Mechanic dies from oxygen deficiency (12%) in ISO Transport Container
On February 4, 2004, a 23-year-old tank mechanic died from lack of oxygen after entering a chemical transport...
Worker killed in wood-dust explosion sparked by faulty fuse (Violated Class II, Div 1 Electrical)
On August 11, 2003, a 50-year-old production worker was seriously burned and died 5 days later from a...
A Department of Public Works Worker and a Volunteer Firefighter Died in a Sewer Manhole (Oxygen Deficiency and No atm monitoring)
In September 2010, a 48-year-old male worker (Victim I) employed by a village Department of Public Works...
Using an electric grease gun in the presence of Butane/LPG killed a 20-year-old maintenance worker (Flare not used, Butane released to atm)
On September 16, 2024, a 20-year-old male wash bay attendant (victim) attempted to utilize an electric...
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LNG Tanker Unloading Fatality - Unloading Hose Failure (Driver moved truck 17')
A 62-year-old technician was killed when an LNG vapor cloud exploded while he offloaded liquefied natural...
How many of you use the 95th Confidence Interval in your "Data Sampling"?
DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an Industrial Hygienist, so seek help elsewhere if you find this post intriguing. How...
2025 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-relatedInjuries and Fatalities (Purdue University)
The following are highlights from the 2025 summary of injuries and fatalities associated with agricultural...
Dry Ice (CO2) pool party catastrophe
The tragic dry ice pool incident occurred on February 28, 2020, during a 29th birthday celebration for...
Which flammable gas (methane or pentane) is better to use in calibrating my direct-reading instrument? (Sweating the small stuff series)
Choosing between methane and pentane for calibrating a direct-reading combustible gas indicator (CGI)...
Materials of Construction for Direct Reading Instruments: Sample Tubing (Sweating the small stuff series)
When you pump reactive, highly polar, or oxidizing gases like chlorine (Cl2), chlorine dioxide (ClO2),...
Setting the record straight... Is there a maximum length of sample tubing for MSA/Drager/RKI/Industrial Scientific direct-reading instruments? (Sweating the small stuff series)
NOTE: Be sure to check your BRAND and MODEL for specifics. I have used MSA devices in this article because...
NFPA 1970 (2025 Edition) Overhauls SCBA Standards
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) officially consolidated several legacy respiratory and...
NIOSH UPDATES three (3) hydrogen halides IDLH values
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has finalized Immediately Dangerous...
NIOSH Re-Evaluating Ammonia (NH3) IDLH Values
NIOSH issued a formal Request for Information (RFI) seeking new toxicological and human health effects...
Proposed Removal of Medical Evaluations for FFRs and Loose-Fitting PAPRs
OSHA advanced a deregulatory proposal to amend 29 CFR 1910.134 that would alter pre-use medical clearance...
NIOSH Advancing Final Rules for Combination Unit Respirators and PAPR100s
According to the federal regulatory agenda, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and NIOSH...
House Committee Votes to Block OSHA Workplace Heat Standard
When you think politicians can’t get any more foolish, they seem to never disappoint. Two committee...
What is the margin of error in the computed respirator change-out schedules?
There is no single, universal “margin of error” for computed respirator cartridge change-out...
Failure of NH Nurse Tank
On June 28, 2026, a fatal farming accident occurred in Crane Township, Paulding County, Ohio, involving...
Report on the catastrophic Explosion @ Shandong Youdao Chemical Co., Ltd. (China)
On May 27, 2025, a catastrophic explosion and fire erupted at a chemical manufacturing plant operated...
What is the minimum pressure for a sensitivity "bubble test" (Piping Leak Test)?
For a formal liquid bubble leak test using a detector like Swagelok Snoop, the industry-standard minimum...
Is pneumatic testing of plastic water piping acceptable under ASME B31?
As we have discussed before, the PREFERRED pressure/leak testing method is hydrostatic. This is the...
What does the phrase "Tag +" mean to you as a safety professional?
It’s an internal OSHA term for when an employer chooses to use TagOut (TO) instead of LockOut (LO)....
Facility Siting - Location of labor quarters in relation to the covered process
The Industrial Safety and Health Department has directed all seafood processing units to relocate labor...
Can the safety manager "see" an employee's completed Respiratory Protection medical questionnaire?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! I know this may not be accepted by everyone, but the medical questionnaire is a medical...
Can we deny an employee a specific job if they refuse to be medically qualified for respirator use?
Employees who refuse to undergo a medical evaluation cannot be assigned to work in areas where they are...
Do you consider "Fit Testing" records to be "medical records" and off-limits to a 2nd/3rd-party auditor?
In the past 12-months I have been told by three (3) organizations that I can not audit the fit testing...
Medical Evals for Respiratory Protection (RP) standard do NOT qualify as the HAZWOPER Medical Surveillance
The Respiratory Protection (RP) standard medical questionnaire for 1910.134 will NOT satisfy the HAZWOPER...
Fireproofing piping supports
Fireproofing piping supports — specifically the application of Passive Fire Protection (PFP)— is a critical...
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Does federal OSHA require a "swing gate" at a vertical point of ladder access at the edge of a walking/working surface?
The simple answer is yes. Federal OSHA requires either a self-closing swing gate or an offset barrier...
PHMSA issues guidance on NH3 Nurse Tank Non-Destructive Testing
In February 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and PHMSA issued a safety advisory...
Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical Exposures (Ototoxicity)
Think about… when we are working around chemicals, we typically look at forms of exposure such...
How detailed should our means to verify ZES be?
This is a pet peeve of mine: DETAILS MATTER in safety procedures and safe work practices. One thing...
OSHA cites big rig parts distributor for confined space fatality (asphyxiation), safety hazards after worker fatality at the company’s Corpus Christi facility
OSHA has cited a big rig parts distributor for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into...
The double H2S fatality event at a Kraft Mill is the classic anatomy of an accident - CSB Issues Woodland Pulp Investigation Update
This is WHY we need the CSB! We would never get this type of analysis from an OSHA investigation/report....
Pressure testing piping and the connected vessels
Every once in a while, I come across a process design that leads to code issues down the road. This usually...
Would the risk management program regulations cover the loading and unloading of transportation containers?
The definition of stationary source includes transportation containers used for storage not incident...
For CAA section 112(r)(1), General Duty, what are the chemicals that are covered?
There is no specific list of substances that subjects a stationary source owner or operator to the general...
Must separate amounts of regulated substances be aggregated for threshold determinations?
Drums containing regulated substances (listed in 40 CFR §68.130) are stored in several separate locations...
When your "life safety equipment" inspector is violating your HAZLOC requirements!
PLEASE ensure your “life safety” contractor inspector for Exits, Fire Extinguishers, EW/SSs,...
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