Modern safety equipment allows risk managers to avoid this type of shadow from hanging over their facility through the use of can disposal systems.  These self-contained units not only depressurize aerosol cans, but they also allow for the safe and concentrated storage of their contents.  Can disposal devices such as Justrite’s Aerosolv line mount to any 55 gallon drum and require no external power source.  Using a simple hand press, the device pierces any 200 series, 300 series or 6 ounce aerosol can and then captures both the remaining liquid inside as well as any hydrocarbons or foul odors that might be present.  The latter are filtered through activated carbon in order to cleanse the can’s contents completely.

Once the can is empty, it can be recycled in the same way as any other metal.  Not only does this device reduce the risk of an explosion or fire at a facility, but it also encourages a more eco-conscious mindset thanks to the ability to transform waste into recyclable material.  In fact, Justrite claims that 100 punctured cans represents 25 lbs of metal that can be used again, and 10 cubic feet of waste that won’t be taking up space in a landfill.

A further benefit of this type of aerosol disposal system is that it allows for the mitigation of chemical hazards by transforming the storage medium for aerosolized liquids from weak and thin canister to sturdy 55 gallon drums.  A single drum can accept the contents of as many as 4,000 emptied aerosol cans.  Depending on how heavy your can usage is, this can radically reduce the amount of room required to store this type of hazardous waste as well as increase the security of that storage.

When disposing of aerosolized chemicals in this fashion, it’s important to keep in mind what types of substances you will be mixing together in the new storage drum.  Your safety policy should include strict guidelines regarding the segregation of potentially reactive chemicals.  Workers should be properly trained in how to identify and manage different aerosols in order to prevent the creation of a potentially dangerous chemical soup.

The storage of potentially hazardous materials falls under this type of risk mitigation.  Keeping workers safe from the dangers posed by certain types of chemicals, gases or other items means more than just restricting access.  It involves understanding the nature of the materials themselves, the situations in which they could possibly become harmful, and the regulatory statues that have been set up to reduce the chances of an accident occurring.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recently published a Direct Final Rule regarding the acetylene industry that addresses outdated guidelines surrounding the use, storage and transportation of cylinders containing this volatile gas.  With an eye towards becoming law effective November 2009, the revised guidelines are meant to increase the safety of workers who regularly come into contact with acetylene.

The new rules make it clear that risk managers are expected to have their workplaces conform to the Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet G-1-2003, Acetylene.   A key proviso of this pamphlet changes the conditions in which acetylene cylinders can be stored.  Previously, it was not uncommon for cylinders to be transported from site to site in enclosed spaces, be they car trunks, sealed trucks or perhaps even in crates.  Facilities were also allowed to store acetylene cylinders in unventilated lockers, closets, drawers or small storage rooms.  These habits dated back to 1966, when acetylene storage guidelines were last updated.

This latter practice is no longer allowed, due to the explosion and fire danger posed by possible gas buildup from leaking cylinders.  In order to prevent this type of accident from occurring, a new requirement that acetylene cylinders be stored in well-ventilated lockers or cabinets has been put into place.  Examples of the acceptable type of cylinder storage units include Justrite aluminum cylinder lockers, which feature an open grille design and numerous configurations to allow for horizontal, vertical or combined storage.  The aluminum construction also makes the lockers resistant to corrosion, making them suitable for use on outdoor sites where theft of cylinders is a concern.

Fire-resistant safety cabinets are no longer appropriate for acetylene cylinder storage.  Although these units may seem to provide protection against possible explosion, their air-tight confines can actually contribute towards the buildup of dangerous escaped gas pressures, increasing risks despite their sturdy construction.  The volatility and instability of acetylene gas means that no chances should be taken during storage.  The updated OSHA guidelines should improve worker safety across a wide variety of industries, in particular those where large-scale welding is a common occurrence.

Musculoskeletal injuries associated with compressed gas cylinders have a number of sources – all of which are preventable with proper training and safety policies in the workplace.  Cylinders can weigh well over 60 lbs, which makes them particularly dangerous should they fall from their assigned storage shelves.  Unfortunately, workers are often tempted to catch a falling cylinder, especially if it has rolled off of a table or transportation cart.  This can result in broken bones, torn ligaments or worse, and employees should be taught to never intervene in the event of a falling cylinder.  Likewise, storage and transportation of compressed natural gas canisters should be done so that they are in an upright position and secured so that they cannot move in any direction.  This reduces the chances that they will roll or tumble if jostled.

