The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) will hold a Respirator Approval Labels Workshop on December 8, 2010 from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, 1111 Airport Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15231.
The goal of this workshop is for NPPTL to receive feedback from interested parties on the subject of respirator approval labels. No formal presentations will be made by NPPTL staff, but they will be available for the purposes of clarification and discussion.
The topics for which feedback is requested include:
- What are the current problems or issues with respirator labeling requirements?
- 42 CFR 84 requires a number of different labels. Which label is the most useful/relevant for each respirator type?
- Should purchases of respirators from individuals or companies through standard commercial channels be based on Approval Numbers (or required to reference Approval Numbers)?
- How do the Approval Holders notify users of current multiple component respirators that there has been an update to the approved configuration?
- Can Approval Holders provide a supplemental (in addition to the required labels) electronic look-up to verify Approval Number and component parts for approved configurations? What are the advantages/disadvantages to this?Interested parties should make hotel reservations directly with the hotel by calling 800-233-1234.
Live Meeting participation is also available. If interested in participating via Live Meeting, please specify that when making your registration request.
NFPA Establishes Technical Committee on Standard for Gas Processing Safety
Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso, Chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), applauded the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for its recent decision to establish a new technical committee to develop a comprehensive standard for gas processing safety, including the cleaning of fuel gas piping systems. The NFPA acted in response to an urgent recommendation issued by the CSB following a catastrophic natural gas explosion at Kleen Energy, a power plant under construction in Middletown, Connecticut on February 7, 2010. In that incident, workers were conducting a “gas blow,” a procedure that forced natural gas at high volume and pressure through newly-installed piping to remove debris. The gas was vented to the atmosphere, where it accumulated and exploded, killing six contract workers and injuring many others.
Dr. Moure-Eraso said, “On October 29, the NFPA Standards Council announced it would establish a new technical committee to develop a gas processing safety standard. This goes beyond the CSB’s original recommendation, which urged an amendment to NFPA’s National Fuel Gas Code. Creating a new technical committee is a broader approach which opens the possibility of improving safety during a variety of fuel gas processes, including cleaning of gas piping and discharging of gas already in the system during gas purging or maintenance.”
The CSB had found that the hazards of fire and explosion during natural gas blows made the practice inherently unsafe. Efforts to manage these risks are dauntingly complex and fraught with uncertainty, and it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate or control ignition sources, especially since the gas itself may self-ignite. Most importantly, Dr. Moure-Eraso emphasized that “inherently safer cleaning methods should be adopted in all cases, because they are readily available and already widely used by many safety-conscious companies.” He added that although he, “was confident that upon review of the evidence, the newly-established NFPA 56 committee will agree that cleaning fuel gas piping with natural gas is inherently unsafe and should be prohibited.”
Dr. Moure-Eraso also welcomed the NFPA’s announcement that they would develop the new standard via an expedited process. “Some 125 natural gas-fired power plants are planned for construction across the United States over the next five years. So by helping to prohibit this inherently unsafe practice as soon as possible, the NFPA would be instrumental in preventing further loss of life and property damage.”
Dr. Moure-Eraso added that he is hopeful the committee will be able to attract and incorporate the views of other organizations with expertise in gas processing activities. “It would be ideal if the new standard can incorporate and reflect a wide consensus of experts within industry and organized labor.”
On June 28, 2010, the CSB also made a number of recommendations to multiple parties arising from the investigation of a natural gas explosion during purging of a gas line to an industrial heater at a food manufacturing facility in North Carolina. The two incidents are related because both involved the intentional release of flammable natural gas into working areas, potentially putting workers and nearby communities at risk of fires and explosions. The NFPA acted favorably on the CSB recommendations on this matter earlier, and the CSB also praised that action. It is also likely that the new NFPA committee will integrate the hazards of purging of natural gas into its comprehensive approach.
Save up to $300 on HAZWOPER Training
For a limited time, you can save up to $300 on the mandatory training you need to establish or maintain your HAZWOPER certification.
$599, normally $749
Personnel who are expected to stop, contain, and clean up on-site releases are required to have 24 hours of initial training. Personnel who are involved in cleanups at waste sites-including Superfund sites, RCRA corrective action sites, or voluntary cleanups involving hazardous substances must have 40 hours of initial classroom instruction.
Satisfy your training requirements with these comprehensive courses that provide in-depth instruction on how to perform emergency response activities. Topics include hazard recognition, spill control and containment, worker protection, and waste site activities such as site characterization, waste handling, and decontamination. You will have the opportunity to apply your training during a hands-on simulated incident response.
