This new tool was designed for oil spill responders, but should be useful to many others. The NOAA Unit Converter for Oil Spills (NUCOS) is a simple desktop tool that converts basic units of velocity, mass, length, etc., but more specifically, converts units that are unique to oil spill response. NUCOS includes some of the…...
Most of us have a LPG tank on site and many of us have multiple tanks lined up next to each other. As part of their “Coffee Break” training the United States Fire Administration (USFA) has just released a GREAT resource for our engineering groups to aid them when locating these LPG tanks. Now this…...
We continue to see businesses using many methods to identify their lockout locks, many of which are NOT acceptable to OSHA. 1910.147(c)(5)(ii)(B) states: Lockout and tagout devices shall be standardized within the facility in at least one of the following criteria: color; shape; or size… Most businesses use color, and we can have multiple colors…...
We continue to see businesses using tagout when locks can be used and they dispute us when we attempt to explain to them that locks MUST be used when they can, UNLESS the employer can show that their tags are EQUALLY effective as a lock. OSHA REQUIRES Tag-Plus-One when using a tag in these situations. …...
As many of you already know, having good operating procedures that are regularly reviewed and updated is a vital part of the management process and helps ensure safety. Recently, an industry group conducted a survey on five major companies. See the Directors Corner for the survey questions and the responses of these surveyed companies…. Membership...
I often find folks are surprised when they are told that dust accumulations on ledges, equipment, rafters, etc. is a MAJOR hazard. We all know about suspended dust, but as humans we tend to feel more safe when we can not see the hazard, a concern we all carry as safety professionals. But dust accumulations…...
This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a final rule that establishes interim design standards aimed at improving the crashworthiness of tank cars carrying poison inhalation hazard (PIH) materials. The rule mandates that tank cars carrying PIH materials, such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia, feature thicker inner shells and/or outer jackets to improve…...
A MUST READ for businesses that use nurse tanks and for Emergency Responders who may respond to incident involving them!!! Based on eight (8) recent enforcement investigations, conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement (OHME), this letter is intended to notify the industry…...
A few months back I posted an article regarding OR-OSHA’s revisions to their “STATIONARY COMPACTORS, SELF-CONTAINED COMPACTORS AND BALERS” standard and offered up the idea that we could/should be using this state plan standard as our own guidance in how we manage safety around our equipment, even though we are not in the state of…...
A few months back I posted an article regarding OR-OSHA’s revisions to their “STATIONARY COMPACTORS, SELF-CONTAINED COMPACTORS AND BALERS” standard and offered up the idea that we could/should be using this state plan standard as our own guidance in how we manage safety around our equipment, even though we are not in the state of…...
The new Training Package for responding to ethanol incidents includes an instructors manual, a participant packet, interactive workshop materials, PowerPoint presentations, two videos and guidelines for fire departments to have ethanol production facilities in their communities. This extensive package is very beneficial giving the sources to be knowledgeable and prepared for any ethanol emergency situation…....
Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) is the information protection regime authorized by Section 550 of Public Law 109-295 to protect from inappropriate public disclosure any information developed or submitted pursuant to Section 550. This includes information that is developed and/or submitted to DHS pursuant to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) regulation which implements Section 550…....
