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Thinking of buying a Hydrogen Powered vehicle?
A few years ago I was asked to participate in a hazard assessment for a manufacturer who wanted to review the procedure for hydrogen-powered vehicles to be freed of hydrogen gas.  I got the feeling very early into this hazard assessment that those in the room knew about an event of some type, but wanted me to walk them through the venting process so they could quietly find their error(s). I conducted...
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Splash Filling Hexane
SPLASH FILLING Hexane leads to explosion (European Process Safety Centre (EPSC)
This is an EXCELLENT 1-page Alert on the hazards of “Splash filling” non-conductive flammable liquids.  SPEED MATTERS, as does process design! To read more on handling non-conductive flammable liquids CLICK HERE
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EPA issues RMP citations @ power plant (NH3 & $199K)
On January 17, 2020, EPA performed an inspection of the Facility pursuant to Section 112(r) of the CAA, Sections 304-312 of EPCRA, and Section 103 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Based upon the information gathered during this inspection and subsequent investigation, EPA asserts that Respondent violated certain provisions of the CAA and EPCRA. At all times...
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What the heck is 5-footcandles, why does it matter, and what does it look like?
So in my previous post, we covered the SIZE of the EXIT signs and in this post, I want to cover the “illumination” requirements of these EXIT signs. Simply stated, OSHA and the IBC require the face of the sign to be illuminated to at least 5-foot candles or 54 Lux at ALL TIMES.  Which is NOT a lot of light.  Of course, when the area has its normal lights on, meeting this illumination...
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improper EXIT sign
Size Matters... ever heard that one before?
Earlier this year we were asked to assist in a site assessment after a tragic accident.  During this assessment, it was hard not to notice all of the brand new exit signs the facility had put up (i.e. stuck up as they were stickers).  These signs were super clean as compared to the rest of the facility so they really stood out during our “side-walk tour” of the facility and the...
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How do we define a "safe employee" and an "unsafe employee"?
Be careful, experience shows that most who read this will find it offensive… Meet “Ed”, he is just a maintenance worker I meet in 1994.  My first impressions of Ed were he was safe (i.e. always followed the safe work practices, always had on his PPE properly, etc.) based on my personal observations.  One day I mentioned Ed and was quickly shut down and mocked for even mentioning...
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EPA RMP citations @ chemical manufacturing facility (Cl2 & $100K)
Respondent owns and operates a chemical manufacturing facility that has a chlorine (Cl2) process at the stationary source in excess of the applicable threshold quantity. The chlorine-covered process is subject to the “Program 3” requirements of the Risk Management Plan (RMP) regulations and must, among other things, to comply with the Program 3 Prevention Program of 40 C.F.R. Part 68, Subpart...
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Should we allow line break/equipment opening behind a single valve isolation?
I love the Line Break and Equipment Opening (LEO) SWP because it is one of the most hazardous tasks a worker will perform within a covered process AND the fact that there is no OSHA standard dictating how a business manages these risks.  This lack of “OSHA Control” spoon-feeding us safety requirements causes most management groups to be lost in the risk and allows us (safety engineers/professionals)...
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EPA RMP citations @ food facility (NH3 & $9K) SPECIAL note on grandfather training clause
This case involves a citation regarding the “grandfather training clause” found in both OSHA’s PSM and EPA’s RMP.  I have never seen it cited before, but I take my hat off to the EPA inspector for peeling that onion! Basically, this food facility had two (2) employees who had been hired in January and September 1996.  The facility was unable to produce certification...
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Triple PRCS fatality (1 entrant & 2 would-be-rescuers) incident in sanitary sewer (Oxygen Deficient atm)
See if this sounds all too familiar… three (3) workers remove a manhole cover to a sanitary sewer to check for water and blockage.  Unable to see anything, Employee #1 climbs down into the sewer to look for problems.  A co-worker working nearby sees Employees #2 and #3 enter the manhole and comes over to check on his co-workers.  He finds Employees #2 and #3 trying to revive...
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Should we apply our Line Break and Equipment Opening safe work practice to utilities such as steam? (Double Fatality w/ Steam release)
Line Breaking and Equipment Opening (LEO) hazards are oftentimes not well recognized or respected, even in PSM/RMP-covered processes.  Once we are removed from a “covered process,” the lack of recognition and lack of respect only increases.  But in my career, some of the more serious accidents involving LEO on lines/equipment did NOT involve processes covered by PSM/RMP; instead,...
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OSHA (State Plan) issues GDC citation regarding "Hot Bolting"
Please note this citation was issued as a General Duty Clause (GDC) citation by a State OSHA Plan and the incident was not a PSM/RMP incident (at least OSHA did not cite .119).  The practice at issue is one that is done routinely in just about all companies and on just about every type of chemical process and utility.  This is the first time I have seen it “cited” in an OSHA citation,...
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