230368 Persistent dangers of hot work: Policy recommendations to address the increase in occupational incidents across the US

Monday, November 8, 2010

Vidisha Parasram, MPH EOH , Chemical Incident Investigator, US Chemical Safety Board, Washington, DC
Hillary Cohen, MA , Public and Congressional Affairs, The US Chemical Safety Board, Washington, DC
Cheryl MacKenzie, MS, Human Factors , Investigations-Denver, The US Chemical Safety Board, Washington, DC
Across the country workers are being injured and killed during hot work activities on tanks; a work practice that occurs at facilities varying in staff and operation. Workers are potentially at risk not only in the oil and gas industry, where flammables are handled regularly, but also in many other sectors within general industry, such as food production, paper, and wastewater treatment. The commonality amongst all of these accidents is the presence of work involving burning, welding, or similar operations that are capable of initiating fires or explosions. The US Chemical Safety Board, CSB has identified over 60 fatalities since 1990 due to explosions and fires from hot work activities on tanks.

Through an examination of 11 accidents – nine of which the agency has investigated – this paper will identify 7 key lessons which should be applied to hot work policy and procedure. Highlighted throughout the CSB's findings is the need for effective hazard assessment and proper monitoring of potentially flammable air concentrations in work areas.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines

Learning Objectives:
1. Demonstrate the importance of analyzing the hazards and conducting combustible gas monitoring before and during hot work 2. Identify, through data and CSB investigations that hot work is one of the most common causes of worker deaths that have been identified by the agency. 3. Assess actions taken by host companies, contractors, permit writers, welders, and other maintenance workers that will prevent against similar accidents from occurring.

Keywords: Occupational Injury and Death, Occupational Safety

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract Author on the content I am reponsible for because I investigated and worked on the various investigations that are discussed in the paper.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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