Emergency Response

The Department of Energy has a little-known database that is a goldmine for emergency planners and responders.  This database is called the Protective Action Criteria for Chemicals (PACs), and it uses a hierarchy-based system of the three (3) exposure guideline systems:  Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs), and Temporary Emergency Exposure…...

What constitutes an emergency response or incidental release of anhydrous ammonia Have we updated our EAP and/or ERP to ensure compliance with 40 CFR Part 1604? OSHA is moving along with their Emergency Response Rule revisions ME-OSHA issues HAZWOPER, PPE, and Calibration Gas citations to Fire Department after Fatal Explosion Did you know… red hydrants…...

OSHA currently regulates aspects of emergency response and preparedness; some of these standards were promulgated decades ago, and none were designed as comprehensive emergency response standards.  Consequently, they do not address the full range of hazards or concerns currently facing emergency responders, nor do they reflect significant changes in performance specifications for protective clothing and…...

This is video footage from an anhydrous ammonia (NH3) leak (liquid leak) and does an excellent job of showing how NH3 will behave when released as a liquid, with a boiling point of -28ºF.  The videographer may not have known how close he was to “death” while shooting his/her footage, but the wind was his…...

What’s changed in CAMEOfm 3.4.1 and Tier2 Submit 2017 “rev 2”?   In November, the CAMEOfm 3.4 and Tier2 Submit 2017 program releases included new physical and health hazard categories to match the revised Safety Data Sheet (SDS) options described in OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard of 2012.  Newer versions of those programs are now available with…...

For those who deal with emergency planning and response know all too well about EPCRA’s Tier Sheets, most notably Tier II sheets that facilities submit annually so as to inform the emergency response community of their hazardous materials and extremely hazardous substances on site.  These Tier sheets have been around since 1986 and are still a…...

What’s changed in MARPLOT 5.1.1? Made improvements to the auto-upgrade process to resolve rare issues some users experienced when upgrading to 5.1 Modified new layer creation process so that layers default to Individual Graphics Mode Updated U.S. Boundaries layers to 2017 data Enhanced threat zone information display in ALOHA popup notes Made improvements to the…...

OSHA has cited a power plant and it’s security services provider, for $43,458 in total proposed penalties, following a release of anhydrous ammonia at its Gibsonton facility.  On May 23, 2017, OSHA responded to the incident and determined that the ammonia release occurred when a relief valve activated after a pipeline became over pressurized. As a…...

There has been a lot of discussions these past several years about having an “in-house emergency response team” vs. relying on “external response services” (e.g. local FD or contracted services on a case-by-case basis).  There is NO one right or wrong answer and each facility and its hazards and needs are all quite different.  This week…...