At 4:30 a.m. on January 11, 2023, an employee attended a Permit Confined Space Entry Rescue Training. The employee entered the manway and began to descend into a vessel. Approximately halfway into the entry, he realized he could not fit in and began to extract himself. He was distressed and lost consciousness. His coworkers attempted…...
HAZARDS of Hands-On PRCS Rescue Training Read More »
When people say, “safety is just common sense,” I wish we could slap them. Working for a client in KY, I have identified so much that is different between their state plan and the federal OSHA requirements. Some of the differences just do not make sense and I am sure there are some political forces…...
KY-OSHA and the application of it’s PRCS standard for Construction Read More »
Recently we were performing an evaluation of a facility’s Confined Spaces and assessing if any were Permit-Required Confined Spaces and we came across this space. I immediately knew that the winch was NOT intended for personnel and was installed for pulling the pumps in this lift station. However, my escort, the facility safety person (and…...
PRCS entry “hoisting system” (1926.1203) Read More »
At 6:15 p.m. on August 19, 2022, two employees, 19 and 22, were digging a trench with an Excavator for a storm sewer line that was located in the center of a new multi-residential housing complex that was under construction. The trench was approximately 29 feet long by 16 feet wide and 7 feet 6…...
PRCS Fatality – 12.1% Oxygen inside sanitation sewer Read More »
At 1:00 p.m. on November 22, 2022, an employee, 48, was cleaning the inside of a tanker trailer from a local chemical company. The employee was required to enter the tank and wash out the tank with soap and water. Before entry, the oxygen level was 19.5% in the tank. The employee entered the tank…...
PRCS Fatality – HAZ ATM inside tanker truck @ cleaning facility Read More »
When preparing a Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS) for entry, either by reclassification or by permit, it is incumbent upon the Entry Supervisor to ensure that ALL forms of hazardous energy has been identified and properly isolated. In this event, the vessel had a level indicator that used a radiation source of energy that was not…...
Isolation of the PRSC means ALL hazardous forms of energy (Radiation Event from EPSC) Read More »
The following are highlights from the 2022 findings:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
At 1:00 a.m. on October 23, 2022, an employee climbed into a barley germination tank at a malt manufacturing facility. The turning auger arm inside of the tank was not working so the employee climbed into the tank using a portable ladder. The employee intended to shovel some wet germinating grain away from the vertical…...
PRCS Fatality – HAZ ATM inside barley germination tank at a malt manufacturing facility Read More »
At 7:27 a.m. on September 19, 2022, an employee was performing welding repairs in a mechanical kettle when the kettle was turned on. The employee suffered crushing injuries when caught between the kettle paddles and the sweeper which were rotating in opposite directions. The employee died due to his injuries…. Membership Required You must be...
PRCS Fatality – NO LOTO of Agitator and Sweeper Arm Read More »
Issue HSE has identified high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in ullage spaces of cargo and slop tanks onboard some FPSOs and FSUs operating in UKCS. The high concentrations (up to 16,000ppm) is above the upper measuring limits of the standard portable gas monitoring equipment generally used onboard tankers and FPSOs, and may be undetected…....
High concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in cargo and slop tanks Read More »
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has cited Meeder Equipment Company of Rancho Cucamonga and referred D&D Construction Specialties, Inc. of Sun Valley (D&D) for criminal prosecution in two separate cases of workers’ deaths related to confined spaces. All employers must recognize, evaluate and control confined space hazards to ensure workers’ safety…....
It amazes me that in the year 2023, 30 years after the PRCS standard was promulgated, we still have Entry Supervisors who can NOT explain:➡ Why Oxygen Concentration must be measured FIRST (then LEL and then Toxicity)➡ The Correction Correlation with the LEL readings➡ Why OSHA defined the LEL of 10% as a Hazardous Atm…...
Why are we still failing in PRCS? Read More »
