Fire Extinguisher inspection turns fatal
At 8:00 a.m. on May 8, 2014, an employee was inspecting fire extinguishers. The fire extinguisher discharged and struck the employee in the head, killing him. OSHA Case File
Fire Extinguisher mainteance work turns fatal
On May 13, 2020, Employee #1 and Employee #2 were working to pressurize portable fire extinguishers. At some point, the extinguisher being worked on by the Employees exploded.
Fire Watch dies from burns
On October 16, 2023, Employee #1 worked for a construction gas & oil support contractor. Coworkers were cutting and welding an eye-lifting plate on a compressor skid. Miscellaneous petroleum products had been allowed to accumulate on, in, and around the compressor skid area, creating a fire hazard.
Is pressure and leak testing required after maintenance or alterations on piping systems?
It is good that we are finding fewer and fewer facilities without pressure testing and leak testing records on their process piping. But now comes the difficult question: Is pressure and leak testing required after maintenance or alterations on piping systems? So, most companies will have their newly installed piping pressure tested and leak tested
Vietnam suffers another industrial mass casualty event (Boiler Explosion kills 6)
Six people were confirmed dead in a boiler explosion at a wood factory in the southern province of Dong Nai on May 1, 2024. The accident also injured five others. The provincial People’s Committee has offered condolences and financial support to the victims’ families (20 million VND or 789 USD for each fatality and 10
The simple path to implementing SIF
In the world of industrial safety, we are not at a loss for the desire to try new things. Many consulting companies are waiting to sell us their shiny gadgets. One of these latest crazes is called “SIF”—Serious Injuries and Fatalities. The concept behind this model is based on the progress many have made in
Tank used to store ammonia to be used as both agricultural fertilizer and coolant
Ammonia is held for sale by a retailer in a large storage tank. The retailer sells ammonia as an agricultural fertilizer and a coolant for air conditioning systems. Section 311(e)(5) of EPCRA exempts from the definition of a hazardous chemical “(a)ny substance to the extent it is used in routine agricultural operations or is
CFAT Impacts on EPCRA and RMP
The Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) impose comprehensive federal security regulations for high-risk chemical facilities. Do the CFATS alter the requirements that apply to a facility covered under both CFATS and either the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) or the Clean Air Act §112(r) (i.e., the Risk Management Program
U.S. EPA updates list of states granted delegation of EPA’s authority to implement and enforce the risk management program rule?
The current list of delegated states and counties is: NOTE: Kentucky, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands no longer implement the program, and the regional office has taken over the implementation of those areas.
OSHA breaks down some key parts of its LOTO standard
These requirements control the release of hazardous energy while workers service, maintain, or repair machines or equipment when activation, start-up, or release of energy from an energy source is possible; proper control of hazardous energy prevents death or serious injury among these workers. Energy Control Procedure (paragraph (c)(4)(i))
CO2 Dewar catastrophically fails at Orlando restaurant
UPDATED on 6/6/24 with OFD Run Report and Investigation I have written about the risks associated with wanting to use larger CO2 containers in the restaurant industry. The IFC now has a section on the hazards associated with these larger cylinders. Still, most of the code deals with CO2 leaks causing an oxygen-deficient atmosphere,
Just what is required for a High-hazard Group H occupancy?
High-hazard Group H occupancy includes, among other things, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, that involves the manufacturing, processing, generation, or storage of materials that constitute a physical or health hazard. Hazardous occupancies are classified in Groups H-1, H-2, H-3, H-4 and H-5. High-hazard Group H-1 buildings and structures that