Bryan Haywood

Another fatal hot work (electrical tool) explosion on storage tank

An outside storage tank at a wastewater treatment chemical manufacturing plant exploded, killing the plant manager, 64, and former town commissioner.  According to Police, he was working on a ladder operating an electrical tool of some sort on the tank.  As we can see from the aerial footage, the tank appears to have been a fiber…...

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Hot Work Accident Data (NFPA 2016)

U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 4,440 structure fires involving hot work per year.  These fires caused an average of 12 civilian deaths, 208 civilian injuries and $287 million in direct property damage per year. From 2001-2015, five firefighters were fatally injured in four accidental fires started by torches. Forty-two percent of the fires involving…...

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NFPA 654 (2017) and powder addition(s) to flammable atmospheres

I have written about this hazard numerous times as it is the leading cause of flash fires within process vessels, but during a recent Combustible Dust project, I noticed that the 2017 edition of NFPA 654 has some new and specific requirements for this activity.  I had always used NFPA 77 as my RAGAGEP for this activity,…...

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Watered Christmas tree vs. Dry Christmas tree (NIST Video)

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than 200 home fires each year start with a Christmas tree. In these videos, NIST fire researchers demonstrate what could happen if a fire starts in a watered Christmas tree vs. a dry Christmas tree. For Christmas tree safety tips, visit the NFPA website (link is…...

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Static Electricity with plastic tote and flammable liquid @ Cosmetic Facility (Video)

As seen in the video below, a drum is clearly labeled FLAMMABLE with its red placard suspended over a plastic IBC (i.e., tote).  The Orange County Fire Investigation Unit determined that “static electricity caused a flammable liquid to ignite” inside the cosmetic manufacturing facility on November 20, 2017. The cause was ruled as an accident.  The explosion…...

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OSHA PRCS citations @ transportation company ($333K)

OSHA has cited US Environmental Inc. for 12 safety violations, including willfully exposing workers to confined space and fall hazards. The company faces proposed penalties of $333,756.  Investigators inspected the facility on May 31, 2017, and found that the company failed to implement rescue procedures for employees in confined spaces; provide protective equipment when working in…...

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IN-OSHA LOTO/Guarding Citations @ automotive manufacturing facility ($224K)

An IN automotive manufacturing facility has been fined $224,000 by the Indiana – OSHA for five alleged safety violations following the death of an employee in October. A female worker, 44, died after an incident with a machine at the plant on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. The preliminary cause of her death was ruled multiple…...

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New versions of CAMEOfm and Tier2 Submit are now available (November 2017)

What’s changed in CAMEOfm 3.4 and Tier2 Submit 2017?  A BIG change for those of you submitting RMP(s), Tier2 Submit is stopping support for the older MER file format.  See below for more, but the new file format will be in place in 2018!… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership...

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Respirators and facial hair is based on SCIENCE and NOT OSHA’s desire to make workers shave

One of the sad trends we continue to see in OSH centers around the use of respirators and facial hair.  OSHA has stated more times that I can count on two hands that facial hair is NOT allowed in the face-to-mask seal area.  In fact, personnel are NOT even permitted to be fit-tested if they have…...

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