Sanjeev Saraf — Active Contributor

NTSB has issued seven safety recommendations following the September, 2010 San Bruno incident in California.

Here’s a touching ad from WorkSafe, an Australian safety agency, that makes us realize the importance of safety at work.

Below is summary (annualized average) of 20-year pipeline incident data from 1990-2009. [Source: Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration,PHMSA] 

EPA announced that the promulgation of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters is postponed to January 16, 2011. The regulation, commonly referred to as Boiler MACT, will affect approx. 13,500 boilers at various facilities deemed to be major sources of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).

The third edition of API 752, “Management of Hazards Associated with Permanent Buidlings” came out in late 2009 and there are a few major revisions to consider.

You may have read about the 2007 incident at T2 laboratories  in Florida – the explosion killed four of the company’s 12 employees, injured four other workers and 28 community members.

The following video shows the effect of jet turbulence on underwater plume formation.

For the month of September, I thought it would be appropriate to write a post on Terrorism Risks.

Since 2001, there have been an average of 5 attempted terror attacks annually in the U.S. that have resulted in arrests, trial, or raising of the DHS threat level. Now you know what changes the threat level at the airport.

The following video desribes 2005 fire/explosion in Praxair’s gas cylinder filling and distribution center. The incident occurred when gas from a pressurized propylene cylinder was released through the relif valve and got ignited.

Take a look at the following video and let me know what you think. 

A few weeks ago [note: written in August 2010], Senator Frank Lautenberg proposed Secure Chemical Facilities Act (S. 3559) to the Senate committee on Homeland Security. The bill mandates Inherent Safer Technology (IST) or Inherently safer design (ISD) at high-risk chemical facilities.

Knowing the uncertainties surrounding the mere definition of  inherent safety, one could say that it is preposterous to mandate IST. IST cannot be regulated and worse it would burden the industry. To a large extent this is true.

OSHA is asking stakeholders to identify hazardous chemicals they believe are most in need of action. 

Why?

“OSHA realizes the inadequacy of many of its Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) and is seeking creative solutions, both long term and short term, to address this inadequacy.” 

For the benefit of the readers of the blog, I would appreciate if you leave a comment below to indicate what chemicals are of immediate concern. You can submit your nominations to OSHA here by 27th August:

http://www.osha.gov/pelforum.html

Check valves are commonly used in the process industry for preventing back-flow or reverse flow.

Check valves achieve unidirectional flow by means of a mechanical partition – ball, diaphragm, disc.

According to the FAA, there have been 113 battery fire incidents on passenger and cargo planes between 1991-2010. There is a battery fire incident every two months in the airline industry.

Below is an excellent safety message about driving safely (Courtsey: Paul Koyich).