Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 21:20:09 -0400
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From: Don Abramowitz <dabramow**At_Symbol_Here**BRYNMAWR.EDU>
Subject: Re: The Memorial Wall
In-Reply-To: <92BC5E097A4FCA4F900210A0439203423E6CF92893**At_Symbol_Here**sebago>

I think it's one piece of a pretty complicated puzzle.

 In this case, the linked article suggests the possibility of good safety intentions and perhaps  human error (someone forgot to isolate one pipe, someone missed it/misinterpreted a valve position on inspection ) or a procedural/training error (e.g., no accurate checklist identifying all the pipe connections on a complex system):

"Last November, DuPont officials said the storage tank had been cleaned, inspected and taken out of use.

But OSHA's investigation found the tank still was connected by a piping system to two operating slurry tanks, allowing the vapors to seep inside."


The contractor may have been remiss in not doing their own combustible gas testing, but depending on how "cleaned, inspected, and taken out of use" was presented to them and the nature of their working arrangements with the owner, this may have been understandable.  OSHA clearly saw things differently, and one sentence from a news article isn't enough information to know all the particulars.


                Don







 Is this the only way to make business look out for safety above profits?.


 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Beth Shepard
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2011 9:12 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] The Memorial Wall

 


Good morning--

The individual in this story from Friday's news collection is also missing.

LAX SAFETY BLAMED IN DEATH AT DUPONT - BUSINESS - THE BUFFALO NEWS, http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article414021.ece

Federal regulators Thursday said "serious" safety violations at the DuPont chemical plant in the Town of Tonawanda led to last November's chemical explosion that killed a contractor working at the site.

Following a six-month probe, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it plans to fine DuPont and contractor Mollenberg-Betz nearly $117,000 for 17 violations stemming from the blast that killed Richard J. Folaron and badly burned a co-worker.

A search of The Buffalo News archives found the combined penalty is the largest proposed fine issued by the local OSHA office for workplace safety violations over the past two years.

OSHA cited the companies for failing to make sure that any chemical residue and flammable vapors were cleaned out of the storage tank before Folaron and William R. Freeburg started doing welding work there.

Beth

Beth Shepard / Technical Compliance Specialist
Regulatory Compliance
6000 N. Teutonia Ave. / Milwaukee, WI 53209 / USA
P: (414) 438-3850, x5471
sigma-aldrich.com

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05/08/2011 05:18 PM

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[DCHAS-L] The Memorial Wall

 


The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI) has created a virtual Memorial Wall in memory of the more than 300 people who lost their live in laboratory accidents during the past 100 years.  
 
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