Section 215.423  Inspection Program for Leaks

The owner or operator of a synthetic organic chemical or polymer manufacturing plant subject to Section 215.420 shall, for the purposes of detecting leaks, conduct a component inspection program consistent with the following provisions.

a)         Test annually those components operated near extreme temperature or pressure such that they would be unsafe to routinely monitor, and those components located more than two meters above or away from permanent worker access structures or surfaces;

b)         Test all other pressure relief valves in gaseous service, pump seals, pipelines valves, process drains and compressor seals not earlier than March 1 or later than June 1 of each year;

c)         If more than 2 percent of the components tested pursuant to subsection (b) are found to leak, again test all pressure relief valves in gaseous service, pipeline valves in gaseous service and compressor seals by methods and procedures approved by the Agency not earlier than June 1 or later than September 1 of each year;

d)         Observe visually all pump seals weekly;

e)         Test immediately any pump seal from which liquids are observed dripping;

f)         Test any relief valve within 24 hours after it has vented to the atmosphere; and

g)         Test immediately after repair any component that was found leaking.

h)         Ball and plug valves, inaccessible valves, storage tank valves, pumps equipped with mechanical seals, pressure relief devices connected to an operating flare header or vapor recovery device are exempt from the monitoring requirements in this Section.

(Source:  Former Section 215.423 recodified to Section 215.424, new Section 215.423 recodified from Section 215.422 at 11 Ill. Reg. 13541, effective August 4, 1987)