Foreword This Safety Digest of Lessons Learned addresses the continuing need for thorough indoctrination and for the effective exchange of information in matters relating to safe@ efficient refinery operations. This Digest is dedicated to the professionalism of the members of the Operating Practices Committee-past@ present@ and future; their unrelenting insistence on and tenacious advocacy of good engineering practices have contributed to the industry's excellent safety record. The Safety Digest is planned to be published as a book but will initially be available in the following individual sections: General Safety Precautions in Refining Safety in Unit Operations Safe Operation of Auxiliaries Safety in Maintenance Safe Operation of Utilities Safe Operation of Storage Facilities Safe Handling of Petroleum Products Environmental Controls Precautions Against Severe Weather Conditions Publication of the Digest in sections expedites the availability of safety-related material to the industry and provides the user greater flexibility for selection and acquisition of desired material. Section 7@ Safe Handling of Petroleum Products@ Section 8@ Environmental Controls@ and Section 9@ Precautions Against Severe Weather Conditions@ are the sixth@ seventh@ and eighth in the series to be published. Robert E. Butikofer@ Amoco annuitant and former member of the Operating Practices Committee@ helped develop this Safety Digest. Previously@ he helped prepare the highly successful and widely distributed Amoco volume on Process Safety directed by Jesse Ducommun@ founder of the Operating Practices Committee. The committee hopes that the lessons summarized in this Safety Digest will also assist in improving the lines of communication concerning safe@ efficient operations within our refineries. Although this publication does not attempt to set industry standards for the care and use of equipment@ it does present the lessons learned by refiners and the procedures they are following to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. This greater sharing of operational and safety-related experiences and expertise should help to maintain the industry's excellent safety record. Individual refiners@ of course@ should assess how technical questions summarized in this digest should be evaluated in their own plants. Lessons@ once learned@ should not have to be learned again.