On May 17th of this year I posted the article “Emergency Response Guidebook 2012 Summary of Changes (April 2012)” pointing out some of the changes and upgrades to the 2012 edition of the DOT ERG.  If your business handles Ammonia (UN1005), Chlorine (UN1017), Ethylene oxide (UN1040), Hydrogen chloride (UN1050) and Hydrogen chloride, refrigerated liquid (UN2186), Hydrogen fluoride...

I have referenced these writers before when discussing process safety and once again they communicated the message better than I could regarding how we should analyze “process alarms” when we claim them to be a layer of protection.  We should only accept alarms that have been established using a RAGAGEP in their design (audible, visual, human machine interface (HMI), and response times)....

There are new details regarding the March fire at a Memphis, TN refinery that killed one contract worker and injured two others. TOSHA has completed its investigation and the refinery was hit with a proposed $63,000 in fines for 16, serious, alleged violations. TOSHA listed the potential cause as “failure to isolate and control ignition sources and allowing air into the piping that allows ignition.”...

 

I have referenced this newsletter many time and have linked to it many times, but never officially posted it as a resource for process safety folks.  It is FREE and published by EPA Region 10 every other month.  Like this posting on relief system design basis, there is literally tons of material that can be used as awareness materials and training materials.  Most of their stuff is original,...

  MANY THANKS to my NEW & RENEWING “Partners in Safety” for their support! since 2008 since 2008 since 2012 since 2012 2012 Fatality Tracker Electrical 58 (2011 = 81) (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment 42 (2011 = 84) (2010 = 110) (2009 = 88) Mining 63 (2011 = 248) (2010 = 480) (2009 = 586) Explosions 186 (2011 = 218) (2010 = 246) (2009 = 302) Cranes 36 (2011...

AMMONIA FATALITY (a worker at a winery has died after being exposed to ammonia – one of the workers accidentally opened a wrong valve and released ammonia into a confined area – the man was one of six workers exposed – the other workers tried to rescue the man but were unable to get to him because of the fumes – he died at the scene – the other employees were treated and...

This is an excellent presentation showing what is believed to have happened leading up to and after the Amuay Refinery Vapor Cloud Explosion on 8/25/12.  Excellent modeling, but based on assumption, showing how a vapor cloud progresses.  To date, the loss of life now exceeds 50 with many more severly burned.  The off-site devistation was massive!  (souce listed in presentation)...

Doing some work for a client regarding fall protection on “order pickers” I came across this neat calculator for calculating  a new load center capacity. … HomeRead More »

Identifying human error is a starting point, not a conclusion. If we aim to learn from the error and to lessen the chances of it happening again, we need to consider the organizational context that surrounds the person’s action, including equipment, procedures, people, the environment, and management. There are two aspects to managing error: … HomeRead More »

Although I did not post the “alert” to the left referencing the Miller Harnesses, I have received it several times in the past 2-3 weeks from many SAFTENG members.  Each alert I received had a new twist to it and was missing some basic info that Miller had always included in their alerts/stop-use/recall notices in the past, such as a contact person, phone number, and e-mail address....