Proposed Changes for the 2027 IFC
The development of the 2027 edition is currently underway, with several proposals aimed at industrial operations and complex facilities:
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and the 2024 IFC
The 2024 IBC and IFC now require CO alarms or detection systems for all types of occupancies. Previously, the focus was only on residential and schools.
Line Break Gone Bad – Maintenance Mechanic Dies After Being Burned by Hot Boric Acid Solution While Removing Pump
In July 2012, a 64-year-old maintenance mechanic at an aluminum foil processing facility died after being exposed to an approximately 180-degree Fahrenheit solution of boric acid and water while trying to remove a recirculation pump from its housing. The pump was part of a boric acid evaporation system. The system took several days to completely
Hydrostatic Pressure Test gone bad (49-year-old pipefitter killed)
I have written a lot about the hazards of “pressure testing” piping, and in all of those posts I have stated how much “safer” Hydrostatic Testing is, compared to pneumatic testing. But this fatal accident shows us that even hydrostatic testing comes with fatal risks. During a hydrostatic pressure test of a fire suppression system,
A Department of Public Works Worker and a Volunteer Firefighter Died in a Sewer Manhole (Oxygen Deficiency and No atm monitoring)
In September 2010, a 48-year-old male worker (Victim I) employed by a village Department of Public Works (DPW) and a 51-year-old male volunteer firefighter (Victim II) of the village Fire Department (FD) died after entering a sewer manhole. The manhole was located behind the firehouse. The Fire Chief and a firefighter were called in by
Using an electric grease gun in the presence of Butane/LPG killed a 20-year-old maintenance worker (Flare not used, Butane released to atm)
On September 16, 2024, a 20-year-old male wash bay attendant (victim) attempted to utilize an electric grease gun to apply grease to the rear axle of a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tank trailer. As the victim activated the grease gun, a spark ignited the butane gas that was actively escaping the cargo tank, instantly engulfing
LNG Tanker Unloading Fatality – Unloading Hose Failure (Driver moved truck 17′)
A 62-year-old technician was killed when an LNG vapor cloud exploded while he offloaded liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a tanker semi-trailer. Heworked for his employer, a natural gas supplier, for about five (5) years. The technician was offloading the trailer at a temporary and mobile LNG transfer station. The trailer belonged to the technician’s
Dry Ice (CO2) pool party catastrophe
The tragic dry ice pool incident occurred on February 28, 2020, during a 29th birthday celebration for Russian Instagram influencer Ekaterina Didenko at the Devyaty Val pool complex in Moscow. Party organizers dumped 55 pounds of dry ice into an indoor swimming pool to create a dramatic, foggy visual effect.
Which flammable gas (methane or pentane) is better to use in calibrating my direct-reading instrument? (Sweating the small stuff series)
Choosing between methane and pentane for calibrating a direct-reading combustible gas indicator (CGI) depends primarily on your specific application, the target hazards in your environment, and sensor technology constraints. But there are BOTH a “Pentane Advantage” and a “Methane Advantage” Match the Target Gas (Best Practice for Specific Hazards)
Materials of Construction for Direct Reading Instruments: Sample Tubing (Sweating the small stuff series)
When you pump reactive, highly polar, or oxidizing gases like chlorine (Cl2), chlorine dioxide (ClO2), or ammonia (NH3) through standard silicone, polyurethane, or Tygon tubing, the tubing acts like a chemical absorber/scrubber. The gas is actively consumed or trapped by the hose before it ever reaches the instrument’s sensors. This creates severe process safety and
Setting the record straight… Is there a maximum length of sample tubing for MSA/Drager/RKI/Industrial Scientific direct-reading instruments? (Sweating the small stuff series)
NOTE: Be sure to check your BRAND and MODEL for specifics. I have used MSA devices in this article because they are the brand I have used for 30+ years, and I am a huge fan of their products. ALL brands will have similar restrictions. ATTENTION TO these details matters! Yes, MSA enforces strict maximum
NIOSH UPDATES three (3) hydrogen halides IDLH values
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has finalized Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) profiles and technical analytical standards for major toxic hydrogen halides. These mandates establish airborne exposure limits to guarantee rapid worker escape under acute exposure conditions and dictate strict sampling guidelines for modern industrial hygiene. NIOSH has updated