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Entry to methanol tank

Entry to methanol tank

Entry to methanol tank

(OP)
Hi Guys,

I am new to this so hope i am going in the right direction with my question.
We are planning to enter a 4500m3 methanol tank to do NDT and cleaning/repair if needed. Would someone out there have a procedure for the opening/entering/inspection that may have been used in the past. The safety with this job would be huge and i want to make sure i am not missing anything important.

Regards,

Dec

RE: Entry to methanol tank

American Petro Institute -- API -- has an entire training seminar and certification test devoted to Confined Space Entry.  Have someone in your orgainzation take it, or a similar, equally rigorus and inclusive training seminar.  The things that are absolutely essential are way too many to list in a post.

Please get the training, or hire an expert [not a semi-expert]  Mistakes on Confined Space Entry kill people all the time.  You really don't want to be a party to an on-the-job death.

RE: Entry to methanol tank

As posted by     I also recommend attending a training course or hire someone who carries a certificate for having trained in all aspects of vessel entry.   OSHA has some very specific rules and regulations and will burn you bad if caught no adhering to them.  I was in a group on the receiving end of an OSHA investigation that had a fatality in a tank.  Someone who has a  certificate of training should have a boilerplate form you can duplicate.  
 
Be careful with MeOH tanks as they can be hard to get clean for
vessel entry.  We have two tanks and will not allow any entry using Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).  The tank has to be man safe.  

I don't know how much portable testing equipment you have but you
will have to clear certain gases as part of the permitting  before and during the  job. Here is the Drager site with information on testing
and have rental equipment to accomplish this.  This equipment is
sold by numerous laboratory supply houses and some safety stores.

Drager did rent this equipment not a bad thing as it's expensive
especially if you only need it occasionally.  

http://www.draeger.com/US/en_US/

Check with any industry around you as our company's safety department conducted several seminars when it became mandatory to gave the hole watch some training.   

RE: Entry to methanol tank

Yes, take a proper safety course on confined space entry.  I know it will involve continuous forced ventilation and gas monitoring.   

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