Safety Info Posts

CSB updates H2S Line Break Double Fatality – Contractor(s) Opened WRONG flange

Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update on the agency’s investigation of a fatal release of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas at the PEMEX Deer Park Refinery in Texas on October 10, 2024, which killed two workers and injured 13 others. During a maintenance activity at 4:23 p.m., approximately 27,000…...

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WorkSafe BC’s new First Aid Requirements make perfect sense – a true performance approach!

British Columbia’s new First Aid Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation relating to occupational first aid took effect November 1, 2024. These new rules/approaches to first aid are something we should all celebrate. They are a true “performance-oriented” approach to establishing the level of first Aid needed, as well as the level of…...

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Hot Work above a flammable liquid tank leads to an explosion and $42K in fines (WorkSafe BC)

An investigation into an industrial explosion at an oil and gas facility has led to significant fines being laid by WorkSafe BC. A contractor who handles oilfield waste, has been ordered to pay just over $42,000 for safety violations. Two welders, working directly above a fluid tank, were injured after an explosion inside a shaker…...

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A look inside the Caramel Processing area

Last week, we saw the devastation of a catastrophic failure of a pressure vessel (PV) in Louisville, KY. We still do not know the cause of this failure, just that it was a “cook vessel #6. SAFTENG members can see my breakdown of the photographic evidence available from the Courrier Journal (local Louisville newspaper). But…...

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EPA RMP citations @ seafood processing and distribution facility (NH3 & $220K)

Respondent operates a seafood processing and distribution facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts that uses anhydrous ammonia in a refrigeration “process” as defined by 40 C.F.R. § 68.3, in a series of interconnected pipes and vessels at the Facility (the “Process”). According to the respondent’s 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Reporting Year Tier II reports,…...

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PRCS Fatality, would-be rescuer, and H2S

On May 29, 2024, at 3:22 p.m., Employee #1, 26, was attempting to rescue a fellow employee who had been overcome by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas in an underground pump house. Prior to this incident, multiple coworkers had been working in the pump house and were exposed to H2S gas emitted from a pipe containing…...

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Line Break/Equipment Opening GONE BAD (185F water)

Another example shows us that serious hazards can be found OUTSIDE of chemical processes, and applying the Line Break/Equipment Opening Procedure and Permit to these hazards could go a long way in controlling these recognized hazards. DEFINING and QUANTIFYING “hazardous energy” sources is STEP 1 in ensuring the process/system can be safely opened. Step 2…...

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GAO Report: OSHA Should Take Steps to Better Identify and Address Ergonomic Hazards at Warehouses and Delivery Companies

What GAO Found Three (3) major hazards caused most of the injuries and illnesses in general warehousing (which includes e-commerce warehouses) and the companies that deliver these orders to consumers (“last-mile delivery”), according to Bureau of Statistics (BLS) data. Overexertion and bodily reaction, the most common hazard (see figure), can cause musculoskeletal disorders, such as…...

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13 Carcinogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1003) specifies several paperwork requirements

The following is a brief description of the collection of information requirements contained in the 13 Carcinogens Standard: Further, employers must retain worker medical records for specified time periods and make them available upon request to OSHA and NIOSH…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...

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Incipient Stage or a fire needing a Fire Brigade? (Video)

This week, a LinkedIn post by Ed Davidson garnered some comments that disagreed with my comments about how the video should be used to show HOW NOT to respond to a fire that is (IMPO) beyond its incipient stage. As I had stated in my comments, some will celebrate the actions of those involved rather…...

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Safety Thought of the Week – Reacting To Failure (Sidney Dekker)

As an accident investigator this has to be one of my favorite books. Of course, I am a massive fan of Dekker’s books and videos. He has a newer book on this topic that is also a MUST-READ for safety professionals and accident investigators. After nearly 16 years as a safety professional in the chemical…...

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Visibly witnessing the MIE of LPG

Lots of folks find it hard to believe when I discuss Minimum Ignition Energy for flammable vapors/gases and Combustible dust. When we get “shocked” by a door handle in the wintertime, and we can feel it, that is around 10-15 mJ. Most common flammable gases and vapors now have MIE’s less than 1.0 mJ. Watch…...

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