On February 4, 2004, a 23-year-old tank mechanic died from lack of oxygen after entering a chemical transport tank prior to a scheduled inspection. The employer was a longtime Oregon company, based in Portland, specializing in the manufacture and maintenance of transportation tanks. At the time, the firm had 5 factories and 11 sales branches […]
In September 2010, a 48-year-old male worker (Victim I) employed by a village Department of Public Works (DPW) and a 51-year-old male volunteer firefighter (Victim II) of the village Fire Department (FD) died after entering a sewer manhole. The manhole was located behind the firehouse. The Fire Chief and a firefighter were called in by
The following are highlights from the 2025 summary of injuries and fatalities associated with agricultural confined spaces: CLICK HERE for the full 2025 report
Choosing between methane and pentane for calibrating a direct-reading combustible gas indicator (CGI) depends primarily on your specific application, the target hazards in your environment, and sensor technology constraints. But there are BOTH a “Pentane Advantage” and a “Methane Advantage” Match the Target Gas (Best Practice for Specific Hazards)
When you pump reactive, highly polar, or oxidizing gases like chlorine (Cl2), chlorine dioxide (ClO2), or ammonia (NH3) through standard silicone, polyurethane, or Tygon tubing, the tubing acts like a chemical absorber/scrubber. The gas is actively consumed or trapped by the hose before it ever reaches the instrument’s sensors. This creates severe process safety and
NOTE: Be sure to check your BRAND and MODEL for specifics. I have used MSA devices in this article because they are the brand I have used for 30+ years, and I am a huge fan of their products. ALL brands will have similar restrictions. ATTENTION TO these details matters! Yes, MSA enforces strict maximum
OSHA has cited a big rig parts distributor for 16 serious safety violations after an investigation into a worker fatality found the company exposed workers to confined space and other safety hazards. OSHA initiated an inspection on Jan. 7, 2026, after an employee asphyxiated while inspecting a tanker trailer. OSHA cited the company for 16
First, I am as guilty as anyone for using these terms interchangeably, but this week I was in a deep discussion on PRCS Isolation and those on the other end of the phone were getting confused as I was using these terms interchangeably. So I am setting the record straight on this topic, as it
My official question to OSHA was… Recently, OSHA issued an LOI aligning with NFPA 350 regarding PRCS isolation. In particular, OSHA stated that a pipe passing through a PRCS but not terminating within the space would NOT have to be isolated and evacuated. I want to know if this practice would be acceptable if the
A fire ignited inside a silo (a confined space) at this firm’s sawmill, and the water used to extinguish it had frozen the wood fiber inside the silo. While a subcontractor’s worker was pressure washing the fiber inside the silo, a large volume of fiber dislodged from an overhang above the work area. The fiber
Both OSHA and NFPA state that if the pipe does NOT terminate within the space, the pipe does NOT have to be evacuated to consider the contents of the pipe a “potential” to generate a HAZ ATM. In a recent OSHA LOI, OSHA used several thresholds that the employer should/must use in its evaluation of
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
