When we were children, adults frequently told us to stop and think—good advice, but they rarely told us what to think about. I have sought to overcome this omission with the ‘three-bucket’ model described below. This model forms the basis of the mental skills designed to impart error wisdom and risk awareness.  The buckets correspond to the three features of a situation that influence the likelihood...

EPA is proposing to require all facilities with Program 2 and 3 processes to conduct a root cause analysis as part of an incident investigation for an RMP-reportable accident as defined under 40 CFR 68.42. This includes requiring the root cause analysis to include specific elements, requiring the use of a recognized investigation method, and requiring that investigations are completed within 12 months....

EPA is proposing a requirement in 40 CFR 68.67(c)(9) for some Program 3 regulated processes to consider and document the feasibility of applying safer technologies and alternatives as part of their PHA. This requirement applies to petroleum and coal products manufacturing processes (classified in NAICS code 324) and chemical manufacturing processes (NAICS code 325) that are located within 1 mile of...

The location of stationary sources, and the location and configuration of regulated processes and equipment within a source, can significantly affect the severity of an accidental release. The location of the stationary source in relation to public and environmental receptors may exacerbate the impacts of an accidental release, such as blast overpressures or concentrations of toxic gases, or conversely,...

Respondent is the owner and operator of a frozen foods processing facility that includes anhydrous ammonia storage tanks, valves, piping, compressors, freezer tunnels, and other buildings, structures, equipment, installations, or substance-emitting stationary activities from which an accidental release of anhydrous ammonia may occur; which belong to the same industrial group; which are located on one...

Whether caused by a natural hazard or some other event, power loss at hazardous chemical facilities can lead to a variety of negative impacts. Pumps and compressors may stop running, stirrers may quit mixing, lights may go out, and instruments and controls may malfunction. These equipment outages can lead to tank overflows, runaway chemical reactions, temperature or pressure excursions, or other process...

A hazard evaluation is defined as the identification of individual hazards of a system, determination of the mechanisms by which they could give rise to undesired events, and evaluation of the consequences of these events on health (including public health), environment, and property. These evaluations often use qualitative techniques to pinpoint weaknesses in the design and operation of facilities...

On August 18, 2022, EPA signed the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention (SCCAP) rule, which proposes revisions to the Risk Management Program (RMP) to further protect vulnerable communities from chemical accidents, especially those living near facilities with high accident rates. The proposed rule would strengthen the existing program and includes new safeguards that have not been...

The probability that the total system will perform correctly when it is available is the probability that the hardware/ software will perform correctly, times the probability that the operating environment will not degrade the system operation, and times the probability that the user will perform correctly. By defining the total system this way, human performance is identified as a system component....

Two workers received 1st and 2nd-degree chemical burns after an ammonia leak at a food processing facility. An employee of the facility attempted to isolate the auto-purger and turn it off but was exposed to ammonia. A refrigeration technician then entered the mechanical room wearing a short-sleeve t-shirt and received chemical burns. One individual received first and second-degree chemical burns on...

The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama announced criminal charges today in a case involving willful violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards that led to a worker’s death. The charges involve an Aug. 16, 2017, incident at an Alabama plant in which a worker was pulled into a cluster of unguarded moving rollers and...

One of the best examples of Human Factors Engineering is seen daily when driving… street signs.  We all know a STOP sign when we see one.  It may be the most recognized sign in all advanced societies.  Did you know that at least 35 countries use a red octagon as their stop sign? But imagine if some local town decided that they wanted to make their STOP signs: Round, Green, Black...