A RFID device provides a unique identifier and serves the same purpose as a bar code on a consumer product or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card.

I would like to highlight two uses of RFID technology for process safety applications.

Tracking of Hazardous Chemicals

BASF plans to use RFID to monitor the location and condition of its fleet of rail cars containing hazardous chemicals. The RFID system system not only provides location of the cargo but also sends alerts to authorized users in the event of incidents such as a rail car collision, an unacceptable temperature fluctuation or tampering with rail car. (Read More)

Tracking of Personnel During An Emergency

During an emergency evacuation, it is vital to account for plant personnel. Typically this task is performed by designated plant employees but BP’s Cherry Point facility is using RFID for tracking personnel. The RFID tracking system will be used to ascertain the whereabouts of staff members, contractors and visitors. (Read More)

I have always doubted the efficacy of repetitive and boring training sessions whether personal or virtual (Will your Refresher Training Work?). What is more surprising is that organizations are increasing their training budget without evaluating efficacy of their training program.

NIOSH recently a report regarding Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training supporting this view (A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Training & Education for the Protection of Workers).

I would like to highlight one of the key conclusions regarding engagement during training sessions.

“There is insufficient evidence to determine whether a single session of high engagement training has a greater impact compared to a single session of low/medium engagement training.”

We all agree dull training sessions will never create the desired impact…but a great training session may not sufficient either. This is especially true for workplace safety training which often is intended to modify behavior/habits and is more than merely a knowledge imparting exercise.

You need to have regular follow up mechanisms in order to get to the desired results.

For the benefit of other readers, please share strategies you are currently using to increase safety training effectiveness.

Foam concrete is produced by mechanical mixing of foam prepared in advance with concrete mixture, and not with the help of chemical reactions. At the incident site, two workers were removing steelwork using angle grinders while the foam concrete was settling. There was an explosion injuring the two workers.

Foam concrete produces hydrogen which is highly flammable.

To know more about foam concrete hazards, click on the link below.

Health and Safety Alert on Foam Concrete Fire Hazards

Here are incidents following my May 2009 blog post on biodiesel incident frequency.

1.       15 July 2009, Chicago: An explosion at a biodiesel plant in Chicago injuring two workers.

9-weeks later…

2.       24 September, 2009, Florida: a fire was reported in a biodisel plant near Osceola County in Florida. There were no fatalities or injuries.

10-weeks later…

3.       4 December, 2009, Seattle: A glycerin tank was over pressurized leading to equipment damage at Imperium Renewables’ biodiesel plant in Seattle.

Isn’t it high time for biofuel industry to wake up to these incidents?

In the coming year biodiesel production is expected to reduce due to (a) reduced oil prices and (b) expiration of $1 credit for every gallon. With reduced production, I expect reduction in incidents.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rapvHU3aoCw

Note: The video is probably not real as indicated by comments below it but if it is the person in the video is indeed very very lucky.

Safety is More Than Common Sense

Remember the Buncefield incident occurred in oil storage and transport depot. Thus the fuel involved was liquid hydrocarbon. The most probable outcome of a liquid hydrocarbon release is a fire…so it is conceivable that other circumstances such as amount and duration of release and the semi-confinement provided by surroundings may have lead to flame acceleration and increased explosion overpressures.

Here’s a link to the video from Gexcon.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDVdipBgKSY

It has been a year since I started writing the blog. Here are top five blog posts for 2009:

1. Biofuel Safety: Is it time for Bio-PSM?

2. Lithium Battery Fires: Why Your Laptops Can Catch on Fire

3. Top Five Challenges for Process Safety

4. BLEVE

5. Quantitative Risk Assessment: Will Quantifying Risks Help You Minimize Them?

I hope readers have found Risk and Safety blog informative and I look forward to continuing this work in the coming here.

If you have any feedback/comments/suggestions for improvement do drop me a note.

Puerto Rico Fire

Four years after Buncefield, around midnight on October 23, 2009, a major fire was reported at the Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CBC) oil depot in San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico. The initial fire destroyed eleven storage tanks at the facility and the fire spread to adjacent tanks. The explosion was heard 5-miles away. The tanks contained jet fuel, oil, and bunker fuel. 

Click here for further details on CBC fire and explosion.

Jaipur Fire

Exactly a week after the San Juan fire on October 29, a fire broke out at Indian Oil Company (IOCL) storage depot in Jaipur, India. Six people have been killed and 150 are reported injured. The fire lasted for around six days and neighboring residents are complaining of health problems. IOCL is facing negligence charges.

Click here for further details on Jaipue fire and explosion.

Fires in Storage Facilities

It is worth nothing that all the above three major incidents (Buncefield, San Juan, and Jaipur) occurred in a matter of four years at liquid hydrocarbon storage facilities .

Why does history repeat itself…and in such a short time?