How well do you know your RMP chemicals? I mean really know them. One of the top questions we have received in the past several years is asking about the RMP chemicals’ toxic endpoints and why EPA uses mg/L instead of ppm. PPM is a volume-to-volume or mass-to-mass ratio, whereas mg/l is a mass-to-volume relationship. …...
Almost every safety professional on the planet that works with chemicals, emergency response, and confined spaces knows that the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) exposure is a game changer! But so many also struggle with what it means to actually work in an IDLH atmosphere. In this article, I want to try and…...
I was having your run-of-the-day safety conversation with one of my favorite former OSHA safety engineers and he was quick to point out that one of my articles was not technically “compliant” with OSHA’s 1910.146 requirements when it came to the means we can use to isolate a Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS). The means he…...
Most of us know that a properly designed and installed ventilation system is our FIRST option for controlling hazardous concentrations of flammable vapors, gases, fumes, mists or dust, and volatile or airborne materials posing a health hazard, such as toxic or corrosive materials. And thankfully, most workstations and areas that need proper ventilation have it…...
A hazardous exhaust system shall be required wherever operations involving the handling or processing of hazardous materials, in the absence of such exhaust systems and under normal operating conditions, have the potential to create one of the following conditions:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...
There are five (5) basic types of ventilation systems: dilution and removal by general exhaust; local exhaust; makeup air (or replacement); HVAC (primarily for comfort); and recirculation systems Most ventilation systems generally involve a combination of these types of systems. But there are some specific requirements, that need to be met:… Membership Required You must...
Unlike a PRCS that contains ONLY physical hazards, a space containing an atmospheric hazard cannot be reclassified as a non-permit space. However, if the atmospheric hazard in the PRCS can be controlled by FORCED AIR VENTILATION, we may enter under the CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE instead of with full permit space procedures. The alternate procedures may be…...
When can a PRCS be reclassified and how must one go about doing it? This is taken directly from an OSHA publication, but what caught my eye is this publication makes it clear that BOTH “reclassification” and the “alternative entry” methods can be used at the same time for the same PRCS! Pay close attention…...
With the new 2021 International Fire Code comes some interesting changes. One such change impacts how we establish how many “control areas” within our buildings and floors. Personally, I was surprised they made this change, but after close examination, it actually makes sense. So let’s look at what liberties the 2021 edition gives us in…...
I am unsure how to be any louder or more straightforward to the food industry regarding their “Tunnel Freezers.” A lot of folks are aware of the Chemical Safety Board’s investigation into the food plant accident that claimed the lives of 5 workers and injured dozens more. But did you know there was a DOUBLE…...
A topic we have discussed many times here and if you have ever attended one of my process safety courses or presentations you have most certainly heard my dissertation on the criticality of pressure testing and leak testing and the fact that these safety-critical functions come with some serious risks, especially if the pressure testing…...
An OSHA safety investigation has found another rail car products and services provider did not follow federal safety standards for working in permit-required confined spaces after two workers died from inhaling toxic fumes. OSHA determined that an employee became unresponsive after entering a natural gasoline rail car with the intent of cleaning the space on…...
