Retiring equipment in the chemical processing industry may pose more danger than meets the eye as residual hazardous chemicals, live electrical connections or connections to in-service process machinery complicates how to safely remove these items from a plant, according to the July issue of the American Society of Safety Engineer’s monthly journal, Professional Safety.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a derailment at Paulsboro Bridge in New Jersey, which resulted in a hazardous material release occurred because Consolidated Rail Corporation rules allowed the train to proceed past a red signal onto a movable bridge without the rail slide locks being fully engaged.

American Made Tires, an Elmira Heights, NY tire retreader, failed to correct 12 hazards cited during a 2013 inspection by OSHA. Because of that inaction, and the discovery of new and recurring hazards during a follow-up OSHA inspection, the company faces an additional $160,280 in proposed fines.

New Pig has introduced the PIG® Spill Kit in High Visibility Economy Container - packed with top-quality PIG Absorbents and affordable enough to be stocked in spill-prone areas throughout the entire facility.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) this week sent its official comments to OSHA on the agency's Request for Information (RFI) to the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard, which was published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2013, Volume 78, No. 236, beginning on Page 73756. OSHA said RFI was in response to an Obama Administration request that the agency identify issues related to modernization of its PSM standard and related standards necessary to meet the goals of preventing major chemical accidents.

A chemical fire that left an employee at a flavoring manufacturing facility led to 19 serious safety and health violations against Carol Callahan, doing business as Natural Advantage. The incident occurred in August 2013 at the company’s Oakdale, Louisiana facility. Proposed penalties total $91,000.

Following an explosion at its facility that killed three people, a West Virginia metal recycler has agreed to implement extensive, company-wide safeguards to prevent future accidental releases of hazardous chemicals from its facilities.

A fire in August at Rick’s Auto Body of Missoula, Montana did not, fortunately, result in any injuries or fatalities, but it did get the attention of OSHA inspectors, who found nine serious violations at the workplace.