A recent fatality at an ammonia refrigeration process in Canada points to a potential weakness in “contractor safety” at facilities with active process safety management systems in place. PSM/RMP facilities regularly get “safety information and data” from their contractors; this information is usually the contractor’s OSHA injury/illness rates, experience modification...

A fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond in August 2012 raised public concern about refinery safety and emergency response in California. Following a directive from the Governor’s February 2014 report on “Improving Public and Worker Safety at Oil Refineries,” CalEPA formed the Interagency Refinery Task Force (IRTF).  The IRTF membership includes ten state agencies, U.S. EPA,...

Folks I know it is hot this time of year (for those in the Northern Hemisphere), but our heat protection programs can NOT triumph basic machine guarding! This is just unreal…

WARNING!  This video contains GRAPHIC CONTENT, viewer discretion is advised.  The video shows a grinder wheel coming apart and striking the worker in the face (it is NOT real, but a very good recreation).  

DOL/OSHA RIN: 1218-AB80 Publication ID: Spring 2015  Title: Walking Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (Slips, Trips, and Fall Prevention)  Abstract: In 1990, OSHA published a proposed rule (55 FR 13360) addressing slip, trip, and fall hazards and establishing requirements for personal fall protection systems. Slips, trips, and falls are among the leading causes of work-related...

In November 2014, a worker was overcome at the chemical manufacturing facility when a supply line unexpectedly released more than 20,000 lbs. of methyl mercaptan, a deadly chemical. Three co-workers came to the worker’s aid in an attempted rescue, but all four were asphyxiated fatally by the colorless, flammable, and highly toxic gas. After the initial investigation into the four deaths, OSHA...

2015 Fatality Tracker Electrical 24 (2014 =55) (2013 = 32) (2012 = 68) Forklift/Aerial 24 (2014 = 60) (2013=62) (2012 = 52) Mining* 17 (2014 = 401) (2013=87*) (2012 = 92*) *ONLY developed nations and legal mines Explosions 110 (2014 = 157) (2013=194) (2012 = 241) Cranes 25 (2014 = 20) (2013=51) (2012 = 52) Falls 47 (2014 = 97) (2013=106) (2012 = 99) Work Zone 22 (2014 = 33) (2013=42) (2012 = 62) Trenching...

OSHA has announced a 60-day temporary enforcement policy of its Confined Spaces in Construction standard, which becomes effective Aug. 3, 2015. The agency is postponing full enforcement of the new standard to Oct. 2, 2015, in response to requests for additional time to train and acquire the equipment necessary to comply with the new standard. During this 60-day temporary enforcement period, OSHA will...

Sounds like a simple question and often the answer is easy when dealing with reputable respirator manufacturers; however, the idea that providing a PAPR to a worker assures a higher protection factor is just wrong.  When we look at OSHA’s Assigned Protection Factors (APF) in 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(A) we see Table 1. – Assigned Protection Factors where PAPRs have two (2) APFs “425/1,000” for “Helmet/hood”...

Between 1996 and 2008 it is estimated that there have been 173 loss of primary containment (LOPC) incidents reported in RIDDOR that can be attributable to ageing plant. This represents 5.5% of all loss of containment events. The limited information provided in RIDDOR about the underlying causes means that it is difficult to identify which events may be age related: the actual number could be much higher...

My phone has not stopped ringing with clients who have received a ton of advertising about how this “new OSHA rule will impact you.”  Some of this literature is just disgusting in how it misleads an unsuspecting manager who wants to do the right thing.  But as I began to research some of these claims, I did take notice that this new CS standard for construction can be a glimpse into OSHA’s...

We came across this dosey during one of our projects.  It is exactly what you think it is… operators tired of having an alarm go off.  They wrote work order after work order to have the setpoint changed and each one was denied.  They then wrote a work order to have this switch installed so they could turn OFF the alarm.  I kid you not!