Safety Info Posts

Inadvertent Opening of Valve Causes Injury (Safety Alert)

Remember that project where we installed new XXXXXXX and to save money we did not remove the old XXXXX and just piped around it?  We always thought that the old piping and valves were not a hazard, well think again… On May 20, 2019, an offshore oil and gas worker was conducting daily rounds, which…...

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Flammable Liquids per Control Area

One part of managing flammable liquids is minimizing fuel load in the event there is a fire.  Both state codes and OSHA utilize what is called “maximum allowable quantity per control area“.  This practice is based on the “degree of hazard” or as OSHA calls them today “Hazard Category” of the flammable liquid or gas…...

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Did the State of Georgia make NH3 a “permitted HAZMAT” in 2019?

If you’re in the ammonia fertilizer business in the State of Georgia (GA) this may be of interest to you.  Although I should point out that the Code language did NOT exclude ammonia held as a refrigerant.  On November 25, 2019, the Administrative Procedure Division of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner…...

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Safety Culture is not the responsibility of the safety team

Over the past decade, we saw a huge swing away from safety being a technical field to one that is more hugs and kisses.  Last year, we even saw the number one organization for safety professionals change their name from Safety Engineers to Safety Professionals.  Along with the name change came a change to topics…...

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PRCS Fatality in a railcar (HAZ ATM & $131K)

At 2:00 p.m. on May 20, 2014, Employee #1 was in a tank railcar confined space containing residual sweet crude oil without prior entry assessment and without wearing a harness with stand-by extraction equipment. While Employee #1 was shoveling crude oil inside a permit-required confined space tank railcar. Employee #1 was wearing a full-face supplied-air…...

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Emergency Response to a CATASTROPHIC FAILURE of a Y-Strainer leads to fatal explosion (Isobutylene & $131K)

At approximately 10:40 a.m. on April 2, 2019, the housing of a three-inch Y-strainer of an isobutylene line that fed into reactor K8 ruptured and isobutylene was released, forming a vapor cloud. Three employees responded to mitigate the isobutylene vapor in the reactor area…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View...

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2019/2020 Edition of my ESRWP Training material (.ppt)

I would love any comments, suggestions, corrections on this presentation.  A lot of updates based on the latest NFPA 70E requirements.  SAFTENG members can log into the member’s area and download the pdf version.  Once we get it just right I will share the final .ppt file with those who helped with this review.  If…...

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PRCS fatality cleaning a railcar (Oxygen Deficient and $551K)

At 3:15 p.m. on May 31, 2019, an employee was scraping oil sludge towards the bottom drain of a rail car when coworkers noted the absence of normal working sounds. The coworkers performed an entry rescue and found the employee unresponsive due to anoxia and chemical inhalation. The employee was killed…. Membership Required You must...

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Structural failure leads to NH3 LOPC event and 16 employees treated and 3 hospitalized

At 4:45 a.m. on July 29, 2018, 16 employees were operating vegetable packaging equipment and performing material handling activities at a vegetable processing facility that used ammonia refrigeration. A fan unit for an evaporative condenser unit fell onto the condenser coil due to the structural failure of a motor bracket. While falling, the fan cut…...

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OSHRC rules on Unguarded Gear Box Bushing and COM DUST @ grain handling facility

Pursuant to a local emphasis program (“LEP”) targeting grain handling facilities, Complainant initiated a programmed inspection of Respondent’s corn mill. During her inspection, Compliance Safety and Health Officer (“CSHO”) Joan Behrend observed an unguarded shaft bushing on a gear box and accumulations of grain dust around the exterior of the facility. Based on her observations,…...

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Fiasco @ the Fuel Pumps (2020, Unbelievable Hotwork practices)

There are solid reasons why OSHA and most other governments have established MINIMUM safety standards for performing Hot Work.  This is not the first crazy act we have witnessed at fuel pumps, so I am starting my series… Fiasco @ the fuel pumps.  You may want to sit down for this one, at least try…...

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Why Hydrostatic Pressure testing is the preferred method – over pneumatic methods

This video is exactly why the ASME B31 piping RAGAGEPs prefer hydrostatic pressure testing vs. pneumatic methods.  When we take piping up to 400 psi and higher we are creating a serious hazard; thus the code(s) have built-in administrative controls to ensure personnel are NOT near the piping when the test pressure is achieved and…...

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