A few years ago, I warned about the huge push to make flammable refrigerants easier to manage in the name of “global warming.” As a safety professional, this shift is alarming. Never in my career have we considered a burning rate of 10 cm/s as a means to lessen the risk associated with a flammable gas. Heck, they have even broken down the flammable gas classes/categories so that these...

When it comes to safety and health, internal consequences to support the right behavior are terribly important. Remember, external and intrinsic (natural) consequences for safe behaviors are not readily available, and we cannot expect to receive sufficient support (extra consequences) from others to sustain our proactive, safe, and healthy choices. So, we need to talk to ourselves with sincere conviction...

SPECIAL NOTE: the Cl2 was generated by a truck unloading incident that was a WRONG CHEMICAL-WRONG TANK event (phosphoric acid to sodium hypochlorite) which produced 973 pounds of Cl2. Respondent owns and operates two amino acid manufacturing facilities located near each other (the Facilities). One Facility specializes in food and beverage industries (Foods), and the other Facility specializes in...

Post-accident remedies for “human error” are usually predicated on obstructing activities that can “cause” accidents. These end-of-the-chain measures do little to reduce the likelihood of further accidents. In fact, the likelihood of an identical accident is already extraordinarily low because the pattern of latent failures changes constantly. Instead of increasing safety, post-accident remedies usually...

Who is this guide for?Professional organizations that play an important leadership role in adopting workplace safety and health strategies. Trade Associations Safety Organizations Business Councils Local Agencies Non-profit Organizations Education Centers and Programs An effective method for improving workplace safety involves creating workplace safety and health recognition programs....

OSHA is extending the period for submitting comments by 15 days until January 14, 2025, to allow stakeholders interested in the NPRM on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings additional time to review the NPRM and collect information and data necessary for comment. In addition, OSHA is scheduling an informal public hearing on this proposed rule. The public hearing will...

I am a Toyota Tundra loyalist, but every vehicle has “quirks” that make me scratch my head and wonder, “What were they thinking”? As a side note, I drove many rental vehicles when traveling a lot at the peak of my consulting. It would take me 1-2 minutes to get my seat and mirrors set; however, it could take me 5-10 minutes to figure out where and how to operate the wipers...

The report indicated that the driver of the refrigerated truck had poor safety and legal awareness. He allowed eight female workers to ride in the truck, which carried packaged beef with dry ice. The dry ice sublimed into carbon dioxide gas, which rapidly filled the confined space inside the truck. … HomeRead More »

Which model do you prefer? The Classic Inverted PyramidThe conventional representation of the hierarchy of controls is an inverted pyramid structure conveying the prioritization of strategies. Current versions orient the pyramid differently, depending on the agency or application of the controls. The clearest conflict in visual representation between the inverted and typical pyramid is found in the...

Up to 100 pounds of ammonia was released outside a public athletic club with indoor ice facilities. The leak happened during decommissioning work of an ammonia refrigeration condenser by a refrigeration contractor and resulted in the facility enacting their Ammonia Release Emergency Protocol. Multiple workers and members of the public were in the area at the time of the leak. One bystander experienced...

The revised Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces (CoP) will officially take effect tomorrow (November 30). The CoP was gazetted on May 31 this year, and a grace period of six months was provided to allow sufficient time for the industry to understand and prepare for the revised requirements.  During the grace period, the Labour Department (LD) has strengthened its publicity...

Respondent operated a facility that manufactures ammonium phosphate fertilizers and sulphuric acid. EPA conducted an on-site investigation of Respondent’s operations at the Facility pursuant to CAA Section 112(r), EPCRA Sections 304-12, and CERCLA Section 103 on January 30, 2020 (the “Inspection”). Respondent has informed EPA that the Facility no longer has any ammonia onsite as of...