The pressures contained within a CG canister can also pose a threat if the cylinders in question are not treated with caution while being handled.  The cylinder cap can often seem like a useful handhold during lifting, but as they are not designed to handle this type of stress, often times they snap off.  This can cause the cap to launch into the face of the worker moving the canister, often at speeds fast enough to cause serious injury.  The potential discharge of toxic or otherwise dangerous gases associated with cap loss creates a secondary health threat in this situation.

Other scenarios where gas pressure becomes a significant issue include moving cylinders from one temperature extreme to another – common during wintertime – as well as using heat to dislodge canisters which have become mired in snow or ice as a result of being stored outdoors.  Contents which are kept under pressure should never be exposed to any device which could cause internal temperatures to rise rapidly, especially in comparison with their external environment, as this could lead to an explosion and the possibility of the cylinder becoming a damaging projectile.

The strength of a steel cylinder is reassuring, but it can also make workers drop their guard during the handling or moving process.  Making assumptions about the safety compressed gases based on the containers they are held in is the type of attitude which can lead to serious injury.  Always make sure that caps are secure, valves are recent, and that containers are not riddled with dents or other signs of abuse that might indicate that replacement is necessary.  Treating CG canisters with the respect they deserve is the least dangerous course of action when handling these commonly found workplace hazards.

There are several ways that working with grain can make for dangerous conditions, and the hazards are not limited to the agricultural sector.  Transportation and grain storage activities are also implicated in a significant portion of the accidents listed as occurring each year.  The leading causes of death related to grain handling are threefold: falls in silos, at storage facilities or while moving through grain containers themselves, suffocation as a result of sinking into containers of loose grain or being smothered by falling grain, and becoming entangled in the machinery that is used in grain processing.  Additional hazards faced by workers exposed to grain include fire and the risk of dust explosions.

Fortunately, there are simple steps that risk managers can take to reduce the chance that these tragedies will occur.  Preventing workers from walking through grain containers piled higher than their waists can help to reduce the chance of asphyxiation as the result of being pulled under by the effects of unstable bridging or the swirling action of a bottom-emptying container.  This also includes not allowing workers to enter into bins they may believe to be empty or bins which may feature a portion of piled and stuck grain.  The installation of railings and the clearing of staircases and ladders of any loose grain particles can have a positive effect on the rate of falls in the workplace, and the instigation of strict policies concerning machine servicing and use of guards over exposed machine components can reduce the chances of fatal entanglement.

When it comes to fires and explosions, all employees working at a grain storage or processing facility are required to be familiar with an emergency action plan which is specifically put together to prevent and handle any fire-related incidents that could occur.  The plan must also provide for dust management in order to prevent accumulation which could ignite in the confined spaces of the facility itself.

Employees should be also be educated as to the risks posed by modern silos which have been designed so as to limit the amount of oxygen which enters them.  If these silos are not sealed properly, or if seals have not been maintained, then their compromised airtight construction can lead to a situation where a fire can burn at a low level, unnoticed until a door is opened or additional oxygen is introduced in a rush.  The resulting explosion or fire can be quite severe.  If employees suspect that a silo is damaged, or that a silo’s contents may be smoldering, they should not attempt to access the silo or douse the blaze themselves.  Instead, they should await professional firefighters in order to prevent increasing oxygen flow to a potentially lethal level.

The use of industrial chemicals in the workplace represents one such gray area, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published a series of comprehensive guidelines and regulations aimed at providing a clear system of communicating these types of hazards to the employees who might encounter them.  It is important to note that risk managers are not responsible for actually determining which chemicals are dangerous and to what degree – OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard already places that burden on chemical manufacturers.  What is required is that managers ensure that their workers are fully informed as to the nature of the chemicals they are either working with or near as they go about their daily tasks.

Once risk managers have surveyed a jobsite and identified which chemicals are present that could pose a threat to employee health, the next step is to communicate this information to workers.  This needs to be accomplished in a number of ways.  A written plan must be produced which inventories the chemicals in question, and it must be accompanied by the material safety data sheets for each.  It has to further elaborate on the types of labeling and warnings that are used in the facility, and how employees have been made aware of all of this information.  Data sheets should be available to workers at specifically designated areas throughout the facility, so that they might inform themselves further of the hazards that have been already presented to them in training.

OSHA requires that a written plan be accompanied by an extensive labeling process that identifies all dangerous chemicals not only as potentially hazardous, but also including their chemical or trade name (depending upon which is a better identifier) and a hazard warning describing the potential dangers posed by the chemical.  These dangers must be specific – for example, if the chemical is combustible in the presence of a spark, this must be noted, and if it causes burns upon exposure to the skin, this must also be included.  These labels must be affixed to containers, pipes, and other systems where hazardous chemicals can found, and the labels must be visible to workers.  This means that when moving chemical storage units from point A to point B, the labels must constantly face outward no matter where the containers are deposited.

