In the safety message, Chairman Bresland warned that without appropriate safeguards, pressure vessels can pose lethal dangers. Chairman Bresland said, “Pressure vessels store tremendous amounts of energy and you should never become complacent about the risks.”
Particular danger exists when vessels are improperly installed, welded, or modified, or when they lack effective pressure relief systems. Mr. Bresland refers to several incidents investigated by the CSB including an explosion at a Louisiana natural gas well that killed four workers when a tank rated only for atmospheric pressure was exposed to gas pressure up to 800 pounds per square inch.
In April 2003, an 8-foot tank used to heat sugar caramel exploded when the vent line became blocked, killing an overnight operator, releasing large amounts of ammonia, and forcing a community evacuation. The vessel had no pressure-relief system.
Additionally, in 2004, a pressure vessel weighing 50,000-pounds exploded at a chemical plant in Houston, Texas, throwing heavy fragments into the community, which damaged a church and businesses. The CSB found that the company improperly modified and welded the vessel.
Chairman Bresland stated that these accidents can be avoided if states implement long-established codes for safe use. He said, “There are only eleven states that do not require companies to follow the Pressure Vessel Code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). I ask all jurisdictions to adopt the Pressure Vessel Code and related boiler standards. Lives will be saved as a result.”
The ASME Code provides the fundamental safeguards for pressure vessels, including design, welding procedures and fabrication, testing, and pressure relief. In 2006, the CSB called upon the City of Houston to adopt the Code to protect residents and industrial facilities from these incidents. However, Houston has failed to implement this recommendation despite reoccurring pressure vessel failures such as a summer of 2008 heat exchanger explosion in a resin-production facility that killed a veteran supervisor.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
The CSB does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. For more information, contact Daniel Horowitz at 202-261-7613 or Hillary Cohen at 202-261-3601.
OSHA Offers Workers and Employers Practical Information on H1N1 Virus
The fact sheets inform employers and workers about ways to reduce the risk of exposure to the 2009 H1N1 virus at work. Separate fact sheets for health care workers, who carry out tasks and activities that require close contact with 2009 H1N1 patients, contain additional precautions.
“Protecting our nation’s workers is OSHA’s top priority,” said Jordan Barab, the agency’s acting assistant secretary. “These fact sheets are tools we have developed to help ensure America’s workers stay healthy and our businesses remain viable. OSHA’s new fact sheets will help all employers identify appropriate actions to protect their workers.”
OSHA’s “Workplace Safety and H1N1” Website provides easy to understand information appropriate for all workplaces and more extensive guidance for those involved in higher risk health care activities. The fact sheets are advisory in nature and informational in content.
As new information about the 2009 H1N1 virus becomes available, these workplace fact sheets will be updated. Employers and workers should review OSHA’s Website often to ensure they have the most up-to-date information when making decisions about their operations and planning.
Cell Phones, Wi-Fi, and Portable Electronics on Airplanes
If you’ve flown with a commercial airline, you know the drill. Turn off all pagers, electronic games, MP3 and CD players, laptops and the like once the cabin door is closed, until the plane gets above 10,000 feet. No using cell phones at any time while the plane is in the air. But do you know the real reasons why you have to follow these rules?
It’s a Safety Thing
There are still unknowns about the radio signals that portable electronic devices (PEDs) and cell phones give off. These signals, especially in large quantities and emitted over a long time, may unintentionally affect aircraft communications, navigation, flight control, and electronic equipment.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations prohibit use of most portable electronic devices aboard aircraft, but they specifically exempt portable voice recorders, hearing aids, heart pacemakers, and electric shavers because they don’t give off signals that might interfere with aircraft systems.
The regulations also let airlines independently determine if passengers can use PEDs not specifically mentioned by the rules. An airline must show a device does not interfere with safe operation of the aircraft during all phases of flight. In its oversight capacity, the FAA ensures that the operator complies with regulations by reviewing the results of the carrier’s tests and its analysis of pertinent data.
The FAA has issued guidance to airlines letting passengers turn on most PEDs after the plane reaches 10,000 feet. At a lower altitude, any potential interference could be more of a safety hazard as the cockpit crew focuses on critical arrival and departure duties.
Cell Phones: A Different Animal
Cell phones (and other intentional transmitters) differ from most PEDs in that they send out signals strong enough to be received at distances far away from the user.
Since 1991, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned the inflight use of 800 MHz cell phones because of potential interference with ground networks. This ban requires that in addition to the testing the FAA requires to show non-interference to the airplane systems, an airline would also need to apply for an exemption to the FCC rule before it could allow cell phone use inflight. The FCC proposed modifying this ban in 2004, but subsequently withdrew the proposal based on the comments it received.
Even if the FCC ever rescinds its ban, FAA regulations would still apply. Any installed equipment would be subject to FAA certification, just like any other piece of hardware. The air carrier would have to show that the use of a particular model phone won’t interfere with the navigation and communications systems of the particular type of aircraft on which it will be used.
Today, airlines may let passengers use newer-model cell phones in what’s called “airplane” mode, which essentially disables the transmission function so they can’t make calls. This mode lets users do other things, such as play games, check an address or look at the phone’s calendar. FAA guidance does let airlines allow cell phone calls once the plane has landed and is taxiing to the gate.