To take advantage of this offer, register by phone at 800-537-2372 and mention this article. These offers can be used by anyone at your facility, however, no other discounts apply.
IATA Update – What’s New for 2011?
Each year, the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) updates and revises the regulations for the transportation of dangerous goods (hazardous materials) by air. If you offer dangerous goods for transportation by air, you must follow the new regulations by January 1. A large number of significant changes are being implemented in the 2011 IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).
At this live webcast, you will learn:
- Changes in the regulations for consumer commodities– new marking and shipping paper entries
- New test authorized to determine classification and packing group of corrosives
- Changes in the classification criteria for magnetized materials
- Revisions to the classification of environmentally hazardous substances, marine pollutants, and aquatic pollutants
- Phase in of new packing instructions for Class 3 flammable liquids, Class 4 flammable solids, Class 5 oxidizers/organic peroxides, Class 8 corrosives, Class 9 miscellaneous, and Division 6
- New entries on the IATA List of Dangerous Goods and new special provisions
- New marking requirements for net quantities, limited quantities, environmentally hazardous substances, and orientation arrows
Advertising Opportunities Available
Environmental Resource Center is making a limited number of advertising positions available in the Safety Tip of the Week™, the Environmental Tip of the Week™, and the Reg of the Day™.
NIOSH Certifying Personal Protective Technologies Report Now Available
NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) has announced the availability of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) pre-published copy of their report, NIOSH Certifying Personal Protective Technologies.
In 2009, NIOSH requested the Institute of Medicine (IOM) assess the certification methods needed to ensure the effectiveness of non-respirator personal protective technologies (PPT). The recommendation for NIOSH to certify PPT in addition to respirators, was made by the National Academies’ Evaluation of the PPT Program. The National Academies Committee recommended that NIOSH NPPTL, “oversee all PPT certification in order to ensure a minimum uniform standard of protection and wearability.”
The report, released November 11, 2010, states that recommendations are provided for NIOSH and “specifically NPPTL, as it is the only federal organization that is focused (or focuses) solely on PPT and therefore has a leadership role in addressing PPT issues.”
CSB Receives Awards for Imperial Sugar Animation and Combustible Dust Videos
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has received awards for two safety videos from the Television, Internet, and Video Association of DC (TIVA DC). An animation depicting a massive sugar refinery explosion, which took 14 lives, won a gold award for best animation in its category.
Inferno: Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar was produced following the fire and explosion at Imperial Sugar, which claimed the lives of 14 workers, injured 36, and caused extensive property damage on February 7, 2008. In the video, former CSB Chairman Bresland states, “The accident at Imperial Sugar was the deadliest industrial dust explosion in the United States in decades. It illustrates the extremely serious nature of combustible dust hazards.”
Combustible Dust is a 29-minute film focusing on lessons learned from four CSB investigations, including the Imperial Sugar explosion in Port Wentworth, Georgia; the Hayes Lemmerz explosion and fire in Huntington, Indiana; West Pharmaceuticals Services in Kinston, North Carolina; and the CTA Acoustics explosion and fire in Corbin, Kentucky. The video uses interviews with CSB investigators and victim’s family members to explain how dust from industrial processes can fuel devastating explosions. In the video, former CSB Chairman John Bresland says, “It is our hope that company executives, safety managers, and labor groups will take 29 minutes to view this video and ask themselves, ‘Could this happen at our operation?’ And then take action to eliminate dust hazards from their facilities.”
The TIVA awards were presented before an audience of hundreds of regional video and media professionals. Following the awards ceremony, CSB Managing Director Daniel Horowitz said, “This important recognition of our work speaks to the continuing impact of the CSB’s thorough, scientific, independent investigations and the commitment of our staff and Board members to state-of-the-art communication of safety information.”
Dr. Horowitz continued, “It is the mission of the CSB to disseminate lessons learned from chemical and industrial accidents and to prevent similar tragedies in the future; the CSB’s video program has distributed hundreds of thousands of DVDs to industry leaders, workers, and communities around the world to increase their knowledge of chemical hazards and apply the lessons to their real world situations.”
For more information, contact Acting Director of Public Affairs Hillary Cohen at 202-261-3601, or Sandy Gilmour, at 202-261-7614 or 202-251-5496 (cell).
NPPTL Meeting to Address Standards for Combination Unit Respirators and Buddy Breathing with SCBA
The NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) is holding a public meeting on new Standards for Combination Unit Respirators and Buddy Breathing with SCBA.