A chemical labeling policy is a process that must be continually evaluated and updated in order to measure its effectiveness and also to keep it up to date with any changes that are made to a facility or jobsite.  Risk managers must remain vigilant to ensure that they fully comply with OSHA regulations concerning hazard communication.

Evaluating the potential for these factors to come together in a workplace has to take into account not only typical business processes, but also any unexpected events which could introduce new factors into the mix.  Since there are 5 elements in the dust explosion formula, a work environment where at least three are present at any given time presents the risk that an accident on the site could add in the missing ingredients.  Consider the idea of a warehouse where barrels of dust-producing materials are kept.  While stored, the barrels themselves may present no particular danger.  However, should a shelving unit collapse, causing barrels to fall and split open, a considerable amount of hazardous dust could be thrown into the air where it could easily be ignited by the engine of a passing forklift – or perhaps even sparks produced by the further collapse of the shelving.

While the above situation may seem overly elaborate, it serves to demonstrate that it is unlikely that any areas of a production facility remain “explosion hazard free.”  The key when evaluating risks is to determine the degree of danger that they pose and then plan accordingly.  If one part of a building or production floor is known to offer an increased risk of dust explosion, then workers can be trained in how to mitigate the chances of an incident occurring, as well as how to respond should one present itself.  This should be on top of the general dust explosion training that all workers need to undergo when employed in an industry that produces dangerous amounts of explosive dust.

Risk managers can divide facility evaluation across a few different criteria.  It is of course important to study the Materials Safety Data Sheets of all chemicals and materials present during business in order to determine if they pose a dust explosion hazard.  Keeping track of where these materials are stored and how they are transported is also key.  Next, any processes which generate large amounts of dust, or even small amounts that could accumulate over time need to be identified.  Hidden areas, such as crevices behind machines which could accumulate dust unnoticed must be noted, along with any open areas which may have dust tracked into them, or which may provide for the slow air saturation of dangerous dust particles.  Finally activities which push dust into the air – ventilation equipment, saws, vehicle exhausts – need to be accounted for, along with the varied sources of ignition that are typically scattered around a modern facility.

One such hazard in health care is exposure to ethylene oxide. A sterilizing agent that is used in hospitals and clinics to reduce the risk of infection, ethylene oxide (also known as EtO, EO or E.O.) is odorless and colorless, making it difficult to detect until concentrations have risen to the level where they can cause serious harm. Given that EtO is not only hazardous if inhaled, but also flammable, the proper use and storage of this gas is a priority for risk managers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has produced the Small Business Guide for Ethylene Oxide, which is meant to explain the regulatory concepts governing the gas’ use, as well as help introduce safer practices in workplaces where EtO is present.

While EtO is mainly used in special chambers that seal around medical equipment prior to sterilization, the OSHA guide focuses on the monitoring of general air quality in areas which may be exposed to either EtO devices, pipelines transporting the substance or stored EtO canisters. The potential for leaks which are undetectable to human senses poses one of the greatest threats associated with this dangerous gas. As a result, a significant portion of the guide is devoted to explaining acceptable methods and standards surrounding air testing

OSHA divides monitoring into three distinct areas: personal monitoring, area monitoring and leak detection. Compliance with OSHA’s EtO standard is derived mainly from personal monitoring, which must be done by any workers potentially exposed to the presence of EtO gas. Typically, this is performed using wearable passive diffusion monitors that collect samples of the air from the employee’s breathing zone over the course of a shift. Risk managers must have these samples analyzed in a lab in order to determine their compliance with the EtO standard. In addition to personal monitoring, OSHA recommends area monitoring through fixed devices mounted near possible EtO emitters. Leak detection is required for those businesses who have demonstrated unacceptable levels of EtO exposure, and it must be accomplished as part of a routine leak checkup

Ethylene oxide exposure limits and standards are a complex topic, but the OSHA publication goes to great lengths in order to simplify the requirements surrounding this important safety issue. It also offers answers to some of the most often asked questions regarding EtO compliance, making it a valuable resource for risk managers.

Motorcycle repair and car repair shops routinely handle and maintain hazardous chemicals such as gasoline, brake fluids, transmission fluids, and other chemical cleaners.  Not only are these chemicals harmful if they were to get in the eyes or ingested; some of these chemicals must be disposed of in a certain way.

