Hearing protector fit testing (HPFT) is a critical advancement in workplace hearing conservation and is recognized as a best practice (OSHA et al., 2008; OSHA, 2017). HPFT is not required under OSHA’s Occupational Noise Exposure standards (29 CFR 1910.95; 29 CFR 1926.52), but can be a valuable training tool for workers. HPFT measures the amount…...
I have written about this incident a couple of times, as it is full of learning opportunities. The biggest of which is the practice of REDUCING PPE after the initial opening was uneventful, and we have “verified” our positive means of isolation is holding. This is a common practice for long-duration jobs and plays a…...
Episode 295 with Bryan Haywood focuses on how to manage complex lockout/tagout (LOTO)—the kind of hazardous‑energy control work that goes far beyond a simple disconnect. The episode highlights why complex LOTO requires deeper planning, stronger coordination, and more rigorous verification than standard procedures. https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-tnwgq-bbdaf4… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View...
NOTE: Please read my posts on Car Seal Programs, as this incident could have been prevented with a properly implemented program. A production worker and USW member was found unresponsive by a co-worker shortly after beginning work in a powder coating spray booth. The co-worker called for first responders, who immediately removed the worker’s supplied-air…...
Many have seen a gauge such as the one below. It will be on an Acetylene Cylinder. But how many know why the gauge scale is RED in color from 15 psig and higher?… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
What PPE do you wear for a leak behind this door? What is the primary hazard that causes you the most concern? We see so many failures with the NFPA 704 Diamond. From them being applied as a square, rather than a diamond. We see them applied upside down. We see numbers larger than 4…....
Prayers and RIP After all the media reporting, it seems this was NOT a PRCS incident. OSHA mentions a “pump room” and they failed to issue any PRCS citations so my best guess is this was NOT a PRCS incident. But this was another H2S exposure incident which claimed six (6) lives. OSHA has cited…...
Another video has surfaced, showing what static electricity can do in the presence of flammable vapor. The video below actually catches the static discharging as the vessel does not appear to be grounded. This is another transfer gone bad. Open top container. It does appear the operator has the hose down inside the tank, but…...
So what are we seeing in this video, other than the tragic loss of life? I can say without knowing the specifics that he was transferring a FLAMMABLE liquid. That flammable liquid was most likely a NON-CONDUCTIVE flammable liquid. Several serious failures in what we are seeing:1) SPLASH FILLING is a NO-NO in any flammable…...
An OSHA investigation found numerous safety hazards at a worksite where workers were exposed to sewage gases, resulting in two (2) fatalities. Investigators found that on Aug. 11, 2025, three workers were installing and repairing sewer lines inside a manhole when they were overcome by sewer gas and became unresponsive. One (1) worker regained consciousness and…...
My hat is off to the ANSI Z244 committee for dipping their toes into Line Break/Equipment Opening (LEO) hazards and how energy isolation plays a key role in completing this very hazardous tasks SAFELY. They are the first group to even touch the LEO topic. And although it is a brief discussion; it is an…...
RIP 🙏 Two young men, 20 & 21, die from hydrogen sulfide gas exposure during a well cleaning job. Three others were hospitalized. They were working at a recently sold home when a chemical reaction created deadly hydrogen sulfide gas in the confined space beneath the home’s porch. The workers were using muriatic acid to…...
