The Sam Carbis Solutions Group Safety Blog

Investing in dependable loading arms is worth it if you're serious about your company's safety and reputation. Loading arms are flexible thanks to their swivel joints, but before making your purchase, there are additional things to think about. If you're moving from or to a truck- or rail-transported tank, the first will rely on that. The second consideration is whether you are loading through the top or bottom of the tank. Each arm solution has unique qualities, and some, like as arm systems for loading trucks, need to operate with more accuracy in order to be effective. Some important factors to consider while selecting your loading arm solution are: Loading from the Bottom or the Top The operator's safety is better guaranteed while using a bottom loading arm because they stay on the ground. Quicker couplings result in shorter loading times overall, and the tank experiences less turbulence. Longer arm reach and the ability to reach more apertures are made possib...

Best Practices for the Safe Loading of Liquid Rail Cars Statistical analysis shows that 80% of transport-related accidents and incidents occur during loading and unloading operations. This guideline offers best practice advice on loading and unloading from an organizational and behavioral point of view. Drivers that access chemical sites for the purpose of (un)loading must follow site procedures in co-operation with their operators. These can involve working in flammable atmospheres. 1. Loading Procedures It is important to be familiar with all loading procedures and know the weight and pressure restrictions for each type of tank car. This allows the crew to be aware of all necessary precautions to take when loading and unloading. Loading/unloading operations should be attended and monitored by trained personnel or by an approved monitoring system. Do not allow the load/unload operation to stand unattended or unmonitored while connections are being attached. Before a tank car...

There are several instances in which trucks will be used to carry crude oil and other fuels or fluids to a different location. Tanker trucks usually get oil from storage tanks and take it to a loading terminal to transload the fuel into railcars. Depending on the distance to the refinery or pipeline connection, the tank truck may be able to take the shipment the entire way. However, if the drive will be a long one, it is more cost effective to do things the old-fashioned way and transload the product onto railcars. Tanker trucks extract crude oil or other fluids from the storage tanks located fairly near the wellheads. Then the operator drives the truck to the nearest terminal where a rail spur allows railcars to get into the terminal, be filled, and then get back to the main railway. When the railcars arrive at their next stop it will be another terminal where the reverse actions will take place. This terminal is located near the refinery, and will be equipped for transloading from...