All too often, when doing a CS entry or rescue course, we are surprised by the number of entry supervisors who do not understand the major limitation of a combustible gas meter… the LEL Correction Factor. EVERY meter in use today will have this limitation! This is how it works… … HomeRead More »

What has changed in the definition of an IDLH atmosphere? NIOSH has removed the mention of the 30 minute time period, based on intraspecies variation factors. There is no mention of the 30-minutes in the new definition.  A little history about the IDLH designation… The concept of using respirators to protect workers in situations that are immediately dangerous to life or health was discussed...

A bit of info that many emergency responders do not know! A Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) can occur with non-flammable materials such as cryogenics like liquid Oxygen, Nitorgen, etc. All we need to have in place for a BLEVE to occur is a material with a high vapor pressure (thus a low BP), a pressurized container, and an external fire impinging on the container walls. Granted, a...

A recent report in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine notes that “the exact incidence of cell phone elbow is not known, but anecdotal reports and our own clinical experience indicates that its incidence parallels the rise in the use of cell phones and computer workstations.”  With more than four billion cell phone contracts out across the globe, according to the International...

The NIOSH Hearing Loss Simulator is a software training and communication tool for promoting hearing loss prevention. It allows a user or trainer to demonstrate the effects of noise exposure on hearing without experiencing an actual noise-induced hearing loss. Estimates of the effects of different levels of noise exposure are based on the American National Standard Determination of Occupational Noise...

We continue to find businesses misunderstanding the need and requirement for “non-entry rescue” requirements found in 1910.146(k)(3). Even when a business has its own in-house CS rescue team, the rule is that for EVERY entry into a Permit-Required Confined Space, non-entry rescue capabilities found in 1910.146(k)(3)(i) & 1910.146(k)(3)(ii). There are ONLY two exceptions to this rule:...

A MUST READ for ALL Safety Pro’s The GUIDANCE ON INVESTIGATING AND ANALYZING HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS ASPECTS OF INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS is a report published by ENERGY INSTITUTE, LONDON. Simply attributing incidents/accidents to human error is not adequate; human factors aspects should be investigated such that lessons are learned to prevent recurrence. Each incident or accident is a...

Those of you that get my Incident Alerts or participate in the Safety Engineering Network Linked In Forum have seen the recent accident that involved a 61-year-old supervisor with over 40 years of experience at the plant which was killed when he entered a plastic molding press using an “open door” that was “interlocked” and was crushed when the machine cycled. The article stated…...

Update: Download the Updated PSI Evaluation Tool (v 3.02) CCPS initiated a project in late 2006 to develop a focused set of lagging Process Safety metrics to help industry monitor progress and drive improvement in Process Safety Programs. The project, involving a large number of CCPS member companies and external stakeholders, has recommended a concise set of metrics. CCPS is working with...

Ethanol, what is the worry? On May 14, 2007, a tanker carrying 8,000 gallons of ethanol overturned and burst into flames on an interstate in Baltimore, Maryland, killing the driver and sending a burning stream of ethanol into the street below, igniting a row of parked vehicles. On October 22, 2006, an eighty-six-car train carrying ethanol derailed, sending some of the tank cars into a river while others...

Although this decision was really about when OSHA can cite an employer for exposure to a hazard.  The company claimed there was none or very little exposure to these unguarded lathe chucks because only one worker used these lathes only once or twice a year; however, OSHA cited for the unguarded equipment based on this level of exposure and the OSHRC affirmed the citation.  During the inspection...

The Chlorine Institute, Inc. (CI) has launched a major initiative to provide a vast majority of its informative technical publications free to key chlor-alkali industry stakeholders via CI’s online bookstore. Twenty-six of CI’s 47 technical pamphlets already have been made available free, including five added so far this year. Five more will be added each quarter for the remainder of the year. The...