During the summer of 2023, a potential explosion was averted at an industrial facility in Southern Ontario. A new printing press, not approved for use in Canada, was installed and started to signal operational issues during testing. Further complicating the matter, an unauthorized individual tampered with the gas meter set, creating an unsafe environment and […]
In the spring of 2024, emergency responders responded to an ammonia leak at a cold storage facility in southern Ontario. The incident occurred on the roof, where a corroded shut-off valve on the hot gas line of an ammonia center evaporator failed, resulting in the release of ammonia gas into the surrounding environment. The cold
There are more than 380 substances with IDLH limits. View the current list of substances with IDLH. You can also find IDLH values in CAMEO Chemicals or in the online version of the NIOSH Pocket Guide(link is external). IDLH limits were primarily established to aid in making informed decisions about respirator use. Above the IDLH,
FYI… the state of NJ’s Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets are the bomb and with WISER gone, these move up to my #1 go-to ER document. We need three (3) reliable sources to formulate our Incident Action Plan (IAP) that includes our PPE Hazard Assessment. These Fact Sheets, NIOSH’s Pocket Guide Book, and
As we have discussed many times, I am a strong advocate of the SIF approach to risk management. Growing up in the PSM arena, we realize that the entire process safety effort is built on the SIF model. However, for those unfamiliar with managing catastrophic risks, SIF can become just another “flavor of the year”
There is one requirement in the HAZWOPER standard that has been in place since its promulgation, which almost every industrial facility with its own internal HAZMAT response team fails to meet. I receive a significant amount of pushback when I cover this OSHA minimum requirement, and I am always as shocked by the response as
If we pay close attention to PPE pictures, especially at Emergency Responses, we can see that this critical aspect of proper PPE donning is usually not followed, placing responders at increased risk. So, what is the PPE Shingle Effect, and WHY is it REQUIRED?
You get to pick ONLY three (3) pieces of data about a chemical you have responded to. You know the chemical, so what would the three (3) pieces of data you would want to know be and why? Here are my three and why…
Here is OSHA’s current interpretation of the HAZWOPER standard as it relates to IDLH operations. The LOI specifically addresses the HAZWOPER requirement for workers who are engaged in remedial operations as well as in emergency response operations in atmospheres that are or may be IDLH AND who utilize self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for the control
WARNING! If you have an ER instructor who claims you can enter the Hot or Warm zone the first time in using LEVEL C PPE, you need to fire them! I have been conducting HAZMAT training for 28 years, and every year, I pick up a few new ER clients who need a refresher course.
On July 9, 1959, the Charlotte Fire Department responded to a fire at the former Charlotte Chemical Company on West Templeton Avenue, just off South Boulevard. The building, then under demolition, still housed a large vat of chemical material in the basement. Believing the substance to be kerosene, firefighters fought the fire with standard tactics—until
Respondent produced, used, or stored ammonia at the Facility and released a reportable quantity of an EHS, ammonia. On or about August 31, 2022, a “release” of ammonia in excess of 100 pounds occurred at the Facility (the release). As a result of the information obtained by the EPA and subsequent investigation, the Complainant has
