Blast Resistant Buildings

Unmatched in Flexibility and Versatility

Flexibility and versatility are seminal features to HMB’s rental and lease fleet of blast resistant buildings.  HMB’s standard lease buildings are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 12’ x 20’ (240 sq. ft.) or 12’ x 40’ (480 sq. ft.) single modules to single level expandable complexes as large as 6,500 square feet.  If space is a problem, go vertical with HMB’s stackable configurations enabling twice the square footage of protected workspace in a similar area.  These standard buildings have blast ratings of 8, 10, and 12 PSI.  HMB’s proprietary Mechanical Fastening System has expanded the flexibility and versatility of standard single module buildings.   Only a decade ago, it was inconceivable to rent a large free span lunchroom for a construction project within a plant.  HMB has expanded its fleet to provide over 30 different expandable and stackable configurations. These protective buildings can be outfitted to be used as administrative offices, operator shelters, contractor offices, control rooms, lunch rooms, tool cribs, restrooms, permit offices etc.  As your one–stop solution for blast resistant buildings, HMB can take care of installation, maintenance, renovations, door replacements, etc.

Engineered for Safety

HMB’s investments in engineering, testing and construction methods come at a price.  This price yields returns through the confidence and peace-of-mind of those who occupy our buildings.

For instance, the steel structural envelope of blast rated buildings provides the primary barrier of protection to its occupants in the event of a blast.  Though there are other factors in surviving a blast, withstanding the pressure wave from a hydrocarbon blast is of paramount importance. There are established engineering standards by which blast rated buildings are designed.   Embedded within the calculations are “safety factors” that can used to “value engineer” certain designs.  For instance, two seemingly identical buildings with the same blast ratings can have a dramatic difference in weight.  For some applications like offshore, heavier buildings can be problematic.  HMB never wanted to value engineer its buildings at the cost of safety, which resulted in thicker steel members, and heavier buildings.

Actual tests have established that HMB’s buildings performance exceeds its actual blast ratings of the buildings.  Moreover, when you consider the number and type of bolts used in its mechanical fastening system, in its multi-unit expandable and stackable configurations, HMB erred on the side of safety.  Therefore, HMB may use thicker or more bolts than buildings constructed by other companies.

Certainly such decisions have a cost but at HMB it is viewed as an investment in safety.  As an occupant, all else being equal, would you prefer to be in a heavier building that is secured with more bolts?

Tested for Certainty

The secondary effects of a hydrocarbon blast deals with the occupants within the building.  Will there be deformation of the outer wall?  If so will it create projectiles within the structure?  Were the engineering and construction methods used to design the structure adequate to withstand the blast?  HMB has made significant investments in engineering and have conducted actual tests to validate its construction methods and fastening systems to ensure that its buildings not only meet industry standards but most importantly, protects its occupants.  These test

Built with Quality

OSHA’s National Emphasis Program to increase compliance with Process Safety Management (PSM) and with “facility siting”, the section of PSM that directs facilities to ensure that workers in blast areas are protected, was launched in the wake of the Texas City blast in 2005 and the investigations which followed that blast.  Under this program OSHA has heightened its enforcement activity and is conducting a comprehensive industry review of all refineries to compel immediate enforcement with PSM and facility siting requirements.

One outgrowth of OSHA’s heightened scrutiny of the industry has been a focus on BRMs.  Specifically, since BRM’s are constructed, marketed and sold to refineries for the purpose of intentionally housing personnel in high hazard blast areas, the relevant question is what level of scrutiny should be applied to BRMs.

Although not mandated, HMB has self-imposed OSHA’s PSM Mechanical Integrity (MI) standards on its buildings because OSHA’s MI provisions apply to equipment that is critical to process safety.  These provisions recognize that some equipment is so critical to the process or to safety that the refinery or plant cannot simply rely on the manufacturer’s representations as to quality or fitness, but rather the refinery must possess independent verification of the equipment’s fitness.  These obligations generally require that manufacturers of equipment governed by this rule provide for example, certificates of origin of materials used in the manufacture of that equipment and documentation of processes and inspections used during manufacture.  The reasons for the applicability of MI to BRM’s from HMB’s viewpoint is obvious; inferior raw materials, inadequate manufacturing processes or inadequate QC safeguards could result in a catastrophic failure of the BRM during a blast.

Engineering + Testing + Mechanical Integrity = Peace of Mind