A company has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and OSHA to pay more than $1.33 million to resolve criminal penalties and OSHA fines levied as a result of the death of a worker on Nov. 7, 2011. The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed the Deferred Prosecution Agreement on Sept. 5, […]
Several years ago the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) enacted the following regulations in response to some large scale pipeline incidents: § 192.631 Control room management PHMSA published the Control Room Management/Human Factors final rule in the Federal Register on December 3, 2009, which became effective on February 1, 2010. The agency actually
PHMSA is issuing an Advisory Bulletin to alert all pipeline operators of a T.D. Williamson, Inc. (TDW) Leak Repair Clamp (LRC) recall issued by TDW on June 17, 2013. The recall covers all TDW LRCs of any pressure class and any size. The LRCs may develop a dangerous leak due to a defective seal. Hazardous
“Now there’s something you don’t see every day” is the quote I will never forget when the OSHA CSHO began looking over the PHA. When we asked what sparked his comment, he showed us…
2013 Fatality Tracker Electrical 24 (2012 = 68) (2011 = 81) (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift 48 (2012 = 52) (2011 = 84) (2010 = 110) (2009 = 88) Mining* 42 (2012 = 92*) (2011 = 248) (2010 = 480) (2009 = 586) *no longer includes China accidents Explosions 130 (2012 =
In the world of process safety and piping design, Hydrostatic Relief Valves (HRVs)—often simply called thermal relief valves—are the unsung heroes that prevent piping ruptures during periods of inactivity. While a standard Safety Relief Valve (SRV) protects against massive surges or process upsets, the HRV is specifically designed to handle the thermal expansion of trapped
Respondent is the owner and operator of the natural gas compressor stations. The Facilities receive natural gas from well sites, separate out liquids from the natural gas and route the natural gas liquids to aboveground storage tanks at the Facilities. The natural gas is compressed and then sent via pipeline to gas plants for further
A hotwork fire at a natural gas processing plant occurred while installing the 4 inch weld-a-let. Sweet dehydrated natural gas was released and ignited, causing a flash fire that lasted for approximately one second. As a result of the flash fire, hot gases and radiant heat were released through the 4 inch hole, burning the
It is imperative to properly follow the Hazardous Materials Regulations. Improperly shipped hazardous materials can sometimes end with a catastrophic failure. In this case, a corrosive material was placed in an incompatible aluminum cargo tank for shipment. More than 4,000 gallons of hazardous waste with a pH of 13 was being transported from Chicago to
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) (“we”) are issuing this advisory as part of an ongoing federal effort to improve chemical risk management, and to advance safety and protect human health and the environment. This advisory contains information on
