In late February, a steam explosion at a Schumann & Co. metals plant in Bedford, Ohio caused one fatality (a maintenance supervisor) and sent 15 other crew members to the hospital, 2 in critical condition at the time. An investigation has uncovered the reasons the accident occurred.
Image of the wall blown off in the Ohio Foundry Explosion
Michael Swensen/Getty Images – NPR
According to OSHA’s investigation, maintenance personnel were inspecting a water leak on a furnace used for smelting solid metals when the steam explosion happened. It was caused by water having leaked onto the molten metal inside of the furnace. Several safety violations led up to this event.
Before OSHA released an announcement on August 14th, citations were issued officially on August 4th for 6 violations:
1. Employees should be protected from recognized dangerous or fatal hazards. In this case, the hazard was steam explosions caused by water filtration into molten metal. It was found that the February incident was not the only time the crew wasn’t protected from this danger.
2. Procedures should be in place and followed to control potentially hazardous energy when employees are performing work in the area. Schumann & Co. did not ensure the procedure was followed to control the “hazardous gravitational, water, thermal, electrical, natural gas, and oxygen gas energy sources” while one of the rotary furnaces was being inspected by maintenance personnel.
3. Schumann & Co. did not make sure that lockout or tagout procedures were followed by maintenance personnel. These procedures included shutting down the furnace electrical rotation drive motor, both isolating and affixing lockout devices natural gas, oxygen gas, and electrical energy sources in the furnace, among others. Use the link to the violations for a complete list of violations in this section.
4. Failure to ensure that authorized employees (in this case the maintenance lead and maintenance supervisor) had affixed a personal lockout or tagout device to a group lockout device, group lockbox, or other comparable mechanism before inspecting (the furnace).
5. Procedures should outline the control of hazardous energy in complete detail. The organization failed to clearly identify specific procedural steps while inspecting the furnace for water leaks for safe shutdown, isolating, blocking, and securing the electrical, water, and thermal (liquid molten metal bath) energy sources. These procedures are in place to prevent the release of water from contacting the liquid molten metal bath (thermal energy) inside the furnace and causing a steam explosion.
6. Schumann & Co. did not ensure that a periodic inspection of the lockout/tagout procedure for the furnace was being performed at least annually. This inspection exists to make sure that the procedures and standards are being followed.
The citations total a proposed $62,500 in penalties. The organization has 15 days to comply with citations and penalties.
The Ohio foundry steam explosion is unfortunately one of many that highlights the importance of safety procedures including lockout/tagout, shutting down equipment when needed, and regular inspections and reviews of procedures.
According to OSHA, every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention campaign educates employers and workers on heat hazards and provides resources to keep workers safe. Let’s dive into OSHA’s heat illness prevention information for the workforce, what your employer’s responsibilities are, and ways you can keep yourself safe from the dangers and risks of heat illness.
According to OSHA, every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention campaign educates employers and workers on heat hazards and provides resources to keep workers safe. Let’s dive into OSHA’s heat illness prevention information for the workforce, what your employer’s responsibilities are, and ways you can keep yourself safe from the dangers and risks of heat illness.
Die cutters play a crucial role in various industries, enabling precise and efficient cutting of materials ranging from paper and cardboard to fabrics and plastics. To ensure optimal performance and longevity of these machines, implementing a proactive maintenance strategy is essential. Preventive maintenance not only safeguards the equipment but also contributes to improved productivity and cost-effectiveness in the long run. Condition monitoring of die cutters and tooling will improve productivity, standard part quality and reduce costs for the user.
Die cutters play a crucial role in various industries, enabling precise and efficient cutting of materials ranging from paper and cardboard to fabrics and plastics. To ensure optimal performance and longevity of these machines, implementing a proactive maintenance strategy is essential. Preventive maintenance not only safeguards the equipment but also contributes to improved productivity and cost-effectiveness in the long run. Condition monitoring of die cutters and tooling will improve productivity, standard part quality and reduce costs for the user.
The manufacturing industry is increasing its efforts in reusing and recycling copper scraps due to a projected doubling in copper demand by 2035. What applications can copper be used for? Why is the demand for copper growing? How is recycled copper used and what are the environmental benefits of recycling more copper?
The manufacturing industry is increasing its efforts in reusing and recycling copper scraps due to a projected doubling in copper demand by 2035. What applications can copper be used for? Why is the demand for copper growing? How is recycled copper used and what are the environmental benefits of recycling more copper?
When you think about solar farm maintenance, sheep may be the last workers you think of hiring. But, they come with a host of benefits. Solar installations require extensive maintenance efforts to control vegetation and sheep grazing provides a new cost-effective solution. This innovative practice allows solar farms to maintain ground cover, control vegetation, reduce fire risk, and lower O&M expenditures.
When you think about solar farm maintenance, sheep may be the last workers you think of hiring. But, they come with a host of benefits. Solar installations require extensive maintenance efforts to control vegetation and sheep grazing provides a new cost-effective solution. This innovative practice allows solar farms to maintain ground cover, control vegetation, reduce fire risk, and lower O&M expenditures.
Enjoy this list of manufacturing, facilities management, engineering, and reliability and maintenance podcasts and YouTube channels to catch up on the latest trends and review tried-and-true concepts.
Enjoy this list of manufacturing, facilities management, engineering, and reliability and maintenance podcasts and YouTube channels to catch up on the latest trends and review tried-and-true concepts.
In 2018 an explosion at Wisconsin’s only oil refinery injured dozens and caused thousands to evacuate. Five years later, the refinery is set to reopen following a $1.2 billion rebuild and multiple safety recommendations from federal agencies. In March 2023 the refinery, now owned by Cenovus Energy, began introducing crude oil aiming to resume full operations by the end of June.
In 2018 an explosion at Wisconsin’s only oil refinery injured dozens and caused thousands to evacuate. Five years later, the refinery is set to reopen following a $1.2 billion rebuild and multiple safety recommendations from federal agencies. In March 2023 the refinery, now owned by Cenovus Energy, began introducing crude oil aiming to resume full operations by the end of June.
While ammonia offers reliable and cost-effective solutions for industrial refrigeration, its toxicity poses significant risks to personnel and communities if not handled properly. o address these challenges, the integration of predictive maintenance and a CMMS emerges as a crucial strategy.
While ammonia offers reliable and cost-effective solutions for industrial refrigeration, its toxicity poses significant risks to personnel and communities if not handled properly. o address these challenges, the integration of predictive maintenance and a CMMS emerges as a crucial strategy.
