I can not understand why the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) is ending WISER. This single ER tool was undoubtedly the best available ER tool! I have been sharing it for at least the past 10 years in all my HAZMAT courses. It is indeed a SAD day; as of February 28th, 2023, NLM…...
The 2021 International Building Code (IBC) has revised how firewalls can be used to establish “control areas” within a structure. Section 414.2.3 Number states:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
The 2021 international Building Code (IBC) has a new requirement that will impact EXIT doors and their exterior landings. Most states have NOT adopted this edition of the IBC, so this is just a heads up of what’s to come. The new section (1809.5 .1 Frost protection at required exits) states:… Membership Required You must...
In the CSB’s final report on a refinery incident, the agency calls on OSHA to: Develop guidance documents for performing process hazard analysis on operating procedures to address transient operation hazards in facilities with Process Safety Management (PSM) covered processes. A PHA is a critical element of the process safety management system; unfortunately, we see…...
It seems these signs have grown horns and arisen from hell! We have all seen them, and most of us have had them in our workplaces from time to time. But are they evil? Are they an accurate indicator of injury data manipulation? Celebrating our successes in safety is IMPORTANT, and there is no…...
A Wisconsin company that supplies malt barley to major craft breweries, home breweries, and other spirit and food production in the Midwest has again been found exposing employees to dangerous workplace hazards by federal safety inspectors. OSHA has proposed penalties of $174,351 after inspectors identified two repeated and 14 serious safety and health violations after…...
MSA has a CBRN-certified Powered-Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) for first responders; however, this PAPR is NEVER to be worn for the initial entry into the Hot or Warm zones! This is not a SAFTENG requirement; this comes straight from OSHA’s (and EPA’s) HAZWOPER standard…… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View...
It is pretty standard practice to hook up a compressed gas cylinder to a process. In fact, many “blanket systems” on a small vessel will use a Nitrogen CG cylinder to provide the blanketing gas. However, it is even more common to find this setup done improperly. In this article, I will offer a RAGAGEP…...
This is NOT a fluff piece, as you may already know if you are a follower. I am just dismayed at all the rhetoric around safety these days. And yes, I realize I was spoiled rotten by the companies and men I worked for over my career as a safety pro in the chemical and…...
It is that time of year again… these heaters can become a serious hazard in the workplace. And each year I get emails asking for help in controlling their use. And as you know, I love to use safety standards that may not be legally applicable but provide excellent guidance to improve safety. For those…...
At 11:45 a.m. on May 16, 2022, an employee was preparing to pump fuel into a pump station at an oil and gas site. He was holding the fuel pump and walking towards the fuel tank, when he tripped and inadvertently squeezed the pump’s handle, releasing diesel fuel. When the diesel contacted the pump manifold,…...
At 12:00 a.m. on June 16, 2022, Employee #1 and a coworker were filling train cars with soybeans. Both employees entered the grain bin from the top entry door to investigate why the soybeans were not flowing through the bottom gates of the bin. While inside, Employee #1 was engulfed by the soybeans and the…...
