2016 Video of the Week #15 (The full video of the infamous china trackhoe rider)
This is the full video of the worker in China riding a trackhoe bucket, which the trackhoe is sitting on a demo’ed building.
OSHA grants permanent LOTO variance
WARNING! This variance applies ONLY to Nucor Steel Connecticut Incorporated at its Wallingford, CT facility and the SPECIFIC TASK listed. It can NOT be adopted by anyone else or any other workplace (NOT even another Nucor facility) in any fashion whatsoever. This information is being shared for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY as OSHA allows the use
A part of process safety history ending this week (70 ton CL2 release)
This week we got word that the Olin Corp has announced that they will be reconfiguring their Henderson, NV facility to make bleach. This is the facility that in 1991 when owned and operated by Pioneer Chlor Alkali Company, Inc. had the largest Chlorine release on record, 70-100 tons of chlorine. The response to the
Boston NH3 fatality and BFD response brings us back to the ER PPE discussion for NH3
With the recent tragedy in Boston, MA involving an anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fatality the internet is buzzing with discussions about what level of PPE is needed to SAFELY respond to an uncontrolled release of NH3. The accident in Boston involved an ammonia refrigeration process inside an enclosed building without adequate ventilation (based on the levels
HAZMAT Guys discuss two major Ammonia Releases
This video is the best source of details we have at this time regarding the fatal NH3 accident at a Boston, MA Seafood Warehouse, as well as a major NH3 release during an oil draining incident at an ice rink. The boston incident involved a liquid pipe on the bottom of the receiver. These
OSHA PRCS citations @ railcar cleaning facility (O2 Deficiency & $226K)
OSHA fines New Orleans tank cleaner $226K for willful, repeat violations after a worker died, and two others were hospitalized, while they cleaned a rail tank car. The three workers were overcome by a lack of oxygen inside the rail tanker on Oct. 8, 2015. OSHA found the company failed to test the atmosphere inside
IL has another TOTAL LOSS of NH3 from MC331 during loading/unloading @ fertilizer facility
UPDATE 4/9/2016 Shelby County Emergency Management Agency Director Jared Rowcliffe described in an email Wednesday afternoon that the driver connected the truck’s tank to the storage tank to offload, but the truck rolled. Instead of the hose breaking, causing an automatic shut-off, the fitting on the truck failed and the product was released. Fire Chief
Proud moment for SAFTENG
Imagine my surprise when reading the latest edition of “Chemical Process Safety (Fourth Edition), Learning from Case Histories“, August 2015, by Roy E. Sanders when I came across a very nice mention of SAFTENG.net. In 2014 I received some very nice feedback from Mr. Sanders regarding my work with the Incident Alerts and my Process Safety
When does a process safety nearmiss become an incident that needs to be investigated
One of the weakest elements in OSHA’s PSM and EPA’s RMP standards is the Incident Investigation element. Anyone who has performed a PHA or Audit can tell you that the difference of opinions range from aggressive to the criminally insane! Personally I have heard some of the lamest excuses for not investigating Loss of Primary
EPA RMP GDC citations @ bottling plant (NH3 & $37K)
Respondent owns and operates a carbonated beverage bottling plant. At the facility, respondent produces, processes, handles, or stores substances listed in, or pursuant to, CAA 112(r)(3) or other extremely hazardous substances identified as such due to toxicity, reactivity, flammability, volatility. or corrosivity, including anhydrous ammonia. On March 29, 2015, there was a 3,750 pound release of
EPA RMP citations @ fertilizer facility (NH3 & $12K)
EPA found that Respondent had violated regulations implementing Section 112(r) of the Act at 40 C.F.R. Part 68 by failing to comply with the regulations as noted on the enclosed Risk Management Plan Inspection Findings and Alleged Violations Summary, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In consideration of Respondent’s size of business, its full compliance
2016 Photo of the Week #14 (more Forklift Follies)
A safety pro has to wonder if the lights are locked out!?!?