Hazardous Materials

The phase-down and restriction of the most common and widely used refrigerants was initiated in the late 1980’s and has spurred innovation, both for the alternative refrigerants that have been introduced as well as in the equipment that uses them. Safety Group A2L refrigerants (lower toxicity and lower flammability) represent the most recent in the…...

After nearly 20 years in ER specializing in large-scale incidents, I can say that with this news I am sorry I got out of the work when I did.  This addition to the rails of the USA will be a fun and wild addition.  LNG—referred to as “Methane, refrigerated liquid”  within the HMR—has been transported…...

The City of Henderson, NV has upped their game when it comes to their adoption of the 2018 International Fire Code in order to address “remote tank filling”.   The new item addresses requirements for tank filling operation connections preventing unwanted filling into the wrong tanks where properties have both acids and bases, which has occurred…...

Almost every safety professional on the planet that works with chemicals, emergency response, and confined spaces knows that the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) exposure is a game changer!  But so many also struggle with what it means to actually work in an IDLH atmosphere.  In this article, I want to try and…...

Most of us know that a properly designed and installed ventilation system is our FIRST option for controlling hazardous concentrations of flammable vapors, gases, fumes, mists or dust, and volatile or airborne materials posing a health hazard, such as toxic or corrosive materials.  And thankfully, most workstations and areas that need proper ventilation have it…...

A hazardous exhaust system shall be required wherever operations involving the handling or processing of hazardous materials, in the absence of such exhaust systems and under normal operating conditions, have the potential to create one of the following conditions:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...

There are five (5) basic types of ventilation systems: dilution and removal by general exhaust; local exhaust; makeup air (or replacement); HVAC (primarily for comfort); and recirculation systems Most ventilation systems generally involve a combination of these types of systems.  But there are some specific requirements, that need to be met:… Membership Required You must...

With the new 2021 International Fire Code comes some interesting changes.  One such change impacts how we establish how many “control areas” within our buildings and floors.  Personally, I was surprised they made this change, but after close examination, it actually makes sense.  So let’s look at what liberties the 2021 edition gives us in…...

I am unsure how to be any louder or more straightforward to the food industry regarding their “Tunnel Freezers.”  A lot of folks are aware of the Chemical Safety Board’s investigation into the food plant accident that claimed the lives of 5 workers and injured dozens more.  But did you know there was a DOUBLE…...

With last week’s horrible tragedy in GA involving liquid nitrogen, I have received a number of inquires about what actually happens when a liquid cryogenic, such as Nitrogen, makes contact with someone’s skin.  And this video probably does as good of a job as any “official” training video. PLEASE REMEMBER, these chemicals are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS…...

Let’s face it, the “green movement” is here to stay and in some situations, going green may be great for the environment, but sometimes this “going green” can introduce significant hazards in our workplaces.  Hydrogen is becoming the last hydrocarbon fuel source of the “green movement” if you’re not going solar.  Hydrogen is a GREAT…...