An ammonia system at an industrial food processing facility over-pressured, activating one of its overpressure safety relief valves. Ammonia was released into the atmosphere for approximately eight (8) minutes until the refrigeration compressor was manually shut down by disconnecting the supply power, and the pressure in the system was reduced. INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS
Lead the PHA team to think through the safeguards that are in place that are intended to:
This report summarizes the enforcement activity for the water and wastewater utility sector. During this period, 63 citations were issued across 18 inspections, resulting in $830,945 in penalties. Executive Summary of Penalties and Citations The data indicates that while Hazard Communication and Respiratory Protection are frequently cited, the vast majority of the financial impact stems
Reporting Period: October 2024 – September 2025 This report summarizes the enforcement activity for the chemical manufacturing sector over the past fiscal year. With 883 total citations across 264 inspections, the industry faced over $3.78 million in penalties. Executive Summary: The “Top 5” Risk Areas The majority of financial and safety risks is concentrated in
An HSE investigation found clear failings leading to two (2) separate incidents of exposure to caustic soda at a manufacturer. The chemical manufacturing company has been fined £3.8 million ($5.1 million in USD) after two (2) employees at two (2) separate sites suffered serious chemical burns as a result of exposure to sodium hydroxide, known
This week I was in that “state up north”. It is how Ohio State fans refer to the great state of Michigan. If you did not know, the two programs are crazy rivalries in all sports. While I was conducting a Flammable Liquids Process Engineering/Code Design Review, I came across a greater risk… three (3)
I asked Gemini Plus about the reaction of M200A (M200A, a proprietary amine-based solvent often associated with gas sweetening or industrial cleaning) and Nitric Acid, as has been reported in the media as the two (2) chemicals involved in yesterday’s tragic event in WV. It has been reported that H2S was involved; yet, reading this
I like to tell clients that NFPA has done what OSHA failed to do… make Combustible Dust a PSM-covered process. Well, not exactly, but NFPA 660 has certainly advanced how we manage the risks associated with Combustible Dusts. The new (2026) NFPA 660 has the following SMS elements:
Once again, auditing pays off! No way in heck, my audits should be the method to identify QA failures on a piping installation, but it seems the past 10 years or so, it’s happening more and more. This event was a significant failure on the General Contractor and the Sub-Contractor, who was doing the actual
Several reports released this week by safety authorities (including ABSA and the CSB) have highlighted “latent” welding failures in pressure systems: The recurring theme this week is the “Empty Tank” fallacy. As a safety professional, these incidents underscore that the most dangerous tanks are often the ones that are “empty” but not gas-free. For your
Under the International Fire Code (IFC), N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is not classified as a “Toxic” or “Highly Toxic” material. While NMP is legally classified as a toxic substance under environmental and labor laws (such as the EPA’s TSCA and OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard) due to its health effects, the IFC uses a very specific, narrow definition
I’m in Grand Rapids this week working with a client on a flammable liquids process that is under the PSM TQ, but over the Maximum Allowable Quantity for “outside”. The city began adopting the IFC in 2006 and is now using the 2021 edition. I am sharing the PPT file for the management presentation/training, if