From 2003 to 2006, the RTCA—an organization the FAA sometimes asks to help study technical matters that affect policy and regulatory decisions—looked at the issue of electromagnetic interference from intentionally transmitting PEDs, such as cell phones and WiFi transmitters in laptops. Air carriers collected data to support the RTCA’s work.
The final RTCA report said there is insufficient information to support a wholesale change in policies that restrict use of PEDs. But the group did publish thoroughly detailed processes by which operators and manufacturers can assess the risk of PED interference with aircraft systems, and similarly detailed guidelines for certification of such products, if it is requested from the FAA.
WiFi in the Sky
Over the last couple of years, airlines have responded to travelers’ requests for inflight Internet access by installing WiFi systems that passengers can access (for a fee) using their laptop computers, Blackberries, and other devices with a WiFi chip.
For each model of aircraft a WiFi system is to be used on, a manufacturer must get FAA certification for the system, and the airline must get FAA operational approval. The approvals include testing to show the equipment performs its intended function and doesn’t interfere with any aircraft systems during all phases of flight. Typically, airborne WiFi equipment mimics its earthbound counterparts: routers, ethernet cables, access ports, and other communications hardware, all permanently installed in the airplane.
While passengers are welcome to access the Web, U.S. airlines offering WiFi service block the use of inflight calling using Skype or similar applications. This is not an FAA restriction; they are simply responding to the overwhelming majority of their customers, who prefer silent communications to the public nature of Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) calls.
Washington State Updates Lockout/Tagout Regulations
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) changed existing language in Lockout/Tagout, WAC 296-803, so that it is as effective as the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) equivalent rule. The rule changes include the topics of energy isolating devices, blind flanges, orderly shutdown, and periodic inspection. This package also included two definition updates. The changes were adopted August 4, 2009 and were effective November 1, 2009.
OSHA Fines Loren Cook Co. $511,000 Following Worker’s Death
OSHA has cited Loren Cook Co., of Springfield, Missouri, with seven alleged willful and three alleged serious violations after a worker was killed by an ejected machine part on May 13, 2009. The proposed fines total $511,000.
“Loren Cook Co. willfully allowed its employees to work on dangerous equipment without safeguarding the machinery and exposed workers to debris ejected while operating manual spinning lathes,” said acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA, Jordan Barab. “It is imperative that employers take steps to eliminate hazards and provide a safe working environment.”
Seven instance-by-instance willful citations at $70,000 each are proposed for failing to guard seven manual spinning lathes, with a total proposed willful penalty of $490,000. OSHA issues a willful violation when an employer exhibits plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
Three serious citations with penalties totaling $21,000 are proposed for a lack of adequate PPE for workers’ faces, extremities, and hands. OSHA issues a serious citation when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from a hazard about which an employer knew or should have known.
Loren Cook manufactures industrial ventilation equipment and employs approximately 800 workers, with about 580 located at the Springfield site and the remainder at a North Carolina site.
OSHA Cites Metro Steel Fabricators Inc. $50,600 for Electrocution and Fall Hazards
OSHA has proposed $50,600 in fines against Metro Steel Fabricators Inc., a Brooklyn steel erection contractor, for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards at a Tuckahoe, New York, jobsite.
OSHA’s inspection found that workers at the worksite were exposed to electrocution hazards while working within 10 feet of energized high-voltage power and service lines, while workers who were connecting steel beams without fall protection were exposed to falls of three stories.
“Falls and electrocutions are among the leading causes of death in construction work,” said Diana Cortez, OSHA’s area director in Tarrytown, New York. “Electricity can kill or injure instantly, while a momentary slip, trip, or loss of balance can lead to a fatal or disabling plunge. There is no good reason for an employer’s failure to provide these basic, commonsense and legally required safeguards at each and every jobsite.”
The inspection also found that Metro Steel Fabricators was erecting steel without first receiving written verification that concrete footings were of sufficient strength to support the loads; a roadway workzone was improperly set up and lacked warning signs to tell motorists of a flagger and a crane in the roadway; and additional fall hazards stemmed from lack of perimeter safety cables and use of an incomplete stairway for access.
OSHA has issued Metro Steel Fabricators one willful citation, with a proposed fine of $35,000, for the electrocution hazard and seven serious citations, with $15,600 in fines, for the remaining items.
“One means of preventing hazardous conditions is to establish an effective safety and health management system through which employers and employees work together to proactively evaluate, identify and eliminate hazards,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.
Slips, Trips, and Fall Hazards
We often take walking from point A to point B for granted while on the job, but a routine situation can change quickly and dramatically because of slips, trips, and falls. OSHA has an assortment of information from standards and rules to training programs to help reduce the hazards that cause these incidents.
OSHA Issues Report on Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Program and Will Review all State Plan Programs
The comprehensive evaluation of the Nevada OSHA plan points to an urgent need for corrections in oversight and changes in all phases of its workplace safety and health program.
