Three (3) Elk Grove Village Fire Department investigators, along with one from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), established that a faulty 1/4″ drain valve on a vessel level controller system caused the liquid ammonia leak at the food processing plant in Elk Grove Village, IL. The leak led to an explosion […]
Almost every safety professional on the planet that works with chemicals, emergency response, and confined spaces knows that the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) exposure is a game changer! But so many also struggle with what it means to actually work in an IDLH atmosphere. In this article, I want to try and
Most of us know that a properly designed and installed ventilation system is our FIRST option for controlling hazardous concentrations of flammable vapors, gases, fumes, mists or dust, and volatile or airborne materials posing a health hazard, such as toxic or corrosive materials. And thankfully, most workstations and areas that need proper ventilation have it
A hazardous exhaust system shall be required wherever operations involving the handling or processing of hazardous materials, in the absence of such exhaust systems and under normal operating conditions, have the potential to create one of the following conditions:
There are five (5) basic types of ventilation systems: dilution and removal by general exhaust; local exhaust; makeup air (or replacement); HVAC (primarily for comfort); and recirculation systems Most ventilation systems generally involve a combination of these types of systems. But there are some specific requirements, that need to be met:
With the new 2021 International Fire Code comes some interesting changes. One such change impacts how we establish how many “control areas” within our buildings and floors. Personally, I was surprised they made this change, but after close examination, it actually makes sense. So let’s look at what liberties the 2021 edition gives us in
I am unsure how to be any louder or more straightforward to the food industry regarding their “Tunnel Freezers.” A lot of folks are aware of the Chemical Safety Board’s investigation into the food plant accident that claimed the lives of 5 workers and injured dozens more. But did you know there was a DOUBLE
Changing a building or space from an F-1 (Moderate-hazard factory) to an H-3 (High-hazard, physical hazard) occupancy is a significant move to a higher relative hazard category. Under the Ohio Building Code (OBC) and the International Building Code (IBC), this transition triggers a comprehensive regulatory review, and the existing space must be brought up to
With last week’s horrible tragedy in GA involving liquid nitrogen, I have received a number of inquires about what actually happens when a liquid cryogenic, such as Nitrogen, makes contact with someone’s skin. And this video probably does as good of a job as any “official” training video. PLEASE REMEMBER, these chemicals are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
Let’s face it, the “green movement” is here to stay and in some situations, going green may be great for the environment, but sometimes this “going green” can introduce significant hazards in our workplaces. Hydrogen is becoming the last hydrocarbon fuel source of the “green movement” if you’re not going solar. Hydrogen is a GREAT
The photograph shows the fill line hookups at TCWTP. All connections and fittings were identical, and the hoses used by ADC could be hooked up to any of the fill lines pictured. There was also no color coding of the lines or prominent labeling other than plain black text on a white background.
If you have attended any of my Process Safety, HAZMAT/ER, or PRCS courses over the years, you will certainly recognize this hazard evaluation methodology. I learned this method even before I learned the Process Hazards Analysis (PHA) methods. The method I will discuss in this post is one that we should all use when a
