At 4:15 p.m. on June 30, 2024, Employee #1, a maintenance technician, 27, was assisting with WLV pressure testing when a rod was ejected from the WLV system. The rod struck Employee #1 in the head, causing a fatal injury. Emergency services were called, but the employee died from the injuries. Violations/Penalties Serious Willful Repeat…...
Pressure Testing Gone Bad (WLV pressure testing) Read More »
The SOII program is a key component in providing essential data and insights to support these initiatives as it tracks workplace incidents across industries and occupations, documenting their frequency, characteristics, and impact on workers. This comprehensive data collection enables meaningful industry comparisons and reveals safety trends. Government agencies and industry leaders rely on these insights…...
A Safer Tomorrow: New Jersey’s Success in Reducing Workplace Injuries Read More »
Quick Facts: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians 2024 Median Pay $78,900 per year$37.93 per hour Typical Entry-Level Education See How to Become One Work Experience in a Related Occupation None On-the-job Training See How to Become One Number of Jobs, 2023 153,500 Job Outlook, 2023-33 14% (Much faster than average) Employment Change, 2023-33…...
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians OUTLOOK (USDOL) Read More »
What do you see wrong with this pic? There are two issues with the pic. One is shown (Hint: it’s not in an OSHA standard, but is in the NRTL testing standard), and the other is a common violation (the #1 violation regarding the improper use of these safety cans) that is also visible in…...
On July 2, 2007, Employee #1, a farmer, was pumping liquid cow manure from a covered holding pit. The pump clogged, and he descended the ladder into the pit to free the pump. Employee #1 was asphyxiated due to a lack of oxygen and the presence of methane from the manure. Employee #2, a farm…...
At 4:15 p.m. on December 6, 2021, a contractor, 26, removed transmitters from tanks to winterize the facilities. As the employee removed the bolts and loosened the transmitter from a tank, the contents (50% concentration of Sodium Hydroxide) sprayed out and onto the employee’s eyes, face, head, and chest (upper torso). The employee attempted to…...
Equipment Opening Gone Bad (NAOH) Read More »
The state of VA has fined a food processor $131,535 for a July 31, 2024 anhydrous ammonia leak that hospitalized 33 people. The leak triggered the evacuation of 287 employees working at the facility. Five of the 33 victims were hospitalized with serious conditions, 17 had serious but non-life-threatening conditions, and 11 had minor symptoms…....
OSHA PSM Citations @ Food Processor (NH3 & 131K) Read More »
RIP On January 21, 2025, an explosion at the Port of Barcelona resulted in one death and several injuries. The explosion occurred in a methyl acetate tank during maintenance work. WARNING! Video may be upsetting to some viewers…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in...
FATAL Hot Work on Methyl Acetate Tank (Video) Read More »
Two explosions, two hours apart, sent two (2) workers of a storage tank sales and servicing company to the hospital, one with severe burns. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is fining the Des Moines, Wash. business $166,423 for ignoring rules that keep workers safe. A resort on the Kitsap Peninsula hired the…...
If at first you do not fail, try-try again! Read More »
One of the more common issues we come across in regards to Hot Work is the encroachment of combustible/flammable hazards within the REQUIRED 35′ Fire Safety Zone. 1910.252(a)(2)(vii) Relocation of combustibles. Where practicable, all combustibles shall be relocated at least 35 feet (10.7 m) from the work site. Where relocation is impracticable, combustibles shall be…...
Hot Work’s 35′ Fire Safe Area Read More »
There are some things I do so that you don’t have to! One of those is scrubbing OSHA citations that are relevant to our workplaces. It is where I get much of my information for my “Line Break Gone Bad” posts, PRCS cases, LOTO, and PSM cases. 99% of the time, I can understand the…...
Did OSHA just cite a business for having a bollard? Read More »
A look back at OSHA’s 15 largest citations from 2015-2024. These figures are based on the INITIAL citations and NOT on the settled amounts. I have added the safety matter that drove the bulk of the citations. Just a tip… LOTO is by far #1 by a long shot (>50% of the cases). I’m not…...
A breakdown of OSHA’s 2024 Cases over $1M Read More »
