The CSB issues safety recommendations to prevent the recurrence or reduce the likelihood or consequences of similar incidents or hazards in the future. Recommendations are issued to a variety of parties, including government entities, safety organizations, trade unions, trade associations, corporations, emergency response organizations, educational institutions, and public interest groups. Recommendations are published in CSB reports and are closed only by vote of the Board. The CSB tracks all recommendations and communicates regularly with recommendations recipients to ensure that the recommended corrective actions are implemented. For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions about CSB recommendations.
2020-02-I-TX-4
Revise the Butadiene Product Stewardship Guidance Manual to include guidance on identifying and controlling or eliminating dead legs in high-purity butadiene service. Specifically, provide guidance on the potential for dead legs to be formed when equipment, such as primary or spare pumps, is out of service. In the Manual, also provide guidance on method(s) to identify dead legs that could be formed when equipment, such as primary or spare pumps, is temporarily or permanently out of service. Recommend actions to mitigate, control, and prevent hazardous popcorn polymer buildup in these in-process or temporary dead legs, such as through monitoring, use of inhibitor(s), or conducting maintenance activities to minimize the presence of dead legs. Status: Open - Awaiting Response or Evaluation/Approval of Response
Revise the Butadiene Product Stewardship Guidance Manual to include guidance on identifying and controlling or eliminating dead legs in high-purity butadiene service. Specifically, provide guidance on the potential for dead legs to be formed when equipment, such as primary or spare pumps, is out of service. In the Manual, also provide guidance on method(s) to identify dead legs that could be formed when equipment, such as primary or spare pumps, is temporarily or permanently out of service. Recommend actions to mitigate, control, and prevent hazardous popcorn polymer buildup in these in-process or temporary dead legs, such as through monitoring, use of inhibitor(s), or conducting maintenance activities to minimize the presence of dead legs.
2020-02-I-TX-5
Revise the Butadiene Product Stewardship Guidance Manual to provide guidance on a methodology to help identify what should be considered excessive or dangerous amounts of popcorn polymer in a unit. Provide mitigation strategies that describe the actions that owner/operators should take during those polymer excursions to control or eliminate the popcorn polymer to reduce the likelihood of popcorn polymer-induced process loss of containment. Status: Open - Awaiting Response or Evaluation/Approval of Response
Revise the Butadiene Product Stewardship Guidance Manual to provide guidance on a methodology to help identify what should be considered excessive or dangerous amounts of popcorn polymer in a unit. Provide mitigation strategies that describe the actions that owner/operators should take during those polymer excursions to control or eliminate the popcorn polymer to reduce the likelihood of popcorn polymer-induced process loss of containment.
2020-02-I-TX-1
For all TPC PNO terminal operations in high-purity butadiene service (e.g., greater than 80 percent butadiene concentration), develop and implement a program to identify and control, or eliminate, dead legs. At a minimum, the program must require: a) a comprehensive review of equipment configurations in high-purity butadiene service using both Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and field evaluations to identify all permanent dead legs. Implement a process to identify changes in operating conditions in high-purity butadiene service that could result in the formation of temporary or new permanent dead legs, such as when primary or spare pumps are temporarily or permanently out of service. Ensure this review is conducted at least every five years; b) evaluation and implementation of design strategies, where practical, to prevent dead legs in areas susceptible to popcorn polymer formation; c) mitigation, control, or prevention of hazardous popcorn polymer buildup in all identified dead legs in high-purity butadiene service, such as through increased monitoring, flushing of equipment, use of inhibitor(s), or planning maintenance activities to minimize the amount of time that a temporary dead leg is present; and d) periodic continual auditing (at a minimum annually) by TPC PNO management to ensure that the process is being implemented. Status: Closed - Acceptable Action
For all TPC PNO terminal operations in high-purity butadiene service (e.g., greater than 80 percent butadiene concentration), develop and implement a program to identify and control, or eliminate, dead legs. At a minimum, the program must require:
a) a comprehensive review of equipment configurations in high-purity butadiene service using both Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and field evaluations to identify all permanent dead legs. Implement a process to identify changes in operating conditions in high-purity butadiene service that could result in the formation of temporary or new permanent dead legs, such as when primary or spare pumps are temporarily or permanently out of service. Ensure this review is conducted at least every five years;
b) evaluation and implementation of design strategies, where practical, to prevent dead legs in areas susceptible to popcorn polymer formation;
c) mitigation, control, or prevention of hazardous popcorn polymer buildup in all identified dead legs in high-purity butadiene service, such as through increased monitoring, flushing of equipment, use of inhibitor(s), or planning maintenance activities to minimize the amount of time that a temporary dead leg is present; and
d) periodic continual auditing (at a minimum annually) by TPC PNO management to ensure that the process is being implemented.
2020-02-I-TX-2
For all TPC PNO terminal operations, passivate all storage vessels, fixed equipment, and associated piping systems in high-purity butadiene service consistent with industry good practice guidance. Status: Closed - Acceptable Action
For all TPC PNO terminal operations, passivate all storage vessels, fixed equipment, and associated piping systems in high-purity butadiene service consistent with industry good practice guidance.
2020-02-I-TX-3
At the TPC PNO facility, incorporate the recording of any paper-based process performance information into TPC PNO’s existing electronic records management system so that the information can be reliably retained, retrieved, and analyzed in the event of a catastrophic incident. At a minimum, those records shall include Dead Leg Inspection check sheets, Spare Pump Rotation check sheets, and handwritten logs documenting the performance of all critical process instrumentation (e.g., the oxygen analyzer). Status: Closed - Acceptable Action
At the TPC PNO facility, incorporate the recording of any paper-based process performance information into TPC PNO’s existing electronic records management system so that the information can be reliably retained, retrieved, and analyzed in the event of a catastrophic incident. At a minimum, those records shall include Dead Leg Inspection check sheets, Spare Pump Rotation check sheets, and handwritten logs documenting the performance of all critical process instrumentation (e.g., the oxygen analyzer).