Cleaning companies could also benefit from safety cabinets.  The industrial strength cleaning products used by professional cleaning companies are often classified as hazardous materials.  These chemicals are hazardous if ingested; but for most adults the danger lies in having these chemicals get into the eyes.

Organizations such as daycare facilities, should definitely weigh the value of safety cabinets.  Typically the cleaning products that are used in these facilities, while not hazardous to the touch are often dangerous if ingested.  Safety cabinets are an excellent way to lock up these chemicals, especially if the ratio of kids to staff is more than 4 to 1.

Hair salons are also good candidates for safety cabinets.  Believe it or not, the chemicals that are used in salons are very hazardous and many of which are only sold to professionals.  Like industrial cleaning products, professional hair products can also be harmful if ingested or if it gets into the eyes.

Although safety cabinets are promoted and designed store hazardous materials, safety cabinets are great for securing medications.  In places such as group homes, adult day programs, and nursing homes, securing medication is a critical part of business. Regular medicine cabinets can become warped over time, making them harder to completely close and secure. The risk that clients could gain access and potentially overdose greatly outweighs the benefits of saving a few hundred dollars.

Although these companies often rely on standard cabinets or medicine cabinets.  Safety cabinets ensure safety, security, and compliance.

The transportation of chemicals in large drums or cans can often bring with it the risk of a spill, particularly if the storage container has previously been opened and perhaps resealed incorrectly.  Moving older metallic containers that may have corroded over time also pose a greater risk of leakage than might normally be expected.  When transporting potentially hazardous materials through a facility it is crucial to reduce the chance that unseen leakage could leave a trail through different work areas, where chemicals or other agents could pose harm to workers unaware of their presence.

The use of containment caddies instead of open platform carts or forklifts to move hazardous material containers can offer the type of containment protection necessary to provide peace of mind.  Containment caddies, such as those produced by Justrite offer a variety of different wheeled and un-wheeled transportation options for individual workers to handle loads of up to 600 lbs without placing unnecessary strain on their backs or lower bodies.  These devices offer a cradle to which a drum can be strapped, and then surround the container with a spill sump that can handle up to 66 gallons of materials leakage should the container lose its integrity during transport.

For scenarios where a large number of containers must be moved simultaneously and individual isolation is not practical, then the use of drain covers and seals along with movable dikes along the transportation route through the facility is highly recommended. Not only do these types of measures prevent chemicals from entering into a jobsite’s drainage system, but they can also create a controlled path for any spillage to follow that deflects it from areas where it could harmfully interact with personnel or equipment.

EPA regulations impose even stricter regulations concerning the loading and storage of materials where leakage poses an environmental concern.  In these instances, the transfer of certain materials must be accomplished only in the presence of a containment berm which completely surrounds the operation and isolates it from the area around it.  These berms can be portable or permanent, with the former typically used in loading or receiving areas that occasionally see the transfer of chemicals via pump or individual container.  Berms can also be used as temporary storage pens in unloading areas where containers containing dangerous chemicals are kept until they can be safely transported to their permanent home in a facility.  This prevents any leakage from being tracked throughout a job site by vehicles or personnel frequenting these high traffic areas.

Much of the revision is dedicated to increasing understanding and conformity in the industry, by incorporating plain language, referencing documents that are currently in use and easily obtained, and providing measurements from the International System of Units.

Here are a few things you need to know about the new standard.

* For cylinders, the previous standard referenced the 1966 edition of the Compressed Gas Association’s section on acetylene, while the revision references their 2003 guidelines.

* Although the new revision only advises against transporting in automobiles, it specifically prohibits storing acetylene cylinders in confined spaces, such as unventilated cabinets, closets, and drawers.
* While the old standard recommended a flow rate of 1/7 of the cylinder capacity regardless of the duration of use, the revision has advises a flow rate of 1/10 per hour for intermittent use and 1/15 for continuous use.
* Language has been added in the new standard to draw attention to the possibility of mechanical shock due to the use of cylinders that are not equipped with protective caps or guards.
* It is recommended that acetylene cylinders valves are not opened without a regulator and flow restrictor.
* The new standard also suggests that the CGA connection is visually examined for signs of contamination and, that all contamination is removed before it is connected to the regulator.
* The revisions for piped systems and filling cylinders will either be the 2001 or 2006 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for these sections.
* The standard for your company will be determined by when the approval for construction or installation of the facilities and/or equipment used to create or charge acetylene was obtained.

For more information, and to insure that your company is in compliance, you should refer to the National Fire Protection Association’s standard for acetylene charging plants and the 2003 edition of the Compressed Gas Association’s standard for acetylene.