Bryan Haywood – Page 287 – Safety Engineering (SAFTENG)

OSHA issues Regional Memo on Enforcement Guidance for Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

April 5, 2020 / Free, Respiratory Protection / Bryan Haywood

MEMORANDUM FOR: REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS, STATE PLAN DESIGNEES THROUGH: AMANDA EDENS, Deputy Assistant Secretary FROM: PATRICK J. KAPUST, Acting Director Directorate of Enforcement Programs SUBJECT: Enforcement Guidance for Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic This memorandum provides interim guidance to Compliance […]

OSHA PRCS citations @ University (Steam Vault & $235K)

OSHA cited three employers – a University, a Mechanical contractor and an HVAC contractor – for exposing workers to permit-required confined space hazards associated with underground steam vaults. Proposed penalties for the three companies total $235,962. OSHA received an employer-reported referral from the mechanical contractor after an employee suffered burns from a release of steam

And you wonder why OSHA writes these standards (Exit height and Working Order)

April 4, 2020 / Free, OSHA Compliance / Bryan Haywood

In this one, we get a 2-for-1 special!!!! First, the egress path height… 1910.36(g)(1) The ceiling of an exit route must be at least seven feet six inches (2.3 m) high. Any projection from the ceiling must not reach a point less than six feet eight inches (2.0 m) from the floor. and then the

Free EHS Web Training (Listing of Resources)

April 2, 2020 / Free, OSHA Compliance / Bryan Haywood

From my friend Bill Geddings… In an effort to help EHS professionals who are missing conferences, local professional development meetings and other training opportunities that will allow us all to maintain certifications and our competencies please share known online learning opportunities. These can be environmental, occupational health, safety, leadership, emergency response, etc. I will share

When a business converts to handling flammable liquids for the pandemic response (Part 2 – Indoor Storage)

April 1, 2020 / Flammable Liquids, Free / Bryan Haywood

Earlier this week I explained the OSHA requirements for storing Flammable Liquids “outside”, using Ethanol as my example since so many businesses have been converted over to making hand sanitizers, many of which have never managed such a large inventory of flammable liquids. Part 2 is to cover those businesses who wish to store their

Outdoor Storage of Flammable Liquids in containers and portable tanks

March 31, 2020 / Flammable Liquids, Free / Bryan Haywood

The humanity and compassion that many ordinary businesses are showing during this pandemic are heartwarming and patriotic. But it is also very concerning and quite frankly dangerous to see some of the images from their public announcements of their efforts. As a profession, we need to step up and help these businesses manage their hazardous

Don’t forget “building construction” in your PSSR

March 30, 2020 / Free, OSHA Compliance / Bryan Haywood

Although the idea of this article originated from a PSSR debacle on a new process construction project, the information will apply to ALL building construction and so I have put this in the OSHA Compliance Category rather than the Chemical Process Safety category. Late last year we were finishing up a longterm project with a

Compliance in a time of COVID-19 Pandemic

March 30, 2020 / Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP), Free / Bryan Haywood

Brian Chapin, Compliance Services Manager NOTE: This article is by my good friend and colleague Brian Chapin @ RC&E in Forth Worth, TX. In full disclosure, RC&E has been a corporate member for several years. Brian was gracious in allowing me to post his work directly at SAFTENG as some of you were having issues

NEVER use the HHC/EHS as your pressure/leak testing media

March 29, 2020 / Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP), Free / Bryan Haywood

On June 29, 2005, an operator was involved in the following maintenance activities in the Chloropyridines Complex at the employer’s chemical manufacturing facility. He was returning a reactor vessel to service and WAS ATTEMPTING TO DO A PRESSURE AND LEAK TEST USING CHLORINE GAS. The pipeline was supposed to be pressure tested with nitrogen gas

This is why ASME B31 series requires us to have written procedures for pressure and leak testing the piping

March 29, 2020 / Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP), Free / Bryan Haywood

On March 13, 2007, Employee #1, a subcontractor, performed maintenance on commercial foodservice equipment. He was in the kitchen area of a single-story restaurant, attempting to locate the source of a refrigerant leak in an ice cream storage dipping cabinet. Employee #1 connected a Nitrogen cylinder to the dipping cabinet’s refrigeration system via a hose

Leak testing gone bad (Bubble test on NH3 pipe/valve weld)

March 29, 2020 / Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP), Free / Bryan Haywood

A refrigeration system was being installed in a new wing of an ice cream plant in 1984. A leak test was being performed by employee #1 on a “low-pressure tank” which was filled with a mixture of ammonia and air under a pressure of 150 psi. As he squirted a soap bubble solution onto a

Line Break gone BAD (replacing a defective NH3 pressure gauge)

March 29, 2020 / Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP), Free / Bryan Haywood

At 11:30 a.m. on September 04, 2018, a group of employees was working on a beef processing station. Employee #1 was REPLACING A DEFECTIVE AMMONIA PRESSURE GAUGE FOR A HOT-GAS AMMONIA LINE when he broke off the gauge and associated valve, releasing ammonia into the area and cut/fab floor below. The plant was evacuated and