Emphasis on hose safety
by Joseph Thompson
NAHAD Executive Vice President
In 2002, a catastrophic incident in Festus, Mo., involving a ruptured chlorine transfer hose, resulted in local evacuations and injuries. The hose, with a structural reinforcement braid layer made of 316L stainless steel rather than Hastelloy C-276, was not the proper type.
Following that incident, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) approached NAHAD and the Chlorine Institute (CI) to “develop and implement a recommended practice requiring continuous positive identification . . . throughout the supply chain, from manufacturing to the end-user of the product.”
Over the past several years, the NAHAD Hose Safety Institute worked with the CSB and the CI regarding this matter. The NAHAD Standards Committee and Hose Safety Institute recently included additional language in the NAHAD Hose Assembly Guidelines.
Recently, Rafael Moure-Eraso, Ph.D., CIH, CSB chairperson, sent the following note to NAHAD: “. . . with regard to CSB Recommendation No. 2002-4-I -MO-R22, issued to NAHAD following our investigation of a chlorine release incident at DPC Enterprises’ facility in Festus, Missouri in August 2002 . . . I am writing to inform you that the (CSB) Board voted on January 4, 2012 to designate this recommendation with the status “Closed-Acceptable Action.” This status reflects the Board’s determination that NAHAD has met the intent of the CSB’s recommendation. We were pleased to learn that NAHAD has incorporated language into its hose assembly guidelines to stress the importance of continuous positive identification and to reference them as a resource for permanent markings for chlorine transfer hose. Thank you for your efforts to safeguard the health and safety of workers and the public at large.”
This incident is just one example of the importance of NAHAD’s work in providing guidance and support for our members and the industries they serve.
The NAHAD Hose Assembly Guidelines, first introduced in 2000 and updated ever since, include seven publications that provide valuable best-practice recommendations for ensuring hose assembly safety, quality and reliability. Under the auspices of NAHAD’s Hose Safety Institute, the NAHAD Standards Committee (scores of NAHAD distributor and manufacturer member volunteers) and the Institute Advisory Council (comprised of major end-users, agencies and academics) provide leadership and guidance to this ongoing effort.
Hose Safety Institute members – eligible NAHAD member distributors and manufacturers supporting the Hose Assembly Guidelines program – commit to employee training, quality control practices and continuous compliance with the Guidelines for all hose assemblies fabricated or sold by their company. These members also actively support the ongoing work of reviewing, updating and adding to the Guidelines and industry best practices. The Institute’s Web site serves as the hub of information and resources, including white papers, videos, marketing tools and the 10 online hose assembly examinations. To date, over 3,000 exam Certificates of Completion have been earned by participating employees.
NAHAD’s Standards Committee is currently completing revisions to the Hose Guidelines, to be presented at the association’s upcoming annual convention in Las Vegas. New printed formats, as well as a more robust online presence are planned for the Guidelines. In addition, the committee and the Institute Advisory Council have been at work in refining and updating the hose procurement process for the U.S. Government Logistics Agency / Dept. of Defense for the purchase of hose, fittings and tubing, designed to open the bidding process to more small- and mid-sized providers. This is an excellent example of how Hose Safety Institute members will benefit in the coming years through the Institute’s outreach and engagement with key market segments, industries and customers.
For more about NAHAD and the Institute, visit NAHAD.org or HoseSafetyInstitute.org or call NAHAD at (800) 624-2227.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2012 issue of Industrial Supplymagazine. Copyright 2012, Direct Business Media.
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