The Facility is a colloidal and polymer blend manufacturing facility. The Facility has used Epichlorohydrin and Dimethylamine to manufacture chemicals on site since at least 1999. The Facility maintains a maximum inventory of 235,000 pounds of the regulated toxic substance Epichlorohydrin, as determined under 40 C.F.R. § 68.115, which exceeds the threshold quantity of 20,000 pounds of Epichlorohydrin...

I have limited experience with this method of isolating piping, but it is fairly often used to isolate large-diameter piping. OSHA’s investigation found that a drainpipe cleaning and maintenance company could have prevented an explosion at a Port Saint Lucie worksite in June 2024 that claimed a 24-year-old worker’s life by implementing proper safety measures to address the hazards of inflatable...

The termination of the rulemaking is effective January 15, 2025. Basis for Terminating the Rulemaking … HomeRead More »

I have these debates on a regular basis: ” We can not put an isolation valve before or after a Pressure Relief Device (PRD).” And that would be an incorrect statement. Yes, placing an “intervening valve” in a PRD path (before or after the PRD) can be risky; however, in some situations, these valves are necessary for maintenance on the PRD without having to drain the entire system...

In 2025, one would hope we would be beyond these failures. But when the price is more critical than UL/FM approval or even an attempt to comply with Fire Codes and OSHA, we will inevitably end with a chuck of metal rather than a functioning flammable liquids storage cabinet. See if you can spot the deficiencies in this brand-new cabinet: … HomeRead More »

PPE is our LAST LINE of defense, and this means we better have the BEST PPE available and be trained in its care, use, donning/doffing, and limitations. Just because it’s last in the Hierarchy of Controls does not mean we can overlook its significance. … HomeRead More »

A soap and detergent manufacturer faces $161,310 in federal penalties after an OSHA investigation of a chemical gas release that sent a dozen workers to the hospital in July 2024. OSHA initiated an inspection on July 11 after being notified by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the facility’s operator about an incident involving a release of nitrogen dioxide gas. The release occurred...

An arc flash occurred in an energized 600-volt, 3-phase main distribution center installed in a shipping container to provide temporary power to a building under construction. A mobile crane attempted to remove the container before the underground utility lines had been disconnected, and the internal bus bars twisted until contact between phases resulted in a line-to-line short. Facts and Evidence:...

I have shared many funny and confusing safety signs and labels. This one is another example of how NOT to write your warning label. Not only is it the LAST of six warnings, but can you see anything else with its failure… THANKS, Travis Rhoden, MS, CSP … HomeRead More »

Human factors, as we know it today, got its inspiration from these basic ideas about human error. It then showed something different: an alternative way of looking at human error. As a result, there are basically two ways of looking at human error today. We can see human error as a cause of failure, or we can see human error as a symptom of failure. These two views have recently been contrasted as...

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If I had a nickel for every time I have heard this phrase over the past 20 years of consulting… “industry standard/practice,” I would have retired after 5 years. What is an “industry standard”? It is far from being a Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice (RAGAGEP), that’s for sure. However, companies with an immature safety culture will adopt...