OSHA cited a paint plant for 26 health violations after a cloud containing flammable vapors was released from the company’s Columbus facility on March 21, 2012. OSHA initiated an inspection under its national emphasis program (NEP) on process safety management (PSM) for covered chemical facilities. Proposed fines total $138,600.  The vapor cloud was caused by a copolymer reaction of flammable...

A Corona man who authorities say posed as an OSHA inspector and attempted to collect a fine in cash was arrested Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012. … HomeRead More »

  MANY THANKS to my NEW & RENEWING “Partners in Safety” for their support! since 2008 since 2008 since 2012 since 2012     2012 Fatality Tracker Electrical 59 (2011 = 81) (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment 46 (2011 = 84) (2010 = 110) (2009 = 88) Mining 64 (2011 = 248) (2010 = 480) (2009 = 586) Explosions 225 (2011 = 218) (2010 = 246) (2009 = 302)...

A fatal incident occurred involving a production operator who was overseeing a potable water bunkering activity on the satellite platform with a marine supply vessel. The IP fell 23m into the water when the handrail he was holding failed due to tension applied to it through the loading hose.• During the bunkering operation, the vessel lost station when its bow thruster tripped• The hose had been slung...

A Dairy in Puerto Rico has agreed to pay a penalty and make significant upgrades to settle RMP violations. The case stems from violations at two dairies located in Puerto Rico, including two major releases of anhydrous ammonia from one of the facilities. The Clean Air Act violations stem from the company’s failure of its general duty of care to identify hazards and to maintain safe facilities and its...

Two Washington state fruit companies failed to meet risk management plan requirements under the federal Clean Air Act, according to separate settlements with the U.S. EPA. As part of the settlements, the two companies will pay fines and submit missing reports to manage ammonia use. Both companies use more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in refrigeration. Company #1, a fresh fruit and vegetable...

The potential impact of the use of compressed air for the removal of residual metalworking fluids on health was investigated using a test chamber approach followed by a workplace study. The former had the advantage in that the background levels of particles could be reduced significantly. The greatest risk was found to be dermal exposure due to large droplets of MWF coating the worker’s torso and arms....

Since 2003, the International Fire Code has offered an “alternative” to complying with all the special hazard chapters of the “code”; it’s called the Performance-Based Design Alternative (PBDA).  This alternative was intended to provide some relief to facilities that are already doing PSM/RMP style activities for their hazardous material(s) and to provide an...

The management system required under Subpart A of 40 CFR Part 68 is essentially a system defined by facility managers for integrating the implementation of the risk management program elements and assigning responsibility for that implementation (58 FR 54196; October 20, 1993).  The extent of the management system will depend on the size and complexity of the source.  At many small...

Field-expedient protection includes steps taken to provide immediate protection of personnel/materiel and to enhance protection of mission-essential facilities in the event of an incident. These procedures and planning factors are often included in emergency-action discussions of “protection in place” when it is required to sustain critical operations through an event or key infrastructure...

The International Fire Code has another version of OSHA’s and EPA’s General Duty Clause. It is 5001.3 Performance-based design alternative. The code contains 18 elements that very closely mirror OSHA’s PSM and EPA’s RMP requirements, but the BIG DIFFERENCE is that the code makes no mention of quantities/thresholds! The rule applies to all hazardous materials, including those...