Holy cow batman, have we really come to this in the safety profession?!?!?! An apprentice is crushed to death while standing inside (or technically under) a “machine” looking at some fans he was going to be working on, while the facility technician was performing the LOTO on “the machine”. To get this “machine” to the […]
The state of IL has passed some Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) regulations that will require retail Ag fertilizer businesses to:
In November 2015, Congress enacted legislation requiring federal agencies to adjust their civil penalties to account for inflation. The Department of Labor is adjusting penalties for its agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA’s maximum penalties, which were last adjusted in 1990, will increase by 78%. Going forward, the agency will continue
With all pun intended, this is a REAL speed limit sign with solar panel and a digital readout that was run over, we are pretty sure intentionally, at a plant. Speed was a concern on this road within the facility so HR and management wanted to “provide feedback” so that people knew they were speeding.
Respondent owns and operates a chemical plant to produce many grades of high density polyethylene (HDPE). On August 2, 2015, Respondent identified a release of hexane into the adjacent facility to Respondent cooling water system and released to atmosphere. The cause was due to two of 658 “U” tubes from the LHC Tails Cooler failed
Respondent has submitted and registered an RMPlan to the EPA for its stationary source and has developed an RMProgram accidental release prevention program for the stationary source. Respondent operates polyhydric alcohol production process that uses ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and ethylenediamine in the polyhydric alcohol production process. Respondent has one RMProgram level 3 covered process, polyhydric
Respondent owns and operates a 210,000 square foot fresh fruits and vegetables processing and cold storage facility. The facility includes one RMProgram regulated closed-looped ammonia refrigeration system. The refrigeration system represents an RMProgram level 3 covered process which currently stores or otherwise uses 27,300 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, in amounts exceeding the applicable threshold of
This is an excellent overview of line break/equipment opening hazards and precautions. Albemarle – Line Break Procedure from Launch Media on Vimeo.
Respondent owns and operates a container molding facility where it manufactures and recycles high density polyethylene containers ranging in size from fifty-five to 330 gallons (“containers”). The larger containers are encased in a steel cage for extra support. As part of its recycling operations, the Facility accepts used containers which routinely contain small amounts of
It is become more common to find this type of set up on our audits. We don’t see this cited often but OSHA will cite this very set up using: 1910.141(g)(2) Eating and drinking areas. No employee shall be allowed to consume food or beverages in a toilet room nor in any area exposed to a
OSHA cited Phoenix Industrial Cleaning for 28 serious safety violations following the death of a worker who fell from a ladder inside of a storage tank, apparently after being overcome by methylene chloride vapors at a chemical manufacturing facility in Wheeling, IL on Nov. 29, 2012. The company performs industrial cleaning of cooking exhaust ventilation,
The House Appropriations Committee has approved language blocking OSHA’s efforts to cover Anhydrous Ammonia bulk processes located at “fertilizer businesses”. The legislation now awaits consideration on the House floor. The bill prevents OSHA from revising a previous enforcement position relating to the “retail exemption” (1910.119(a)(2)(i) that would pull around 4,800 anhydrous ammonia fertilizer facilities into
