Proforma Safety Blog

Imperial Sugar Rebuilds Facility on the Ashes of 2008 Catastrophe

Posted by proforma on March 30, 2010  |  No Comments

On February 7, 2008, at about 7:15 p.m., something ignited sugar dust in Imperial’s refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, resulting in blasts and subsequent fires that destroyed much of the facility and killed 14 people. This article in the NFPA Journal®,March/April 2010, talks about the  tragedy, which the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) described as “entirely preventable.” Poor maintenance, housekeeping, and equipment design were identified as factors in the catastrophe. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported scores of “willful” and “particularly flagrant” safety violations. Imperial Sugar has made the commitment to build a safe, modern packaging facility and the solution has been a system and functional design for the new plant that emphasizes the concepts of separation, isolation, and suppression. At Port Wentworth, this has included relocation of the huge sugar storage silos, more stand-alone buildings, and inclusion of fire walls within buildings. Most important, it’s included a major overhaul to employee attitudes toward safety. Click on the link above for details.

Fatality at Valero’s Texas City Refinery

Posted by proforma on December 8, 2009  |  No Comments

A worker was killed by “blunt force trauma” to the head at the Valero refinery in Texas City, Texas, on December 4, 2009, as he and two other workers allegedly were attempting to restart a boiler. The two other workers were injured in the blast. Valero has attributed the accident to a “failure” of the boiler. OSHA is investigating; the Chemical Safety Board has announced it will not open a formal investigation. Current details are available here.

OSHA Announces Changes to Hazard Communication Standard

Posted by proforma on October 16, 2009  |  No Comments

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has published comprehensive changes to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) 29 C.F.R. 1910.1200; 1915.1200, 1917.28, 1918.90; and 1926.59, intended to to promote consistency in the identification, classification, and labeling of chemicals around the world. These regulations apply only in the United States.
Any employers with employees that are exposed to hazardous chemicals (including manufacturers, importers, and downstream employers) must have a hazard communication program and ensure that employees have access to container labels, MSDSs, and training on hazardous substances in their workplace. Chemical manufacturers and importers will be required to evaluate and control chemical hazards as the materials move to downstream users.

A legal firm, Morgan Lewis, has issued a news flash that does an excellent job of explaining the ramifications.

OSHA Issues Hazard Communication Guidance for Combustible Dusts

Posted by proforma on August 3, 2009  |  No Comments

OSHA has published  Hazard Communication Guidance for Combustible Dusts  intended to provide guidance on the identification of combustible hazards in the workplace and appropriate communication for workers on their presence.

In particular, the document is intended for chemical manufacturers and importers to help them recognize where and when an explosion is possible, protective measures they can take, and requirements for material safety data sheets and labels.

The document is based on the work of The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), which identified 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that caused the death of 119 workers and injured 718. This excerpt from the document describes the findings:

“In many of the incidents, workers and managers were unaware of the potential for dust explosions, or failed to recognize the serious nature of dust explosion hazards. The CSB reviewed Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) of 140 known substances that produce combustible dusts and found poor or inadequate transmittal of information regarding potential dust hazards; 41% of the MSDSs reviewed by the CSB did not warn users about potential explosion hazards. Of the remaining 59% of MSDSs sampled, most of the information was either not stated in a place or manner clearly recognized by workers, or was not specific to hazards related to combustible dusts.”

DOE Inspector General Issues Scathing Report on OSHA’s EEP

Posted by proforma on April 14, 2009  |  No Comments

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General has issued a scathing report severely criticizing OSHA for mismanagement of its Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP), which is intended to identify employers that have reported fatalities and other incidents for closer monitoring. The report indicates OSHA failed to list 97 percent of the sampled cases that qualified for EEP.

The report, entitled Employers With Reported Fatalities Were Not Always Properly Identified and Inspected Under OSHA’S Enhanced Enforcement Program, states: “While we cannot conclude that enhanced enforcement would prevent subsequent fatalities, full and proper application of EEP procedures may have deterred and abated workplace hazards at the worksites of 45 employers where 58 subsequent fatalities occurred.”

OSHA Expands Existing Respiratory Protection Standard

Posted by proforma on April 2, 2009  |  No Comments

On April 1, 2009, OSHA announced that it has released a guidance document of mandatory respirator selection provisions that are being added to the existing Respiratory Protection standard, revised in 2006. To access this document, click here.

Construction Worker at Refinery Killed by Falling Crane Ball

Posted by proforma on April 1, 2009  |  No Comments

On March 8, 2009, a contract employee died of head injuries sustained the previous day after being struck by a falling crane ball at a Port Arthur refinery construction site.

The contractor, McKinney Drilling, was installing drill shaft foundations, for which a 50-ton crane was being used. At some point, the crane ball fell, striking the employee on the head and left side of his body.

Pending investigation by OSHA and the company, workers should be reminded to remain aware at all times where they are in relation to equipment working around them. They should never become so comfortable with their surroundings or the work in progress that they drop their guard and expose themselves to danger.

Are Back Belts Preventing Strain and Injuries?

Posted by proforma on March 20, 2009  |  No Comments

Because of limitations of the studies that have analyzed the use of back belts in the workplace, NIOSH says the results cannot be used either to support or to refute the effectiveness of back belts in injury reduction, according to this post. Instead, NIOSH and medical professionals advocate ergonomics and back safety training.

With new workers across a range of industries donning back belts every year, it’s important for employers to remind them of the limitations.

OSHA Eye and Face Protection eTool

Posted by proforma on March 7, 2009  |  No Comments

OSHA offers an online “etool” that will help companies and individuals ensure they have the correct eye and face protection and meet government requirements. In addition to providing OSHA standards, the site also provides guidance for the selection of the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) device, training in its use, and other useful information.