2017 Photo of the Week #25 (More outrigger insanity)
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2017 Video of the Week #25 (Power of Vacuum)
I love science, especially when we can relate it directly to industrial safety. We all know the power of pressure, but the power of a vacuum is often lost. … Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
“Layers of Protection” simplified
One of the most often asked questions in my Process Safety training courses is… “What do you mean when you say Layers of Protection?” So I have made this very simplified powerpoint presentation to provide a visual of how “Layers of Protection” are effective and how they BECOME INEFFECTIVE. This safety principle is most often mentioned in process…...
PSM and RMP… Design codes and standards employed
Both OSHA’s and EPA’s process safety standards have a requirement called “Design codes and standards employed”, but why do the standards require this and what should it look like in our Process Safety Information management system? In a review of our past audits, we almost always find gaps in the facility’s list of Design codes and…...
Fatality Alert – Overpressure of an Explosion-Proof Enclosure
An analyzer engineer was fatality injured when the engineer removed the cover on an explosion-proof enclosure as part of a routine task. The threaded cover weighing ~12 lbs. and measuring 14 inches in diameter was forcefully propelled from the enclosure as the engineer unscrewed it inflicting a fatal head injury. The force was caused by…...
EPA delays the effective date of the RMP Amendments for an additional 20 months
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying the effective date of the Risk Management Program Amendments for an additional 20 months, to allow EPA to conduct a reconsideration proceeding and to consider other issues that may benefit from additional comment. The new effective date of the rule is FEBRUARY 19, 2019. The Risk Management Program…...
Interesting response to leaking NH3 Tank Truck (Outside of USA)
This video is interesting on many levels and since it occurred outside of the USA I am not sure about any regulatory issues in the home country, but if this were in the USA we can see a number of issues. However, this video shows us the conditions under which we might respond to an ammonia…...
2017 Photo of the Week #24 (Make sure the crane is level boys!)
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Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals VACATES ALL of WA-OSHA PSM citations related to 2010 Refinery Explosion that killed 7
The Department of Labor and Industries cited a refinery for forty-five alleged violations of various Washington Administrative Code sections assessing a penalty of $2,393,000 as a result of an explosion and fire that occurred at the refinery on the early morning of April 2, 2010 that resulted in seven fatalities. The refiner contends that it…...
2017 Video of the Week #24 (Distracted Walking or OPEN PIT the issue?)
This week, the video below has gone viral and many have blamed the elderly lady of not paying attention to where she’s going as the cause of this accident; but what do you say is the ROOT CAUSE of this accident? What other issues can we identify in this accident? Let’s assume the work would…...
OSHA’s CHEM NEP Update by the Numbers (June 7, 2017)
This week the USDOL-OSHA, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Office of Chemical Process Safety and Enforcement Initiatives team (Jeff Wanko, Jim Lay and Mike Marshall) presented an update on OSHA’s PSM Activities. This is the first such kind of update in over a year so it has some interesting DATA and updates to OSHA CHEM NEP approach. I have…...
PHMSA’s New Cylinder “Special Permit” authorizes an extension of the 15-year service life of certain carbon fiber reinforced aluminum-lined cylinders (DOT-CFFC)
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has announced it has issued a special permit to authorize the extension of the 15-year service life of certain carbon fiber reinforced aluminum-lined cylinders (DOT-CFFC) that are used in self-contained breathing apparatuses by fire departments and first responders…. Membership Required You must...