CSB Finds Mismanagement of Gasoline Storage Tank in 2009 Caribbean Petroleum Incident

CSB has released a draft investigation report

CSB.gov

on the 2009 explosion at the Caribbean Petroleum (CAPECO) terminal facility near San Juan, Puerto Rico. The explosion occurred when gasoline overflowed during a transfer operation, sprayed out from an aboveground storage tank and formed a 107-acre vapor cloud that ignited. The incident resulted in no fatalities, but damaged 300 homes and businesses, and leaked gasoline into the environment. One major problem CSB found in its investigation was that “facilities such as CAPECO, which store large quantities of gasoline and other flammables, are not required to conduct risk assessment of potential dangers.” 

More specific to the CAPECO incident, CSB found that the measuring devices used for the liquid levels in the tanks were poorly maintained and often nonfunctional. The tanks were maintained using a float-and-tape measuring system that was in place to avoid overfilling and when that system failed, no other layer of protection was in place, such as an independent high level alarm or automatic overfill prevention system. CSB also found that current regulations only require one layer of protection against tank overfill.

CSB recommends EPA, OSHA and American Petroleum Institute adopt new regulations for such facilities to require that flammable storage tanks have automatic overfill protection systems, and to require regular testing, inspections and risk assessments. Having multiple protection systems in place will help to prevent future similar incidents. 

To read the report, visit CSB’s website. An excerpt from the agency's upcoming “Filling Blind” video about the incident is also available. 

Antea Group Studies Tech Workers’ Safety Views

Antea Group says the results of its study of technologyindustry professionals show that a disconnect exists between employees’ understanding of how OSH affects satisfaction at work. The study surveyed 500 U.S.-based professionals working in global IT organizations that have more than 5,000 employees.

Although most (64%) say they would appreciate being told they were doing something that was potentially unsafe, only about half (55%) of employees reported feeling comfortable pointing out potentially unsafe behavior to both peers and superiors. On the other hand, 85% would not feel obligated to intervene if they saw an unsafe act, and 38% would be offended if they were told they were doing something potentially unsafe.

Antea Group says that employees’ discomfort talking about safety and helping colleagues be safe limits the effectiveness of company safety programs such as incident reporting, injury and illness prevention, and risk assessment programs.

“These survey results highlight just how important EHS is to the tech workforce and the gaps in creating truly effective programs in this fast-changing industry,” says Antea Group’s Peylina Chu. “By prioritizing the health and safety of their employees, technology companies will not only safeguard their brand, but also retain their most important assets, their people.”

In a SlideShare presentation, the group offers seven tactics for OSH professionals in light of the research results.

EU-OSHA Survey Says Risk Assessment is Key in OSH

©iStockphoto.com/tang90246

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has released the findings of its second “European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks,” which looks into how OSH risks are managed in European workplaces. The study suggests psychosocial and musculoskeletal risk factors are widespread--and risk assessment is considered the best way to mitigate them.

The most common reported risk factor is dealing with difficult customers, patients and students, which EU-OSHA says reflects the continued growth of the service sector.

"Among those establishments that do not carry out regular risk assessments, the main reasons given for this are that risks and hazards are already known and that there are no major problems," says Christa Sedlatschek, EU-OSHA director. “Psychosocial risks are perceived as more challenging than others. Almost 1 in 5 of the establishments that report having to deal with difficult customers or experiencing time pressure also indicate that they lack information or adequate tools to deal with the risk effectively."

The study indicates that 76% of establishments in Europe carry out regular risk assessments, and 90% consider them useful in managing OSH issues. Factors leading to musculoskeletal disorders—tiring or painful positions and repetitive hand or arm movements, for example—are frequently reported across all sectors.

Screens on Semitrucks Could Prevent Collisions

Passing trucks on the road can be dangerous, especially on single lane roads, which limit visibility. Samsung is experimenting with technology that could mitigate that issue.

The company’s “Safety Truck” employs front-facing cameras that display to screens in the rear that show trailing drivers what’s coming ahead. With extra visibility, drivers looking to pass the truck would no longer need to drive into the opposite lane to see if another vehicle is oncoming. Samsung says this technology might reduce the risk of crashes caused by sudden braking or animals crossing the road.

Samsung is also evaluating the economic viability of the technology. Cameras are not terribly expensive, but four displays per truck would be a major investment, especially since companies would not see any direct financial benefit from them.

All the World's an Office . . . What Are the Risks?

With workers no longer tied to their desks to make calls, answer and send e-mails, work on presentations and participate in conference calls, the world is becoming one large office. So employers need to step back and get a broader view of worker safety. As Peylina Chu writes in a recent post on Entrepreneur: "With all the workplace options employees are expecting today, it might seem daunting to create a workplace that encourages and nurtures safety," Chu says. "But virtual worker safety doesn’t mean employers should restrict workplace options – they should embrace them."

Chu, a senior consultant with Antea Group, outlines three steps that should guide these efforts--and they should sound familiar to OSH professionals.

1. Identify risks."Your employees need to be safe regardless of their location, whether they are working from home, in the office or commuting on a tech bus," Chu explains. She also warns that a company that isn't proactive in this area is simply "perpetuating a laissez faire culture of ill preparedness and reactivity to risks." Beyond the known costs related to medical treatment, lost wages and reduced productivity, such a reputation can also hinder efforts to recruit and keep the best employees, Chu adds.
2. Develop and implement procedures. "To begin combating the risks to your virtual workforce, it’s important to identify and understand not only the risks for virtual workers, but also issues plaguing in-office employees," Chu says, citing poor ergonomics, inadequate training and improper equipment as common concerns. "With a better understanding of issues at hand, you’ll be able to prioritize fixes based on the widest-spreading, most damaging concerns plaguing the overall workforce."
3. Nurture a culture of safety. This "perpetuates a focus on safety that feeds back into business goals," Chu remarks. Key to building this culture is an open dialogue with employees that shows an awareness and responsiveness to their concerns.