This case is especially sad (or disgusting)… the company was cited a Willful in 2012 regarding a failed rescue attempt when a 37-year-old supervisor was nearly buried alive in a 25-foot silo containing 50,000 pounds of sand. Plant employees allegedly attempted to rescue the supervisor after he became engulfed in a sand bin and suffered…...
During the construction phase of an ASU, prior to the mechanical completion of the plant, an engineer with over 20 years of operation experience in the industry was found asphyxiated in one section of the cryogenic enclosure. Accident circumstances:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log...
ASU’s (Air Separation Units) Nitrogen Fatality Read More »
OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB 09-30-2013) was issued on 9/30/2013. The information in this Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB) provides workers and employers guidance on calibrating and testing direct-reading portable gas monitors (hereafter, “DRPGMs” or “instruments”). These instruments protect workers from unseen workplace gas hazards. Proper maintenance and calibration of the instruments ensures…...
Calibrating and Testing Direct-Reading Portable Gas Monitors (OSHA Bulletin) Read More »
A concrete company has been cited for ten serious safety violations by OSHA after a plant operator, 39, was fatally engulfed in a fly-ash storage silo on Aug. 6. The worker entered the cone-bottom silo in an attempt to break up clumps of fly ash that had clogged the bottom discharge. After attempts to dislodge…...
By definition, confined spaces have limited or restricted access that may make rescue difficult. There must be written rescue procedures for confined spaces. Read this section for information on the responsibilities of rescue personnel and rescue procedures and equipment. Some employers believe that having a good rescue team is the most important part of a…...
Confined Space Rescue GUIDANCE that should be taken to heart (WorkSafe BC) Read More »
This is not the first time I have suggested using other government regulations to improve our baseline safe work practices. But WorkSafe BC has done such a nice job in this publication that we all need to cut and paste these isolation requirements into our current confined space entry program. These isolation requirements are just…...
Confined Space Isolation GUIDANCE that should be taken to heart (WorkSafe BC) Read More »
This is an interesting citation, one that to me appears OSHA was not happy with this employer. As I read this decision, I was shocked that OSHA would have issued a citation, much less a Serious, in this situation. If all employers did 1/4 of what Cargill does at this facility for PRCS entry then…...
OSHRC rules on “off-site” PRCS Rescue Services Read More »
OSHA has cited a trucking business for 11 safety and health violations, including one willful, for deficiencies in its permit-required confined space program and other workplace hazards. An inspection began in April after a temporary worker, who was cleaning the inside of a tanker trailer without proper training, was found unconscious and later died from…...
The NFPA Standards Council has approved the preliminary draft of NFPA 350, and is now open for public input. With non-mandatory language, this guide incorporates the best practices that organizations and confined space professionals have utilized to comply with regulations and standards for the past 20 years since the initial publication of OSHA’s final rule…....
Work at a winery can expose individuals to life-threatening situations. When cleaning or emptying tanks, and checking the fermentation process, employees are sometimes directed to bodily enter a tank or place their head inside a tank. The air inside a tank or vat may not be sufficient to support life when gases such as carbon…...
OR-OSHA Alert: Confined Spaces – Winery Vessels Read More »
This case is one for the record books! Reading this decision is like reading a mystery novel like “Clue.” The ALJ literally eats up some of the witnesses and calls them liars. The official case files have names redacted because of the back-and-forth between the company and ex-employees. BOTTOM LINE… a company can not claim…...
OSHRC on Permit Required Confined Spaces Read More »
A paint maker died while cleaning the inside of a tank using a paint stripper that contained dichloromethane (methylene chloride). The victim was working by himself using a paint stripper to remove dried paint from the inside of a tank. The stripper contained methylene chloride, methanol, and mineral spirits. The tank was a permit-required confined…...
