NIOSH issued a formal Request for Information (RFI) seeking new toxicological and human health effects data to refine the established IDLH value for ammonia (NH3), which currently sits at 300 ppm. The agency is specifically looking for updated “weight-of-evidence” research on how ammonia’s chemical mode of action—particularly rapid desensitization of olfactory receptors (smell fatigue) and […]
On June 28, 2026, a fatal farming accident occurred in Crane Township, Paulding County, Ohio, involving a tractor pulling an anhydrous ammonia “nurse” tank. The farmer, 59, was killed. He was driving a John Deere 9220 tractor pulling an anhydrous ammonia tank through a field. Just after 4:00 PM, the machinery struck and crashed into
On May 27, 2025, a catastrophic explosion and fire erupted at a chemical manufacturing plant operated by Shandong Youdao Chemical Co., Ltd. (often referred to as Gaomi Youdao Chemical) in Gaomi City, Shandong Province, China. The explosion killed 12 people, injured 19 others, and caused widespread structural destruction throughout the surrounding area. In July 2026,
For a formal liquid bubble leak test using a detector like Swagelok Snoop, the industry-standard minimum pressure governed by ASME Section V, Article 10 and ASME B31.3 is 15 psig or 25% of the system design pressure, whichever is less. While SNOOP itself will bubble at virtually any positive pressure where gas escapes, engineering codes
The Industrial Safety and Health Department has directed all seafood processing units to relocate labor quarters to safe locations from the processing units immediately. The order comes in the wake of the NH3 leak tragedy that left 18 workers dead, as their accommodation was in close proximity to the factory’s Engineroom. Following the incident, the
Fireproofing piping supports — specifically the application of Passive Fire Protection (PFP)— is a critical mitigation strategy designed to prevent the structural collapse of pipe racks during a flammable liquid fire. In most state fire codes and the IFC, flammable liquid piping supports inside a secondary containment are REQUIRED to be protected from the effects
In February 2024, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and PHMSA issued a safety advisory to provide notice of the possibility of catastrophic failure of nurse tanks. This notice focused on nurse tanks manufactured from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2011, by American Welding and Tank (AWT) at its Fremont, Ohio plant. Nurse
This is WHY we need the CSB! We would never get this type of analysis from an OSHA investigation/report. No offense to my friends at OSHA, its just this type of analysis and passing on the critical information is not part of their charter. Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released
Every once in a while, I come across a process design that leads to code issues down the road. This usually occurs with small pressure vessels (e.g., less than 5 cubic ft) that fall outside the scope of ASME Section VIII and also fall outside the scope of being a “confined space” (e.g., too small
PLEASE ensure your “life safety” contractor inspector for Exits, Fire Extinguishers, EW/SSs, etc., is FULLY trained on the hazards of the area(s) they will be working in. This year, we have found two (2) national companies that provide these inspection services using electronic devices NOT rated for the hazardous areas where they are working. We
In an industrial and occupational safety context, a line break accident occurs when workers open pipes, valves, flanges, or vessels containing hazardous materials—such as toxic chemicals, flammable liquids, high-pressure gases, or high-temperature steam—and an unintended release occurs. Because these accidents can result in severe chemical burns, toxic inhalation, explosions, or physical trauma from pressure blasts,
Four (4) workers were injured at a worksite on April 30, 2024, while offloading flammable solvents from a vacuum truck into a storage tanker. At the same time, other workers positioned a hydrovac truck in an adjacent bay to offload a wastewater-and-slurry mixture. During this process, flammable vapors were released and drawn into the idling
