In April 2024, a regeneration gas heater ruptured at a gas processing plant due to an overheated electrically heated regeneration vessel. Regeneration gas heaters are commonly used in the regeneration of molecular sieve dehydrators with the recirculation of dried natural gas heated to 250 degrees Celsius throughout adehydrating purge cycle. The initiation of manual operating…...
A worker was exposed to NH3 while working next to a live refrigeration unit. The worker was working from an elevating work platform (EWP) to install a partition wall in a large refrigerated space. The EWP was in close proximity to a chiller unit that was operating during the work. The EWP knocked a valve…...
Today, the CSB released its final report addressing three (3) serious chemical incidents involving toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) at a facility in Geismar, Louisiana. The incidents occurred over a period of less than three years, from October 2021 to June 2024, and reveal systemic safety failures at the facility. These incidents were LOPC events, two…...
Process safety management (PSM) is a suite of risk management elements designed to minimize the risk of accidents associated with industrial processes using highly hazardous materials. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) PSM regulation requires that process equipment and equipment inspection and testing adhere to recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices…...
The current list of delegated states and counties is: Additionally, the following territories and local jurisdictions have delegation: Kentucky, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands NO LONGER implement the program and the Regional office has taken over implementation for those areas. Florida has a partial delegation (everything but propane facilities) North Dakota has a partial…...
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…...
At 11:30 a.m. on September 7, 2024, Employee #1 (41) and the owner (51) were working inside a silage silo when they were overcome by hazardous vapors. A third employee entered the silo in an attempt to assist them…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...
I wish OSHA would provide more details on this facility, but this is all we got… At 10:00 p.m. on October 10, 2024, an employee (33) and a coworker working as boilermakers for a facilities support service were working on a 12-inch pipe to flip the blind. The pipe released hydrogen sulfide gas, exposing the…...
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...
At 2:46 p.m. on September 16, 2024, Employee #1 (20) and Employee #2 (age unknown) were conducting inspections and maintenance on a tanker trailer previously used to transport propane. The tank was to be emptied using flaring, in which the remaining gas is vented through a hose to a large tripod “flare” device. The top…...
I have scrubbed the names of the accused and deceased worker, as this could happen at just about any facility where hazardous materials are present. I should also state, the lawyers are suing the Refinery, the deceased employer (a contractor firm hired by the refinery), the manufacturer of the H2S monitor, the parent company of…...
