In the past 12-months I have been told by three (3) organizations that I can not audit the fit testing records because they are “personal medical records”. After some time, I finally convinced their legal team that fit tests are not medical records, and I was then allowed to audit the records. And of course,…...
The Respiratory Protection (RP) standard medical questionnaire for 1910.134 will NOT satisfy the HAZWOPER medical surveillance requirement. The intent and requirements for medical surveillance under HAZWOPER are very different from those required by the Respiratory Protection standard. The intent of the HAZWOPER medical surveillance requirements are two-fold:… Membership Required You must be a member to...
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…...
The simple answer is yes. Federal OSHA requires either a self-closing swing gate or an offset barrier at the point of access where a fixed ladder meets the unprotected edge of a walking-working surface. While the regulatory text in Subpart D sometimes causes confusion by referring to these access points as “holes,” OSHA consistently enforces…...
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…...
Think about… when we are working around chemicals, we typically look at forms of exposure such as inhalation, absorption through the skin, etc., and we wear the appropriate PPE. For example, we may wear a full-face respirator, gloves, and an apron to protect against splash and vapors. But there is one organ that is normally…...
This is a pet peeve of mine: DETAILS MATTER in safety procedures and safe work practices. One thing we commonly find is some very generic language in LOTO procedures for how to verify each energy source has been isolated and is at a Zero Energy State (ZES). For example, you’re performing a “periodic inspection,” and…...
OSHA has cited a big rig parts distributor for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker fatality found the company exposed workers to confined space and other safety hazards. OSHA initiated an inspection on Jan. 7, 2026, after an employee asphyxiated while inspecting a tanker trailer. OSHA cited the company for 16…...
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,…...
