Fatal Reffer Explosion in GA (Updates)
It has been 1-month since the tragic death of Greene County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Eddy in GA while working a semi-truck fire on the side of the roadway. We still have not received any formal information on this event, but there has been some erroneous reporting. Out of respect for Mr. Eddy, I
Breaking the plane of a PRCS (Flammable atm) w/Video
It is a common question… why does OSHA define entry as… Entry means the action by which a person passes through an opening into a permit-required confined space. Entry includes ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant’s body breaks the plane of
Mechanical Exhaust Ventilation – EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN Switch
A lot of folks recognize the need for mechanical exhaust ventilation in areas where there is a flammable and toxic exposure hazard. The general rule of thumb for this mechanical exhaust ventilation is 1 CFM per square foot of floor space with at least six air changes per hour. But there are two (2) other
Fatal Welding Accident – Tanker
1910.252(a)(3)(i) Used containers. No welding, cutting, or other hot work shall be performed on used drums, barrels, tanks or other containers until they have been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain that there are no flammable materials present or any substances such as greases, tars, acids, or other materials which when subjected to
Is LOTO a fair barometer to measure management commitment to worker safety?
Way back in 2006, when Dennis retired after a nearly 40-year career with OSHA and came to work with me at SAFTENG, we always traveled together, and he TAUGHT me more about “safety management” during those trips than I had learned in the preceding 13 years in industrial safety. One of the items we discussed
NH3 Fatality – Working on DOT Container
On April 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., a 72-year-old employee of a farm supply wholesaler was working on an anhydrous ammonia tank trailer on the south side of the shop. The employee was located near the tank’s valves and hose. While working on the tank, anhydrous ammonia was released. The employee died from asphyxiation from
When “water” is a Hazardous Form of Energy needing LOTO
On February 6, 2024, at 10:00 p.m., an employee, 26, was repairing leaking water on pump equipment without lockout/tagout. While the engine was on, the employee began to unscrew a high-pressure valve nipple. The pressure was not released from the valve, causing it to blow off and strike the employee in the head and chest.
Pressure Test Gone Bad (HVAC unit)
On November 1, 2022, at 12:45 p.m., an employee, 30, was installing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment at a residential building. When the employee was pressure testing a pipe fitting, an object flew off the HVAC unit and struck the employee in the face and head. The employee was killed by blunt force
Stored energy can be LETHAL
On November 3, 2020, at 1:15 p.m., Employee #1, 55, employed by an HVAC company, was working at a customer’s commercial facility. He was removing a coupler and blind from the intake header of an air dryer. The employee did not first relieve the air pressure from the header. When he loosened the coupler bolts,
New Hazard – Static Discharge from Isolation Tag (CCPS)
I was raised in process safety, with a focus on flammables, and I was taught that one thing you just don’t allow into your flammable process is plastics! But even I was unaware of how much plastic I had always overlooked, which was right under my nose, such as my LOTO tags. New Hazard –
[My] Safety Thought of the Week… Lagging Indicators and Confirmation Bias
Why do “lagging indicators” remain such a popular means of gauging/measuring the success of the safety effort? We should measure the results and that these lagging indicators can/do play a role in measuring our success in all functions within a business. However, as I would like to point out to C-Suite executives, the company does