From “facility siting” in a PHA to establishing emergency “assemble areas,” the methodology we use matters. Many of us use a RAGAGEP from The European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) titled Methodology for Determination of Safety and Separation Distances. The “safety distance” is to provide a minimum separation that will mitigate the effect of any foreseeable…...
Today the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on a flammable vapor explosion and fire at the Yenkin-Majestic facility in Columbus, OH, on April 8, 2021. One employee died during the incident, and eight other workers were injured. The CSB’s final report makes several important safety recommendations to Yenkin-Majestics,…...
Recently, OSHA cited a global manufacturer for HAZLOC violations using its 1910.307 – Hazardous (classified) locations standard. We do not see this standard often cited, as in most PSM/RMP citations related to Hazardous Locations (HAZLOC), OSHA and EPA will reference the RAGAGEP NFPA 70. It is one of our common findings in our PSM/RMP audits…...
My training PowerPoint for maintaining, testing, and inspecting chemical hoses (including unloading/loading hoses) per my favorite RAGAGEP. SAFTENG members can download below…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Members can download my HIGH-LEVEL overview of what a PTW process should encompass. All work permits should fit into this mini-management system. Members can download the ppt file below…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
The Risk Management Program emergency response coordination activities require the owner and operator of a stationary source to provide to the local emergency planning and response organizations: the stationary source’s emergency response plan if one exists; emergency action plan; updated emergency contact information; and any other information that local emergency planning and response organizations identify…...
Damage to Drain Nozzles on Tote Tanks Poses Leak Hazard BSEE has become aware of multiple instances in the Gulf of Mexico region where tote tank drain nozzles have been damaged, leading to leaks and spills during lifting events. These incidents have raised significant safety concerns, and it is crucial that possible risks…...
As we end 2023, we will have exceeded 30+ years of OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard. And yet, still today, we can walk out into a random covered process, place our hand on a process component, and the facility will struggle to provide us a “cut-sheet” for the component (i.e., what), when it was…...
In a food processing facility, an employee moved a pallet from an upper storage rack using a forklift when the forks were lifted too high and contacted the roofing panel near an ammonia line. The roofing panel pushed up, bending the liquid ammonia refrigeration line. A two-bolt flange connection was strained, causing an uncontrolled leak…...
Those in the USA have dealt with OSHA’s Process Safety Management Standard since 1992 and EPA’s Risk Management Plan since 1999. And although these standards established a well-needed MINIMUM performance criteria, they missed the market in what we come to expect in a proper performance-oriented standard. OUr friends to the North have been using an…...
The Process Safety Fundamentals (PSFs) are straightforward, doable best practices designed to raise awareness of process safety and spark conversations in the field. The PSFs can often be fully satisfied, but when they can’t, it’s essential to pause and hold a meaningful conversation with the team, supervisor, and support personnel to figure out a different,…...
Did you know there is actually some logic behind OSHA and NFPA’s Hot Work Permitting process? This means that even before we issue a HW Permit, we have to walk through this logic. In essence, if we can do the work WITHOUT having to perform HW; then by all means, we do the work without…...
