This is from a recently posted Consent Decree for a fish processing facility. From all I have seen this facility did NOT have RMP Covered processes using Anhydrous Ammonia, Chlorine or Butane and all of these actions stem from a General Duty Clause agreement, which is by far the most significant GDC agreement I can remember. […]
Leave it up to FM Global to lead the way in Hot Work Safety. I know in my career there has been no other force in hot work safety like FM Global (Formerly Factory Mutual). And I am guessing that all of these large loss fires in the construction industry these past couple of years
Over the last 15+ years we have seen great improvements regarding piping installation(s) at PSM/RMP covered processes. Since 1992 (PSM implementation) these “covered processes” were required to adopt a RAGAGEP for all aspects of their covered process. ASME has had their B31 series in place for decades and they are the most widely recognized piping
Both the construction and general industry standards have identical requirements when it comes to storing oxygen cylinders and flammable gas cylinders. Here is the construction industry requirement: 1926.350(a)(10) Oxygen cylinders in storage shall be separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum distance of 20 feet (6.1 m) or by a noncombustible
As we await word of any regulatory action stemming from the catastrophic release of Anhydrous Ammonia from a truck unloading incident in Stewardson, IL, in April 2016, I did come across an interesting tidbit that I feel should be shouted from the mountain tops. So often, one side of our profession decries OSHA and EPA’s
On or about November 2, 2016, representatives of the EPA conducted an inspection (the EPA inspection) of the Facility to determine compliance with Section 112(r) of the CAA and 40 C.F.R. Part 68. Information gathered during the EPA inspection revealed that the Facility had greater than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in a process. From
The state of NC has its own OSHA Plan (e.g., State Plan), but they use the Federal OSHA standards as their enforcement tools. As like most state plans, their website is a buffet of safety materials that are free for the taking. In fact, I used some of their materials when I was a safety manager in
A 51-year-old female employee was fatally injured when she leaned into a machine and was pinned, resulting in crushing injuries to her head and neck. On the day of the incident, the victim was helping out on windshield #1 line due to low staffing levels resulting from inclement weather. She was to keep the line running and relieve
A 43-year-old male employee was fatally injured in an explosion. On the day of the accident, the victim, a trailer mechanic, was working alone repairing a trailer in the maintenance shop of a freight distribution facility. There were no witnesses to the incident, and the building was deemed structurally unsound following the explosion. Through a detailed investigation, and incorporating
Last month I posted the annual OSHA enforcement activity regarding 1910.146, as well as I posted an update on the 2-year anniversary of OSHA’s 1926 Subpart AA – Confined Spaces in Construction. Both posts got a lot of discussions started, but the update on the 2-year anniversary of OSHA’s 1926 Subpart AA – Confined Spaces in Construction and how
The state of OH is in the process of updating it’s fire code to the 2015 International Fire Code (IFC). In doing so, the state is upgrading its Hot Work requirements when performing hot work on flammable and combustible liquid storage tanks. The proposed code will include a new section, Section 3510 Hot work on flammable and
The state of OH is in the process of updating it’s fire code to the 2015 International Fire Code (IFC). In doing so, the state is upgrading its Mechanical Refrigeration requirements and one of the upgrades may have an impact on future Ammonia Refrigeration processes that have over 6.6 pounds (3 kg) of ammonia refrigerant, which would include almost
