On February 6, 2024, at 10:00 p.m., an employee, 26, was repairing leaking water on pump equipment without lockout/tagout. While the engine was on, the employee began to unscrew a high-pressure valve nipple. The pressure was not released from the valve, causing it to blow off and strike the employee in the head and chest…....
When “water” is a Hazardous Form of Energy needing LOTO Read More »
On November 1, 2022, at 12:45 p.m., an employee, 30, was installing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment at a residential building. When the employee was pressure testing a pipe fitting, an object flew off the HVAC unit and struck the employee in the face and head. The employee was killed by blunt force…...
Pressure Test Gone Bad (HVAC unit) Read More »
On November 3, 2020, at 1:15 p.m., Employee #1, 55, employed by an HVAC company, was working at a customer’s commercial facility. He was removing a coupler and blind from the intake header of an air dryer. The employee did not first relieve the air pressure from the header. When he loosened the coupler bolts,…...
Stored energy can be LETHAL Read More »
I was raised in process safety, with a focus on flammables, and I was taught that one thing you just don’t allow into your flammable process is plastics! But even I was unaware of how much plastic I had always overlooked, which was right under my nose, such as my LOTO tags. New Hazard –…...
New Hazard – Static Discharge from Isolation Tag (CCPS) Read More »
Why do “lagging indicators” remain such a popular means of gauging/measuring the success of the safety effort? We should measure the results and that these lagging indicators can/do play a role in measuring our success in all functions within a business. However, as I would like to point out to C-Suite executives, the company does…...
[My] Safety Thought of the Week… Lagging Indicators and Confirmation Bias Read More »
Leadership should demonstrate a commitment to safety within their organization by setting a clear tone from the top, promoting the vision for safety, and by: Source: JSP 815 Defense Safety Management System (SMS) Framework… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Nine (9) well-crafted directives for Leadership to OWN safety Read More »
The HSE Advisory Committee’s definition of safety culture is: An organization’s safety culture is the product of individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behavior that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organization’s health and safety management.” A safety culture builds slowly, but behaviors are influenced quickly…...
Culture can be best understood as… “the way we do things around here” Read More »
Here are some FREE and straightforward Safety Management 101 items for your organization’s senior management. These could be applied to a facility’s senior management or at a corporate level. 1) Organizations MUST commit sufficient resources to identify and provide the minimum personnel levels (NOT just safety teams) to manage and address the risks they face…....
Safety Management 101 – Tips for Sr Management Read More »
An organization that listens to and learns from its people is constantly improving and understands that mistakes, errors in judgment, and the need to adapt are normal. Organizations should listen to and support their personnel by promoting a culture that: When an organization is listening and learning in relation to safety, the following are true:…...
Culture of reporting and LEARNING from our mistakes Read More »
A risk-based approach means focusing assurance efforts on the activities and controls that give rise to the most significant safety risks that may impact the successful delivery of the Organization’s objectives. It can also include focusing assurance in areas where the most benefit will be derived from the effort. This means a high-level prioritization approach…...
Quality Assurance Risk-based Approach in a Safety Process/SMS Read More »
A BLEVE at a gas station in Russia killed at least four (4) people. Several excellent videos have been shared with our membership and me…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Russian BLEVE @ Gas Station (10/2024 Videos) Read More »
On February 19, 2015, employees were to perform a preventive maintenance inspection inside of a scrubber, which is maintained free of oxygen using a nitrogen blanket. When the designated attendant could not find the entrant employee, other employees searched for him. The entrant employee was found inside the scrubber (a metal tube) where he had…...
Scrubber under N2 blanket kills entrant Read More »
