I have used this tool, with some modern-day modifications, for years. When I was a safety manager of a facility I would constantly be looking for these indicators as a means to validate what I was “feeling”. As safety pros, we have a sixth sense of how things are going, but there are so many…...
Where is your safety culture? Read More »
“Name, blame, shame, retrain” is an often-used phrase for older ineffective paradigms of safety management and accident analysis. Dr. Rosabeth Moss Kanter of Harvard Business School phased the situation this way: “Accountability is a favorite word to invoke when the lack of it has become so apparent.” Kanter, 2009 The concepts of accountability, culpability and…...
Accountability, Culpability and a “Just Culture” (Dr. James Reason) Read More »
… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
To vent or Not to vent? Read More »
Earlier, I outlined the six (6) stages of a Behavior Modification Intervention. Now, I want to discuss how the same six-step process used to change the behaviors of hourly workers can be used to promote critical health and safety behaviors amongst management personnel. Management behavior will heavily influence the success or failure of a Behavior-Based…...
Using Behavior-Based Observation Process to promote MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORS Read More »
Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral modification programs in improving workplace safety. These studies have focused on establishing the following: their ability to decrease accidents/injuries, their ability to increase safe behavior and which components in a behavioral observation safety processes are most important in changing unsafe behavior and reducing accidents and injuries… Membership...
Do Behavioral Observation Safety Processes Change Behaviors? Read More »
In many processes, the use of a rupture disc (RD) between the vessel being protected and the Relief Valve (RV) is a fairly common practice. This is ALWAYS done for design necessities and not just “because”. Some processes could be corrosive to the RV internals, at least this is the most common reason for this…...
Rupture Disc between Pressure Vessel and Relief Valve (and after the RV) Read More »
The boiler was in the basement at the rear of the school. This happen on a Sunday when the school was closed. If this was during the week there would have been 15 children and a teacher and teacher assistant in that classroom. The damage was so bad the rear of the school building had…...
Boiler Explosion in Elementary School in PA (2005) Read More »
Citation 1 Item 1 Type of Violation: Serious; $4,500 Section 88.4 – Code of Iowa (2007) 88.4: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment that was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to a…...
OSHA PSM Citations @ food plant (Fatality, NH3 & $1.1M) Read More »
Pressure Vessel Failure during Hydrotest – Nov. 2007, ChinaPlease see the photos below of a pressure vessel that recently failed whilst under hydrotest during post fabrication testing. This vessel was manufactured by a vessel vendor in China and the plate was of Chinese mill origin. Unfortunately this is another example of serious equipment/material failures with…...
Pressure Vessel Failure during Hydrotest – Nov. 2007, China Read More »
Star elementary school Oklahoma 1982. Six children & one adult killed, 42 injured. The cause was an 80-gallon hot water heater exploded. The controls had been tampered with, the temperature probe was removed & the relief valve was improperly installed. … Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready...
Hot Water Heater Explosion (OK) Read More »
This is not the first time I have addressed this matter. Still, somehow, somewhere, a dirty little lie has been circulating among ammonia design and installation contractors that somehow an engine room handling less than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is incapable of presenting an explosion hazard, thus no need for any engineered ventilation. …...
Some specialized literature regarding the maintenance of safety relief valves (SRVs) is available, but it is best to always consult the manufacturer’s detailed installation and maintenance manuals on the subject, as some type of valves might require special attention. It is highly recommended to always use genuine manufacturer’s spare parts. In some parts of the…...
Relief Valve Maintenance & Testing Read More »
