This note presents the results of a review of ammonia incidents reported to Health & Safety Executive (HSE) over the period 1992-1998. It also provides details of the main sources of guidance on the storage, handling and use of ammonia. Ammonia is used in the manufacture of fertilisers, nitric acid and many other products. It…...
UK’s HSE REVIEW OF AMMONIA INCIDENTS 1992 – 1998 Read More »
This note presents the results of a review of chlorine incidents reported to HSE over the period 1992-1998. It also provides details of the main sources of guidance on the storage, handling and use of chlorine. Chlorine and chlorine-based derivatives are reactive materials which are used in the chemical manufacture of a wide range of…...
UK’s HSE REVIEW OF CHLORINE INCIDENTS 1992 – 1998 Read More »
In recent years we have been seeing an increasing trend for facilities to relocate equipment to their rooftops. We suspect this is being done for two primary reasons: 1) it is free real estate and 2) it gets sensitive equipment away from forklifts, scissor lifts, manlifts, and other motorized equipment. Either reason we support; however,…...
Stairs vs. Ladders and Emergency Egress Read More »
I have touched on this topic in some of my other writings and have received many e-mails inquiring about my statements. First let me state that this impacts ALL industries, but it appears it has struck a nerve in the NH3 refrigeration industry, so my response will be specific to this industry since 100% of…...
Taking credit for a building in a WCS under RMP Read More »
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March 2012 Update on OSHA’s Refinery & Chemical National Emphasis Programs Read More »
It is becoming more common to find facilities using or at least “experimenting” with some “car seal” program or, as some call it, the “Lock Open – Lock Closed” program. These are the programs where a valve has been identified as a safety critical valve and needs to either stay closed or open until certain…...
Does your facility “Car Seal” or “Lock Open” Valves? Do NOT use your LOTO Locks! Read More »
The GUIDANCE ON INVESTIGATING AND ANALYZING HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS ASPECTS OF INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS is a report published by ENERGY INSTITUTE, LONDON. Simply attributing incidents/accidents to human error is not adequate; human factors aspects should be investigated such that lessons are learned to prevent recurrence. Each incident or accident is a learning opportunity, but one that can…...
A close look at Incident Investigation techniques A MUST READ for ALL Safety Pro’s Read More »
On June 20, 2009, an ammonia line ruptured during maintenance at a poultry processing plant in Robeson County, N.C., killing one employee and injuring several others. This accident should remind employers of the hazards associated with the use of anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant at food processing plants. Click Here (.pdf) to see and print this 2-page…...
Ammonia HAZARD ALERT issued by NC-OSHA in response to a fatal accident involving NH3 Read More »
We have come long ways with our SOPs over the past 20 years! But we still struggle with annual certifications of these SOPs. If anyone is a non-believer in what I am going to share with you in this article I encourage them to just randomly grab any SOP from your system and walk it…...
Annual SOP Certifications for PSM/RMP Read More »
Below are the set of questions that will be asked during a VPP Assessment at PSM covered facilities. In my opinion, these are the same questions that should be asked at ALL PSM facilities! These questions are being provided so that we can ask these questions, whether we want to be a VPP site…...
I learned about the 90 day rule the hard way… from an OSHA CSHO during a VPP Inspection. I had personally signed off on a very large “temporary project” that installed some field monitors for an environmental permitting project. The MOC made it very clear that these devices would be in place for one (1)…...
Temporary MOC’s and Temporary Electrical Power Read More »
UPDATE on 5/10/12… Explosion damages New Smyrna Beach ice plant (fire officials blame ammonia leak in off-hours blast – a steel door landed about a 100 feet from the opening following a very early morning explosion at the ice plant – while the cause is still being investigated, New Smyrna Beach Fire Marshal said a preliminary…...
Ammonia and HAZLOC’s (join the debate) Read More »