Twenty-five workplace deaths occurred in Nevada from January 2008 through June 2009. Those deaths, in addition to extensive media coverage revealing Nevada OSHA’s poor handling of the fatality investigations and several serious complaints filed with federal OSHA about Nevada’s state plan administration, compelled OSHA’s investigation.
“The safety of workers must be priority one, and the U.S. Department of Labor is stepping up review of state OSHA plans to ensure that is the case,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “I am pleased that Nevada OSHA cooperated fully throughout the evaluation process and that the state agency’s new leadership has pledged to take prompt corrective action.”
Between July and August 2009, OSHA monitors evaluated Nevada’s workplace fatality investigations, as well as information from all Nevada OSHA inspections conducted from January 2008 through June 2009. OSHA identified a number of systemic issues that caused great concern: Identified hazards were not cited; families of deceased workers were not notified of fatality investigations nor provided opportunities to speak to investigators, though family members may provide information pertinent to a case; and Nevada OSHA investigators demonstrated limited knowledge of construction safety hazards.
The details of OSHA’s Nevada report raised concerns about OSHA’s monitoring of all state plan states. Jordan Barab, the Labor Department’s acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA, added, “As a result of the deficiencies identified in Nevada OSHA’s program and this administration’s goal to move from reaction to prevention, we will strengthen the oversight, monitoring and evaluation of all state programs.”
Barab also pointed out the benefits of state programs: “Many state programs have shown they have the flexibility to deal with workplace hazards that are sometimes not addressed by federal OSHA, and we strongly support their initiative and dedication.”
OSHA Tracks Worker Fatalities and Catastrophes
OSHA has posted weekly summaries of worker fatalities and catastrophes reported by OSHA area offices and state plan states.
Greif Packaging LLC in Omaha Earns VPP Star Status
OSHA has designated Greif Packaging LLC in Omaha, Nebraska, as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) star site, the department’s highest recognition for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards.
Greif Packaging is a manufacturer of uncoated paper and multiwall bags with more than 60 employees in Omaha. The company earned VPP star recognition following a comprehensive onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts.
“Greif Packaging in Omaha is a model of workplace safety,” said Charles E. Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Missouri. “The company has displayed outstanding effort in implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system.”
Through the VPP, OSHA recognizes employers and employees that have implemented exemplary workplace safety and health management systems. Management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent injuries, illnesses, and workplace hazards. As part of attaining VPP status, employers must demonstrate management commitment to the safety and health of their employees and actively involve employees in the safety and health management system.
Cranesville Aggregate Fined $509,000 for Significant Hazards at Bagging Plant
Cranesville Aggregate Co., doing business as Scotia Bag Plant, in Scotia, New York, faces a total of $509,000 in proposed OSHA fines. The plant, which bags cement and asphalt, has been cited for 33 alleged willful, repeat, and serious violations of workplace safety and health standards following comprehensive OSHA inspections over the past six months.
“The significant fines proposed here reflect the breadth and gravity of hazards found at this plant, their recurring nature and this employer’s knowledge,” said acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA, Jordan Barab.
“Workers have been needlessly exposed to potentially disabling or fatal respiratory illness, falls, crushing injuries, burns, lacerations, amputation and electrocution,” added Edward Jerome, OSHA’s area director in Albany. “This employer needs to take effective and ongoing corrective action to protect the health and safety of these workers.”
OSHA found that plant employees who bagged cement were exposed to excess levels of cement dust without adequate ventilation, respiratory protection, PPE, and training. In addition, the plant did not evaluate and identify respiratory hazards, train forklift operators, or prevent an employee from working under a suspended load. As a result, OSHA has issued the plant six willful citations, with $375,000 in fines.
Seven repeat citations, with $75,000 in fines, have been issued for conditions similar to those cited in earlier OSHA inspections of Cranesville facilities in Kingston, Glens Falls, and Fishkill, New York. These included an unsanitary workplace, unlabeled containers of hazardous chemicals, and fall and electrical hazards. Twenty serious citations, with $59,000 in fines, have been issued for ineffective respirator training, a lack of PPE, a lack of emergency eyewashes, obstructed exits, unguarded machinery, and additional forklift and electrical hazards.
“One means through which employers can prevent recurring hazards is an effective safety and health management system in which they work with employees to evaluate, identify and eliminate hazards,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.
Life is Good Travel Mugs Recalled Due to Burn Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with The S Group, of Portland, Oregon announced a voluntary recall of Fall 2009 Newbury Travel Mugs.
The travel mugs can become excessively hot to the touch when filled with hot liquids, posing a burn hazard to consumers. The firm has received three reports of excessively hot mugs, including one complaint of a minor burn to the hand.
This recall involves Newbury Travel Mugs. The 7½ inch tall mugs were sold in blue, green, and orange each with a navy blue lid. The Life is Good trademark is printed on the mug along with a graphic of a heart, peace symbol, or daisy.
The mugs, which were manufactured in China, were sold at Life is Good and independent retail stores nationwide and online at lifeisgood.com from July 2009 through September 2009 for about $20.
If you have one of these mugs, you should stop using it immediately. You can return the mugs to receive a credit or gift certificate for the amount of the purchase price.
For more information, contact Life is Good at 888-339-2987 between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday.
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