Welders at risk of toxic and explosive fumes

Blast kills temporary worker, critically injures another

Employers need to verify fire and explosion hazards: OSHA

MOSS POINT, Miss. — Two temporary workers hired to cut and weld pipes at the Omega Protein plant in Moss Point on July 28, 2014, had no idea and had no training to know that the storage tank beneath them contained explosive methane and hydrogen sulfide gases.

One of the two men found out later as he lay in a hospital with a fractured skull, internal injuries and broken bones. The second, a 25-year-old man named Jerry Taylor, died when the tank exploded.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the incident and has found four companies violated safety regulations that could have prevented the tragedy.

The companies are Accu-Fab & Construction Inc., Omega Protein, and JP Williams Machine & Fabrication, all in Moss Point, and Global Employment, in Pascagoula.

Accu-Fab, a metal fabricator, was contracted by Omega Protein to manufacture and erect a wastewater storage tank that required modification of existing pipes.

A staffing agency, Global Employment Services, provided Accu-Fab with the employees needed at Omega. JP Williams Machine, which provides industrial service and repair, was on-site the day of the explosion performing unrelated maintenance activities.

"The Omega Protein plant explosion shines a spotlight on how critical it is for employers to verify, isolate and remove fire and explosion hazards in employee work areas," said Eugene Stewart, OSHA's area director in Jackson. "If the employer ensured a safe environment, this tragic incident could have been prevented."

Repeated violations

OSHA issued 13 citations to Omega Protein, a producer of omega-3 fish oil and specialty fish meal products, for willful, repeated and serious safety violations.

OSHA issued a willful citation for exposing employees to fire and explosion hazards due to Omega management's failure to inform Accu-Fab that the storage tank contained wastewater that could generate hydrogen sulfide and methane gases, which can be highly explosive and toxic, even at low concentrations.

The repeated violations involve not having standard railings on open-sided floors and platforms and failing to label electrical boxes properly.

Omega Protein was cited previously for these same violations in 2012. Additionally, the serious hazards included allowing workers to weld and cut piping on an improperly prepared storage tank containing explosive methane and hydrogen sulfide gases and failing to label or tag the storage tank to note that it contained hazardous chemicals.

OSHA cited Accu-Fab for one willful, four serious and two other-than-serious violations. The willful violation was issued for failure to train workers on chemical hazards in the work area, such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, welding gas and paints.

Global Employment Services was issued a serious citation for this same hazard.

Additionally, both employers were cited for a serious violation for failure to instruct employees about avoiding unsafe work conditions.

Accu-Fab was also cited for failure to ensure employees working on top of a storage tank at heights of up to 29 feet were wearing fall protection and for not recording this fatality or two other recordable injuries.

JP Williams was issued one serious citation for improperly storing oxygen and acetylene cylinders.

Exposure to acetylene can cause headache, dizziness, asphyxiation and even frostbite.

Proposed penalties for the four companies total $187,620.

OSHA has conducted 13 inspections at Omega Protein facilities in Mississippi, Virginia and Louisiana since 1998. The company received citations for noise exposure, personnel protective equipment, machine guarding, welding and cutting and electrical hazards.

Accu-Fab has three prior OSHA inspections, most recently in 2002, and has been cited for scaffolding, forklift, welding, cutting and electrical violations. Both JP Williams and Global Employment have no prior OSHA inspection history.

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Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit OSHA's website.

Welding and soldering work often releases toxic fumes, which can affect the workers' health and well-being. Electrocorp has designed various welding fume extractors and air cleaners for welding and soldering. 

The units feature source capture hoods to remove contaminants before they spread. For more information and a free consultation, contact Electrocorp: 1-866-667-0297.

Update: Study on effects of welding fumes on women

Welding fumes can affect workers'
health and well-being.

An ongoing study focusing on female workers' exposure to welding fumes and metal dust in metalworking and electrical trades has published some preliminary findings.

The researchers report that the study is now recruiting women from all provinces and territories across Canada, who can complete the questionnaires either in French or English by telephone.

Originally, the study focused on female workers in the province of Alberta. Participants can also complete the questionnaires online.

Up until this point, 531 women have completed the baseline questionnaire and 415 women have completed the first of the questionnaire about exposures at work.

The earliest participants are now nearing their 30 month follow-up questionnaire online or by telephone, having been enrolled for over two years.

