Just in case you missed the news today… OSHA will NOT finalize its proposal to remove the word “UNEXPECTED” from the control of hazardous energy (LOTO) standard but will further consider this issue in light of the overall standard.  Here is their rationale for this decision at this time… OSHA proposed making changes to subpart J of part 1910—General Environmental...

Today I was working with a client who informed that there is a “shortage” of Helium (He) and prices are starting to rise significantly and this could have a financial impact on their business in the future. Some may not be aware but He is a gas that is used in high purity processes as we see in pharmaceuticals and other “very clean” processes for leak testing. So I did some...

At 10:15 a.m. on February 12, 2015, an employee was working from the elevated basket of a manlift, installing sheetrock in an area of the job site where water piping was undergoing pneumatic testing, at 130 psi. At the same time, another contractor was performing a compressed air leak test. An 80-pound section of the pipe under pressure dislodged and struck and killed the employee in the elevated basket...

OSH ACT of 1970 SECTION (5)(a)(1):  The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to struck-by hazards: The employer did not establish, communicate, and implement safe work practice procedures to eliminate struck-by hazards...

Chemical Road Rail Water  Total % of Total Domestic Shipping Totals\by Route (U.S. Tons) Ammonia (NH3) 5,793,000 3,470,592 1,718,974 10,982,566 52.8% 75% Chlorine (Cl2) 724,000 3,750,372 137,202 4,611,574 22.2% Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) 257,000 207,560 2,057,721 2,522,281 12.1%   95% Acrylonitrile (C3H3N) 29,000 277,200 671,474 977,674 4.7% Ethylene...

This document is a gem to have if you’re in a role that requires the use of multi-gas detectors such as those used for entry into permit-required confined spaces and check an area before Hot Work begins.  It has been around since 2016 and I have used the information in it for years in my HAZMAT and PRCS training courses.  It is a MUST READ for all safety professionals who use these...

In this picture from the Jack Rabbit, we can see the Liquid NH3 that has pooled under the container.  This occurred under 95F temperature with a high wind speed, which blew the cloud away from the pool making the pool visible.  The picture below was taken 10-seconds after the container was empty.  Also, notice the impact that wind had on the “cloud” of NH3 vs. what it looked...

The data from the Jack Rabbit tests done over the past decade is immense and exceptional learning tools.  I always make sure my students, whether it be a HAZMAT responder class or a Process Safety course, fully understand how Vapor/Gas Density impacts us in a LOPC event.  Using Chlorine and Ammonia, the contrast is stark and unforgettable… … HomeRead More »

This video is from 2013, but I thought they did such an excellent job explaining 1234yf and how we went from 134a to this new refrigerant I should share it for context.  I have been very hard on the suppliers of this new Low GWP refrigerant over the years and this video sums up the journey well.  The only thing I take issue with is comparing a Cat 1 Flammable GAS with other flammable...

Question:  Would you/Do you permit 2-way radios, and their attachments, that do NOT carry a rating for HAZLOCs (Class I, Div 1/2) to be used inside a Level A suit? Recently I was asked to help a client in the great state of NM with their emergency response capabilities.  Our first step was to assess their needs and their in-house capabilities and to use the local fire department(s) to...

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on November 15, 2006, Employee #1 was a process operator at the Chlorine Liquefaction Unit, Block A-19. He was preparing to bleed off chlorine on a process line, to clear the line for maintenance work. The valve handle indicated that it was in a CLOSED position. Employee #1 opened the cap to the bleed valve to insert a tube to clear the chlorine. However, the bleed valve...

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 2, 2011, six workers were employed as milling or planing machine operators at a corn and flour milling facility in Lincoln, NE. A chlorine leak was detected in the chlorine room, so the milling superintendent and a miller/operator entered the chlorine storage room and closed a manual valve on a manifold. The facility was evacuated, and members of the local fire department...