2016 Video of the Week #8 (Why there are TRAINED PROFESSIONAL Tree Trimmers – USE THEM!)
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ASME B31.3 and Double-Walled (Jacketed) Piping Pressure/Leak Testing
ASME B31.3 (Process Piping) treats double-walled piping—commonly referred to as jacketed piping—as two (2) distinct pressure systems. Because the failure of the inner pipe (core) or outer pipe (jacket) carries different risks, the code requires specific sequences and methods to ensure the integrity of both…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this...
A look into OSHA’s battles with Congress
I absolutely hate when politics enter into safety, but it is an unfortunate fact that OSHA has to deal with on an on-going basis. However, like all politics these days, it is just getting ridiculous in what is being expected of OSHA from Congress, that group who can not seem to keep their own chambers…...
OSHA requesting permission to inspect “small businesses” who have PSM covered processes
You may be asking, what the heck is this all about… you mean OSHA is prohibited from inspecting “small businesses who have PSM covered processes” – YES, in some NAICS’s OSHA has been prohibited from doing PSM inspections when the small businesses are within an industry that has lower than national average injury rates. Now I…...
What is Conservative Decision-Making?
Admiral Hyman George Rickover (1900-1986) served more than 60 years of active military duty in the U.S. Navy – longer than anyone in our history. He is known as the Father of the Nuclear Navy. For 34 years, he led the organization that developed the pressurized water reactor technology that propels our nuclear Navy and…...
Did a terrorist group and anhydrous ammonia just validate DHS’s CFATS?
Today has been very interesting, as I have taken several phone calls from security contacts wanting to learn more about Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) and terrorist attacks, such as suicide car bombs or small missile attacks on pressure vessels holding NH3. I am not aware of any security alerts issued by US authorities as of this…...
OSHA S&H Bulletin – Hazards when Purging Hydrogen Gas-Cooled Electric Generators (SHIB 01-22-2016)
U.S. Department of LaborOccupational Safety and Health AdministrationDirectorate of Technical Support and Emergency ManagementOffice of Science and Technology Assessment Introduction Many electric power plants now use hydrogen gas-cooled electric generators versus air- or water-cooled generators. To prevent injury or fatality, employers must ensure hydrogen gas is completely purged from generator housings and bushing boxes before…...
Does your PSM/RMP utilize “check valves” as a safe guard to PRVENT “reverse flow”? (NRC and API 570)
Check valves are a common piece of equipment within chemical processes; however, often times these specialized valves go years without any inspection or verification they are performing as designed. In some processes, these valves play a pivotal role in PREVENTING the initiation of an incident and can even be the sole layer of protection for…...
Defining our Safety Systems in our PSI
OSHA’s PSM and EPA’s RMP standards require the employer to develop the Process Safety Information (PSI) regarding each covered process’s “safety systems”. 1910.119(d)(3)(i) Information pertaining to the equipment in the process shall include:… 1910.119(d)(3)(i)(H) Safety systems (e.g. interlocks, detection or suppression systems). §68.65 Process safety information.… (d) Information pertaining to the equipment in the process. (1)…...
HAZLOC’s and “Fitness Bands” (Part II)
So today my e-mail box overflowed with questions regarding the use of medical devices such as hearing aids, noise canceling hearing protection, and medicine pumps in HAZLOCs. And yes, there is a solution for these VERY LIMITED opportunities to use a device that is NOT certified for use in these HAZLOCs by a 3rd party…...
IL Fire Marshal explains state codes and NFPA Life Safety Code
One area that we commonly find during audits and assessments is the lack of complying with the state’s fire, building and mechanical codes. Often times we find that no one involved in the project(s) were even aware of these baseline state requirements for storing and/or processing hazardous materials. Now EACH STATE is different, but this…...
Ohio is revising the State Fire Code for 2017
State Fire Marshal Larry L. Flowers is pleased to announce the initiation of the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) administrative rule update process for the 2011 Ohio Fire Code (OFC) and associated SFM rules (also known as Ohio Administrative Code sections 1301:7-7- 01 through 1301:7-7-47). The targeted effective date of…...