The definition of public receptor is “offsite residences, institutions (e.g., schools, hospitals), industrial, commercial, and office buildings, parks, or recreational areas inhabited or occupied by the public at any time without restriction by the stationary source …” Offsite is further defined to include “areas within the property boundary [of the stationary source] to which the […]
When analyzing the worst-case scenario for regulated toxic substances, must I anticipate a specific cause (e.g., fire, explosion, etc.) of the scenario?
Does public receptor cover only buildings on a property or the entire property? If the owner of the land next to my site restricts access to the land, is it still a public receptor?
What if a flammable event has a different time duration than the 5 kw/m2 for 40 seconds?
For the worst-case and alternative release scenarios of an underground storage tank, should I consider any impact on groundwater, drinking water, or soil?
I am working on the five-year accident history portion of the hazard assessment under the RMP. Section 68.42(a) tells me to include “all accidental releases from covered processes that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant property damage on site, or known offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage.” Is there
Should the owner or operator include accidental releases from processes containing listed substances below the threshold quantity in the five-year accident history required under the hazard assessment provisions of 40 CFR Part 68, Subpart B, and in the incident investigation requirements under 40 CFR Part 68, Subparts C and D? No.
In 2025, I have already challenged three times regarding the proper pressure testing of piping systems. I am unsure where we got off track with this rather simple requirement. First, let’s look at how ASME B31.3 defines “design pressure.”
In December 2006, a journeyman pipefitter (P1) was struck in the chest by a pipe cap that he was removing from a pressurized pipe. Some leaks in an 8-inch waterline needed repair. To help find the leak locations, valves were closed off in the lines, creating sectionalized portions of the air-charged waterline. The waterline was
Gas cylinders holding 1.5 ft3 of gas are often filled to ~2,100 psig. At such high pressure, damaged or mishandled cylinders can fracture violently and release enormous amounts of energy, comparable to…
Despite their huge diversity, each organizational accident has at least three common features: hazards, failed defences, and losses (damage to people, assets and the environment). Of these, the most promising for effective prevention are the failed defences. Defences, barriers, safeguards, and controls exist at many levels of the system and take a large variety of
The NEP was set to expire on April 8, 2025. The extension allows OSHA to continue identifying and addressing heat-related injuries and illnesses in workplaces. The NEP enforcement initiative includes policies and procedures for implementing a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to ensure that employees in high-hazard industries are protected from heat-related hazards, both indoors and
