HAZARDS OF TRAPPED PRESSURE AND VACUUM

While atmospheric pressure exists around us, it is usually harmless and does
not cause discomfort. However, in the oil and chemical industries, liquids and
gases are often pressurized to significant levels (for example, many times the
atmospheric pressure) for various purposes. For instance, pumps are a
common sight in our plants as they are frequently used to transfer liquids from
one location to another, over a long distance or to a higher level. Compressors
are used to accomplish the same purpose for gases.
Pressure is a source of energy and as such presents the potential to be a
hazard. This safety booklet aims to present the hazards associated with
trapped pressure and vacuum, and to recommend safeguards and safe work
practices to overcome such hazards. Examples of typical accidents are used in
this booklet to illustrate these hazards.

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HAZARDS OF TRAPPED PRESSURE AND VACUUM

1.2 Definitions
Pressure is defined as the force exerted by an object per unit area. It can be
presented in the following equations.
Pressure = Force/Area, P = F/A
Liquid Pressure = Depth (h) x Density (ρ), P = hρ

Pressure = Force/Area

Liquid Pressure = Depth
Density

1.3 Different units of pressure

Pressure is measured in many different units. Needless to say, the confusion of
units and their incorrect conversion has been the cause of some major
incidents. Hence, it is very important to specify the correct measurement unit
when dealing with pressure. The following table shows the units of pressure
commonly used in the oil and chemical industries.

kPa psi bar kgf/cm2 inch H2O

1 kPa = 1 0.1450 0.0100 0.0102 4.0146
1 psi = 6.8948 1 0.0689 0.0703 27.6799
1 bar = 100 14.5038 1 1.0197 401.4631
2
1 kgf/cm = 98.0665 14.2233 0.9807 1 393.7008
1 inch H2O = 0.2491 0.0361 0.002491 0.00254 1

When expressing pressure as a height, say in inches (or feet, metres, etc.), it is
also necessary to identify the type of liquid. There really is no such thing as an
inch of pressure. Instead, it is inches of a particular liquid, generally water or
mercury. Thus, one correct expression is ‘inches of a water column’ (written as
‘in. w.c.’ or ‘in. H2O’).
1 atm = 101.3 kPa
= 1.013 bar
= 14.7 psi
= 760 mm of mercury (30 in. of mercury)
= 10 m of water (34 ft of water)
Note: As mercury is much heavier than water, it takes less height of mercury
than water for an equivalent pressure (760 mm of mercury versus 10,000 mm,
or 10 m, of water).