Based on recent updates from USCG and NFPA, we now know that two days after the incident, a marine chemist arrived on the scene in Alaska and tested the atmosphere of the barge involved in the accident. But the atmosphere therein had been sufficiently ventilated to allow firefighters to enter and recover the body of…...
As most of you know, PRCS Entry is one of the specific SWPs called out in the PSM and RMP standards. But many programs fail to meet 1910.146(f)(4), and a recent CSB accident report tied the requirement for canceling a permit to a catastrophic explosion event. 1910.119(f)(4) The employer shall develop and implement safe work…...
So I asked Google Gemini… What are the LEL correction factors for the top 5 direct reading instruments? I asked this as I wanted a side-by-side comparison of the DIFFERENT correction factors for these five (5) different meters. Some of the variation is 100% greater, so the moral of the story is that when you…...
This debate has been going on amongst a number of us, as a friend asked the question. 99% of of agreed – NO, it can not be reclassified when the COM DUST is inside the space. Cleaning it would be a Permit-Entry; once clean AND FREE of the COM Dusts, then we could discuss reclassifying…...
Way back in 2015, I shared a practice I have used for most of my career, after working a major turnaround back in the 1990’s. And anyone who has worked a turnaround at a processing plant will certainly understand what I am trying to address with this practice. Bottom line, we should NEVER put the…...
This report summarizes the enforcement activity for the water and wastewater utility sector. During this period, 63 citations were issued across 18 inspections, resulting in $830,945 in penalties. Executive Summary of Penalties and Citations The data indicates that while Hazard Communication and Respiratory Protection are frequently cited, the vast majority of the financial impact stems…...
Reporting Period: October 2024 – September 2025 Executive Summary During the FY 2025 reporting period, OSHA issued 309 citations across 112 inspections related to the Permit-Required Confined Space standard (1910.146). Total penalties for this period reached $2,174,234. The data reveal a heavy concentration of enforcement in the manufacturing sector, though the highest average penalties per…...
I am pretty confident in my position, but my friend and one hell of a safety pro has me second-guessing myself. So I thought this would be a good scenario to debate amongst the SAFTENG members. I will not bias the discussion with my position, but I will add mine after a dozen or so…...
This tragedy is a sad example of why OSHA says… Entry … is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant’s body breaks the plane of an opening into the space. I am not sold on MSHA’s Root Cause Analysis, but we can all learn a lot from this tragedy and…...
Two (2) sanitation workers were killed, and a third was hospitalized in critical condition after they inhaled toxic fumes while cleaning a sewer line. The incident took place around 10.30 pm. The workers were employees of the local Municipality. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the first worker entered the sewer and failed to come out for a…...
Employee #1, a warehouse operator, dropped his safety glasses into the compartment of a railroad tank car that was being filled with aerosol. The aerosol was blown through a line by low-pressure nitrogen (N2) gas. After Employee #1 notified coworkers and his supervisor, the material flow was turned off, but NOT the gas. Wearing an…...
Three workers died, and one is critical after suspected asphyxiation in an underground effluent treatment plant (ETP) tank at a dyeing mill. The condition of another worker remains critical, and he is undergoing treatment at a hospital… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