Preliminary results focus on metal levels

At the time of their first exposure questionnaire early participants were asked to send in a urine sample so that we could examine the relationship between work and the level of metals inside the body.

There were 107 women who were working in their trade and provided a urine sample at the time of their first exposure questionnaire. This group included 56 welders and 51 electricians. Each urine sample was analyzed for a series of metals possibly related to work in the trades.

The result suggested that welders had higher levels of metals than the electricians, but the differences were small in most cases.

The researchers next looked at whether the metal levels differed depending on the tasks that were carried out on the last day at work before giving the sample.

Among electricians there were no differences in the metal levels, regardless of the tasks on that day. However, among welders, there were differences: those who reported stick welding had higher metal levels than women who did not do stick welding.

In addition, welders who reported TIG welding had lower metal levels than those who did not do TIG welding. We are continuing to analyze these metal levels and will have more results to share in future updates.

For those interested in participating can join the WHAT-ME study at www.whatme.ualberta.ca or write to whatme@ualberta.ca or call 1-866-492-6093.

Source: University of Alberta

Blog posts of interest:

• Study probes effects on dust, welding fumes on women
• Welding hazards: Protect yourself from welding fumes and soldering fumes
• Healthy welders may be at increased risk of brain damage
• Compensation fund set up for workers affected by welding fumes

Concerned about welding fumes and chemical exposures? Electrocorp has designed a wide range of air cleaners for industrial and commercial use, including welding fume extraction and chemical control. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Welding hazards: The effects of manganese on the brain

Welders can be exposed to toxic fumes -
but manganese can affect the public as well.

In a new study, Penn State College of Medicine researchers try to understand the effects of metal manganese on brain functions.

They aim to expand on the insights of a previous, smaller scale study, which looked at welders specifically, since they are often exposed to manganese in the welding fumes.

But the general population should also be aware of manganese and its effects, the researchers say, since we may all be exposed to the toxin through gasoline additives and the burning of fossil fuels.

According to research, very low concentrations of manganese are essential for life, but high levels of exposure quickly become toxic for humans.

In the previous study on welders, the researchers found a link between exposures to manganese-containing welding fumes and decreased motor performance.

Technical advances make it easier for the researchers to study the effects of manganese exposure in the brain, so they are hoping to see how manganese affects the general population.

The study has received funding from the National Institute of Environmental Sciences.

Source: Gettysburg Times

Reduce exposure to welding fumes and other occupational hazards

Electrocorp fume extractor
(other models available)

Welders have to make sure they don’t breathe in too many welding fumes, which have been shown to be toxic.

Along with the usual precautionary measures (including good ventilation and personal protective equipment), Electrocorp’s industrial-strength welding fume extractors can help reduce exposures.

The welding fume extractors feature the most effective activated carbon blends for the removal of toxic chemicals, gases and fumes, the deepest carbon beds for more efficient adsorption and easy-to-use source capture attachments for more accurate toxin removal.

Electrocorp also features other air cleaners for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, which contain activated carbon and HEPA air filters.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.
 
Related posts:

• Occupational risk: Former welders are often clumsier
• Metal fume fever a persisting problem, toxicologists say
• Study probes effect of dust, welding fumes on women
• Welders at increased risk of early brain damage
• Sick welder sues welding rod manufacturer

  

Occupational risk: Former welders are often clumsier

Welding can expose workers to toxic fumes and particulate.

A new study shows that former welders who were exposed to manganese from welding fumes have a risk of developing increased clumsiness.

The effects last long after the exposure has stopped, according to the study of former shipyard workers in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Previous research has linked exposure to manganese and welding fumes to effects on the central nervous system, but this study focused on the long-term effects on fine motor skills.

The welders in the study underwent several tests that measured their manual dexterity and motor speed, eye-hand coordination, tremor and balance. The results were compared to the results of other shipyard workers that did not do any welding.

Those participants that had a higher total manganese exposure showed a poorer performance, the study authors say, giving reason to believe there is a lasting effect of manganese exposure.

What is manganese?

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal in the environment and human bodies, where it aids in the turnover of carbohydrates and fats.

Workers who are exposed to high concentrations of manganese over a considerable time can develop a condition called manganism, a disease with symptoms similar to Parkinson disease.

Experts say that many welders may be regularly exposed to high-risk levels of manganese that exceed official exposure limits.

Source: Health Canal

Source capture air cleaners for welding applications

One of Electrocorp's fume extractor air cleaners.

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