Regulatory Update: Flammable Fuels Alert - Propane Stay Lifted
OSHA Insider: Update to OSHA Changes to PSM Interpretation
Hot Topics: How Plant Personnel Perceive Risk
Human Factors Focus: The Role of Human Factors in Incident Investigation
Resources: Try the AcuSafe Web Links to Other Sites
Chemical Safety Board Update: Paul Hill Resigns as Chair of CSB
Incident News: News of Bomb Plot at Propane Storage Site
Events Update: A Reminder To Sign Up Now For The AIChE Spring Meeting In Atlanta

Regulatory Update
Flammable Fuels Alert - Propane Stay Lifted
On Jan. 5, 2000, the U.S. District Court of Appeals lifted a judicial stay that applied to facilities that had propane processes. Facilities that use propane in their manufacturing processes or hold propane for purposes other than on-site fuel use at a non-retail facility must immediately come into compliance with the RMP rule. Click Here to read more about this latest turn in the LPG story.

OSHA INSIDER
Update to OSHA Changes to PSM Interpretation
Since we last reported on the OSHA memorandum that rescinded several letters of interpretation concerning the application of the Process Safety Management standard, OSHA has made a “minor correction” to the letter eliminating one sentence about the "normally unoccupied remote facility” (NURF). Click here to read more about this ongoing saga.

Hot Topics
How Plant Personnel Perceive Risk: An Inside View
Front-line operations employees handling hazardous materials are increasingly involved in making many decisions during the course of their workday, the outcome of which could affect the potential for accidental exposure to themselves and others. We as managers of risk should ask ourselves if those decisions are based on sound scientific principles and application of rational logic. Or are the employees unknowingly exposing themselves to a variety of high-risk activities, when lower risk alternatives are available for the asking? Click Here to read more on this topic.

HUMAN FACTORS FOCUS
The Role of Human Factors in Incident Investigation
A summary of a paper for the American Petroleum Institute Fire and Safety Committee about the fundamentals of human factors considerations in process industry incident investigation is printed here. Click on this Link to see if your procedures for incident investigation adequately consider the role of human error as a basic cause.

RESOURCES
Check Out AcuSafe Links
Have you checked the resource links at AcuSafe lately? AcuSafe has an extensive set of Internet Links, sorted by organization type and content. Select from the topic of interest to go to that set of links. Click Here for additional insight about the resources available.

Chemical Safety BOARD Update
Paul Hill Resigns as Chair of CSB
Last month AcuSafe News™ reported that Dr. Paul Hill had announced to staff his resignation as Chair of the CSB. That resignation is now official. Click Here to read more about what is going on at the CSB, both on this issue and others.

Incident News
News of Bomb Plot at Propane Storage Site
Read the AcuSafe Editor’s summary of news reports on the terrorist plot to blow up a large propane storage facility in California. The facility, which holds about 24 million gallons of refrigerated, liquid propane, is one of the biggest aboveground propane storage facilities in the United States.

EVENTS UPDATE
This is yet another reminder to sign up now for the AIChE Spring 2000 Meeting, “Advancing New Technologies in Industry” on March 5-9, 2000 in Atlanta. Click our link for more detail as well as information on the Loss Prevention Symposium.