A 60-year-old female worker in a plastic moulding workshop was cleaning a large plastic bin. The bin had been vacuum cleaned and then sprayed with ‘Ambersil’, a highly flammable mould-removing aerosol spray that can be purchased for domestic use. The patient attempted to wipe the bin, but when she placed her face inside it to…...
At around 2 p.m., the truck caught fire during what was described as a routine annual meter inspection by New York State Weights and Measures technicians. It involved the transfer of 100-octane aviation gasoline between internal tanks on the truck. As testing concluded and fuel was being returned to the tank, vapors emitted from the…...
Fuel Truck Fire (caused by Static) at Airport Quickly Extinguished Read More »
At 10:00 a.m. on November 13, 2024, Employee #1 (23) was inside a large section of HVAC duct applying Design Polymerics DP 2590 Duct Liner Spray Adhesive to repair sagging insulation. After completing the adhesive application, Employee #1 used a pin welder to secure the insulation. While using the welder, a spark ignited flammable vapors…...
Adhesive use inside ductwork causes a fatal Hot Work fire ($156K) Read More »
At 1:53 p.m. on September 18, 2024, Employee #1 (27) was working with a barrel containing an unknown substance when the barrel exploded. The explosion caused blunt force trauma to the employee’s face and head. The steel barrel was the source of the impact. The employee was fatally injured by the blast…. Membership Required You...
Cutting a USED metal drum causes a fatal explosion ($19K) Read More »
All alcohols are NOT created equal! Alcohols may be flammable, but there is one alcohol whose flammability is NOT its primary hazard. Most know about ETHANOL. It is used in fuels, as well as in food and drinks. It is flammable, and its flammability is its PRIMARY HAZARD. But its sister, METHANOL, is VERY DIFFERENT…....
Know your chemicals… STWKY! (Methanol) Read More »
We often get this question during audits and PHAs, as it seems to be “common practice” for the driver to reside inside their cab doing paperwork while they are the intended “hazmat attendant”. And although it may not be perfectly clear under DOT regulations (I think it is clear there as well, but many will…...
Can trucker drivers stay in their cab during the unloading of a flammable liquid? Read More »
Flammable liquids shall be drawn from or transferred into vessels, containers, or portable tanks within a building: Transferring by means of air pressure on the container or portable tanks shall be prohibited. So what is approved self-closing valve?… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in...
Handling liquids at the point of final use (1910.106(e)(2) Read More »
What do you see wrong with this pic? There are two issues with the pic. One is shown (Hint: it’s not in an OSHA standard, but is in the NRTL testing standard), and the other is a common violation (the #1 violation regarding the improper use of these safety cans) that is also visible in…...
A Jan. 7 fire flash that injured four (4) employees was caused by employees burning isopropyl alcohol, a Illinois State Fire Marshal report on the incident said. The media previously reported that the incident was caused by a propane heater, which was not the case. The state fire marshal’s report said that three (3) of…...
Improper use of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) results in serious injuries Read More »
RIP On January 21, 2025, an explosion at the Port of Barcelona resulted in one death and several injuries. The explosion occurred in a methyl acetate tank during maintenance work. WARNING! Video may be upsetting to some viewers…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in...
FATAL Hot Work on Methyl Acetate Tank (Video) Read More »
This video is a great example of two failures: 1) Hazardous Communications and 2) Emergency Response recognition. There is no way he should have walked into the spill, much less into the spray to stop the leak. That was gasoline—NOT diesel; even if it had been diesel, his actions were still out of line. We…...
Someone needs some HAZCOM and ER training Read More »
Contributing to the severity and duration of the fire was the lack of storage tank fail-safe control valves and internal fire valves and the location of the control building in the containment area where fuel leaks are likely to occur. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the fire at the…...
Did we learn from the Stapleton Air Port Tank Farm Fire (1990) Read More »
