On July 23, 2020, an employee, 30, was looking into a vessel being filled with chemicals, including Isopropyl alcohol, to ensure the level of the mixture was above the blades before turning on the mixers. The access port was mounted with one bolt so the employee could rotate the cover to look in. The employee…...
Filling ungrounded process vessel with Isopropyl Alcohol (Flash Fire) Read More »
On July 12, 2024, an employee, 74, at a campground resort was attempting to add sodium hypochlorite to a bulk supply container to recharge the swimming pool. The employee added sodium hypochlorite to a container of sulfuric acid and was overcome by the vapors generated by the mixture. The employee was killed due to the…...
WRONG CHEMICAL – WRONG TANK (Hypochlorite to Sulfuric Acid= Cl2) Read More »
On July 13, 2024, Employee #1, 41, entered a manhole to tape piping in preparation for pouring concrete inverts. Shortly after entry, a coworker stationed topside observed that Employee #1 appeared pale and profusely sweating. When asked, Employee #1 indicated difficulty breathing. As Employee #1 attempted to climb the steps to exit the manhole, he…...
PRCS Fatality in manhole (O2 Defeciency) Read More »
The Facility is a colloidal and polymer blend manufacturing facility. The Facility has used Epichlorohydrin and Dimethylamine to manufacture chemicals on site since at least 1999. The Facility maintains a maximum inventory of 235,000 pounds of the regulated toxic substance Epichlorohydrin, as determined under 40 C.F.R. § 68.115, which exceeds the threshold quantity of 20,000…...
I have limited experience with this method of isolating piping, but it is fairly often used to isolate large-diameter piping. OSHA’s investigation found that a drainpipe cleaning and maintenance company could have prevented an explosion at a Port Saint Lucie worksite in June 2024 that claimed a 24-year-old worker’s life by implementing proper safety measures…...
Pipe Plug catatrophically fails and kills work Read More »
The termination of the rulemaking is effective January 15, 2025. Basis for Terminating the Rulemaking… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
OSHA is terminating its COVID-19 rulemaking Read More »
I have these debates on a regular basis: ” We can not put an isolation valve before or after a Pressure Relief Device (PRD).” And that would be an incorrect statement. Yes, placing an “intervening valve” in a PRD path (before or after the PRD) can be risky; however, in some situations, these valves are…...
What am I seeing… Isolation of PRDs Read More »
PPE is our LAST LINE of defense, and this means we better have the BEST PPE available and be trained in its care, use, donning/doffing, and limitations. Just because it’s last in the Hierarchy of Controls does not mean we can overlook its significance…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View...
Our PPE may be our last chance at survival (HFD SCBAs) Read More »
A soap and detergent manufacturer faces $161,310 in federal penalties after an OSHA investigation of a chemical gas release that sent a dozen workers to the hospital in July 2024. OSHA initiated an inspection on July 11 after being notified by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the facility’s operator about an incident involving a…...
Human factors, as we know it today, got its inspiration from these basic ideas about human error. It then showed something different: an alternative way of looking at human error. As a result, there are basically two ways of looking at human error today. We can see human error as a cause of failure, or…...
Safety Thought of the Week… Old View vs New View in Human Factors Read More »
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Wait for it… Missing Finger Wave with unguarded saw Read More »
If I had a nickel for every time I have heard this phrase over the past 20 years of consulting… “industry standard,” I would have retired after 5 years. What is an “industry standard”? It is far from being a Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice (RAGAGEP), that’s for sure. However, companies with an…...
What is an “industry standard”? Read More »
