine imposed was miniscule, compared to the company’s profits – but management are contesting it anyway.

At The Marathon Petrochemical Company, a whole catalogue of potentially lethal violations was discovered. These included deficiencies in pressure-relief machinery, ineffective vapour detectors and, most tellingly, corrosion in external pipework and flanges. Modern alloys such as duplex have been around for some time now, so we need to avoid corroded pipe fittings in this day and age.