Topics discussed at the meeting will include:
- NIOSH’s Regulatory Agenda for updating 42 CFR 84
- Standards Development for CBRN Combination Unit Respirators (any combination of an air-purifying and air-supplied respirator)
- Standards Development for Buddy Breathing with a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, 1111 Airport Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15231. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.
This meeting will also be available via Live Meeting Conferencing. This service provides remote access capability for participants to listen in and view the presentations over the internet simultaneously. Remote participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the open comment period. To register for Live Meeting Conferencing participation, contact Charlene Jennings at 412-386-5200. This option will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and is limited to 50 participants.
Weatherford International Facing $261,500 in Fines for Exposing Workers to Hexavalent Chromium
Weatherford International Ltd., which manufactures oil well rod pump barrels and plungers, has been cited with one alleged willful, 30 alleged serious, and two alleged repeat violations following a safety and health inspection at the company’s facility in Longview, Texas. OSHA’s proposed penalties total $261,500.
“This company jeopardized the safety of its workers by exposing them to hexavalent chromium hazards, which could possibly result in severe and adverse health effects,” said Stephen Boyd, OSHA’s area director in Dallas, Texas. “OSHA’s safety and health standards must be followed to prevent injuries and fatalities.”
OSHA began its inspection on May 24 at the company’s facility on FM 2751 in Longview after receiving a complaint alleging workers were experiencing headaches and nosebleeds from exposure to hexavalent chromium during chrome plating and cleanup operations. A willful violation was issued for failing to ensure employees’ airborne exposure to hexavalent chromium did not exceed OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.
The serious violations include failing to train workers on OSHA’s hexavalent chromium standard, failing to implement proper hygiene practices and housekeeping procedures, and failing to have high temperature alarms on hardening and tempering tanks. A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Repeat violations include failing to provide adequate point of operation guarding on lathes, and failing to ensure containers used for dipping and coating operations were marked and labeled. A repeat violation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Styro-Tech LLC Fined $66,400 for Lack of Flammable Material Safety Program
OSHA has issued Styro-Tech LLC in Denver, Colorado, 20 serious and four other-than-serious citations with $66,400 in proposed penalties for lacking a comprehensive safety program covering the use of flammable material. OSHA’s inspection of the foam manufacturing facility was initiated under a site-specific targeting program focusing on employers with high injury and illness rates.
“The processing of flammable chemicals involves well-known hazards,” said Greg Baxter, OSHA’s regional administrator in Denver. “For the safety of its workers, this employer must ensure that protective measures are taken to prevent the catastrophic release of flammable vapors, which can lead to fires and explosions.”
OSHA’s inspection found that the employer was not implementing a comprehensive process safety management program for handling large quantities of flammable material. OSHA also cited the company for failure to follow energy control procedures; lack of proper guarding for open-sided floors; improperly fixed ladders; lack of machine guarding; and using improper electrical equipment.
“Styro–Tech is required to have a process safety management system for the processing of flammable chemicals,” said Herb Gibson, OSHA’s Denver Area Office director. “Many of these hazards could have been corrected if the employer had an effective safety and health management system, which would identify hazards in the workplace and reduce the likelihood of injuries and illnesses.”
Real Estate Company to Reinstate Whistleblower and Pay More than $50,000 in Back Wages
OSHA has ordered CMM Realty Inc., to reinstate a worker who was fired in violation of the whistleblower protection provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The company must pay back wages of more than $50,000, which accumulates weekly while the employee is out of work, and interest plus $16,222 in compensatory damages. The worker was terminated after he expressed concerns to management and two state agencies about exposure to asbestos at one of the company’s condominium properties in Columbia, South Carolina.
“OSHA is very serious about protecting America’s workforce,” said Cindy A. Coe, OSHA’s regional administrator in Atlanta, Georgia. “Employers found in violation of the whistleblower protection provisions of the Clean Air Act or any of the 20 whistleblower laws we enforce will be held fully accountable.”
Based on the worker’s complaint, South Carolina OSHA and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) inspected the condominiums, found that CMM Realty was in violation of asbestos control standards, and issued citations against the company. Either party in the case may file an appeal with the Labor Department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges.
CMM Realty Inc., is a real estate management corporation primarily engaged in renting, buying, managing, and appraising real estate for others. The company employs approximately 50 workers.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Clean Air Act and 19 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various securities laws; trucking, airline, nuclear, pipeline, environmental and rail workplace safety and health regulations, and consumer product safety laws. Under the various whistleblower provisions enacted by Congress, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or to the government. Employees who believe that they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conduct may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program.