Safety Info Posts

EPA RMP & EPCRA citations @ food facility (NH3 & $210K)

Respondent operated a facility that utilizes anhydrous ammonia to provide cooling capabilities to processing, shipping, cooler areas, silos, and chillers for its beef and meat products. On March 30, 2022, EPA performed an inspection of the Facility to evaluate compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) Section 103, EPCRA Sections 304-312,…...

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More exemptions for Flammable Refrigerants

A few years ago, I warned about the huge push to make flammable refrigerants easier to manage in the name of “global warming.” As a safety professional, this shift is alarming. Never in my career have we considered a burning rate of 10 cm/s as a means to lessen the risk associated with a flammable…...

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Safety Thought of the Week… Internal Consequences

When it comes to safety and health, internal consequences to support the right behavior are terribly important. Remember, external and intrinsic (natural) consequences for safe behaviors are not readily available, and we cannot expect to receive sufficient support (extra consequences) from others to sustain our proactive, safe, and healthy choices. So, we need to talk…...

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EPA RMP & EPCRA citations @ amino acid manufacturing facilities (NH3, Cl2, 37% HCL & $458K w/ $224K SEP)

SPECIAL NOTE: the Cl2 was generated by a truck unloading incident that was a WRONG CHEMICAL-WRONG TANK event (phosphoric acid to sodium hypochlorite) which produced 973 pounds of Cl2. Respondent owns and operates two amino acid manufacturing facilities located near each other (the Facilities). One Facility specializes in food and beverage industries (Foods), and the…...

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EPA RMP & EPCRA citations @ amino acid manufacturing facilities (NH3, Cl2, 37% HCL & $458K w/ $224K SEP) Read More »

Safety Thought of the Week… Views of ‘cause’ limit the effectiveness of defenses against future events.

Post-accident remedies for “human error” are usually predicated on obstructing activities that can “cause” accidents. These end-of-the-chain measures do little to reduce the likelihood of further accidents. In fact, the likelihood of an identical accident is already extraordinarily low because the pattern of latent failures changes constantly. Instead of increasing safety, post-accident remedies usually increase…...

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Safety Thought of the Week… Views of ‘cause’ limit the effectiveness of defenses against future events. Read More »

OSHA extends comment period on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor WorkSettings

OSHA is extending the period for submitting comments by 15 days until January 14, 2025, to allow stakeholders interested in the NPRM on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings additional time to review the NPRM and collect information and data necessary for comment. In addition, OSHA is scheduling an informal…...

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OSHA extends comment period on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor WorkSettings Read More »

Eight (8) workers die inside refrigerated truck with “dry ice” (China)

The report indicated that the driver of the refrigerated truck had poor safety and legal awareness. He allowed eight female workers to ride in the truck, which carried packaged beef with dry ice. The dry ice sublimed into carbon dioxide gas, which rapidly filled the confined space inside the truck…. Membership Required You must be...

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Eight (8) workers die inside refrigerated truck with “dry ice” (China) Read More »

NH3 leak during refrigeration condenser replacement

Up to 100 pounds of ammonia was released outside a public athletic club with indoor ice facilities. The leak happened during decommissioning work of an ammonia refrigeration condenser by a refrigeration contractor and resulted in the facility enacting their Ammonia Release Emergency Protocol. Multiple workers and members of the public were in the area at…...

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Hong Kong requires entries into PRCSs to be videotaped

The revised Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces (CoP) will officially take effect tomorrow (November 30). The CoP was gazetted on May 31 this year, and a grace period of six months was provided to allow sufficient time for the industry to understand and prepare for the revised requirements…....

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EPA RMP & EPCRA citations @ ammonium phosphate fertilizers and sulphuric acid manufacturing facility ( NH3, Aqua NH3, H2SO4 7 $363K)

Respondent operated a facility that manufactures ammonium phosphate fertilizers and sulphuric acid. EPA conducted an on-site investigation of Respondent’s operations at the Facility pursuant to CAA Section 112(r), EPCRA Sections 304-12, and CERCLA Section 103 on January 30, 2020 (the “Inspection”). Respondent has informed EPA that the Facility no longer has any ammonia onsite as…...

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EPA RMP & EPCRA citations @ ammonium phosphate fertilizers and sulphuric acid manufacturing facility ( NH3, Aqua NH3, H2SO4 7 $363K) Read More »

IFC and Extension Cords

Any safety pro with one week of experience in the field will understand the abuses of “extension cords.” These cords may be the most common finding of any organization, and often, the professional may not be fully versed in the OSHA and NFPA 70 requirements. So, once again, I turn to the IFC for some…...

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