This is another great process safety report that is FULL of learning opportunities; a MUST READ for process safety professionals and those involved in their facility’s process safety efforts.  The last article discussed the famous 1974 Flixborough Explosion in the UK.  This catastrophe was a bit closer to home in Pasadena, TX and is considered to be “the final straw”...

Over the years I have used many OSHRC decisions in my newsletters and website, as I feel they are GREAT learning tools to further our understanding of what is required to comply with OSHA standards.  The written decisions of the OSHRC include a ton of information about what the standard requires and the level of expectations.  Much like the pre-ambles to some of the standards, these decisions...

This year a company was issued three citation items that the company failed to have a “company executive” certify its annual summaries of workplace injuries and illnesses entered on its OSHA 300 Logs for 2007, 2008, and 2009, in violation of 29 C.F.R. § 1904.32(b)(4).  OSHA proposed a penalty of $800 for each alleged violation.  OSHA’s sole allegation in this case is that the company’s...

These are REALLY GREAT tools from OSHA and MSHA.  I can envision these tools being a GREAT EXERCISE for a safety comittee to use as a learning and assessment tool.  They can be used by facilities looking to get an understanding of their compliance obligations based on some VERY SPECIFIC workplace requirements.  The user will establish the type of workplace/industry they are in; then...

Can you find the “human factors” issues in these photos? This next photo is not quite as obvious as the one above, but this is an emergency egress hatch for a bus used to shuttle workers at a mine site.  Myself and another safety professional were doing a site assessment for them and on the ride out there we noticed this “slight” problem with this emergency egress and it...

It may be a sutle suggestion to most, but it is a SCREAMING recommendation to those who struggle daily to get their process safety efforts embedded within their management group.  Too often process safety is delegated to a “one-person” team.  If there is a full-time environmental or safety professional on site, then RMP/PSM is almost always dealt to them and unfortunately TOO...

CAUTION!!!  One photo may be upsetting to some viewers. Professionals who work in the industry blame the company for the explosion of the tank trailer, which left two people killed. The accident occurred around 9:30 am on Monday, October 29, according to calculations of the residents, who heard the noise and saw their houses shook with the explosion. In the accident, the mechanic, 59, and...

This hazard alert can help employers and employees prevent deaths and injuries involving the use of anhydrous ammonia in refrigeration systems. Ammonia refrigeration systems are commonly used in wineries. … HomeRead More »

    2012 Fatality Tracker Electrical 63 (2011 = 81) (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment 50 (2011 = 84) (2010 = 110) (2009 = 88) Mining 65 (2011 = 248) (2010 = 480) (2009 = 586) Explosions 230 (2011 = 218) (2010 = 246) (2009 = 302) Cranes 45 (2011 = 50) (2010 = 50) (2009 = 82) Falls 86 (2011 = 123) (2010 = 139) (2009 = 172) (2008 = 250) Work Zone 54  (2011 = 54)...

On August 23, 2010, at a refrigeration plant in Alabama, approximately 32,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia was unexpectedly released into the atmosphere from a cracked pipe on the suction header on the plant’s roof and a broken evaporator coil in Freezer #5.  The plant was evacuated and an inspection was initiated by OSHA.  On February 22, 2011, OSHA issued citations to the company for...