Welcome to AcuSafe News -- The electronic newsletter devoted to serving industry, government, and interested members of the public by providing information that is useful, timely and best of all - FREE. AcuSafe News  is comprised of best process safety practices, incident news, lessons learned, and regulatory developments.

AcuSafe News is an extension of the AcuSafe website (http://www.acusafe.com/), the Internet resource for safety and risk management information, products, training, and professional exchange. We hope you visit the website and find AcuSafe News and the AcuSafe site to be valuable tools.

*********** IN THIS ISSUE ************

RMP Update: EPA Proposes Data Availability in Reading Rooms
Industry Insider: Recent Mechanical Integrity Initiatives - Fitness for Service
Hot Topic Editorial: Is The State Of Process Safety Getting Any Better After 10 Years?
Human Factors Focus: Human Factors, Time for Action? 
Resources: Questionnaire on Human Factors Practices
Chemical Safety Board Update: The Scuffle Continues
Incident News: Update On Phillips 66 K-Resin Plant Incident
Events Update: National Safety Council Expo

*********** STORY ABSTRACTS ************

RMP UPDATE
EPA Proposes Data Availability in Reading Rooms
In late April the EPA issued a proposed rule for making the Offsite Consequence information from the RMP rule available as required by Congress. Read our summary of the proposed rules and what they might mean to you.

INDUSTRY INSIDER
FITNESS FOR SERVICE
What can a facility do if they have a pressure vessel that operates under conditions that would require a certified pressure vessel but cannot produce either the documentation or valid nameplate data? Read more from AcuTech's Mike Hazzan about an industry practice that can help you.

HOT TOPICS
Is The State Of Process Safety Getting Any Better After 10 Years Of Regulation?
AcuSafe's Editor shares some of his thoughts on the state of Process Safety 10 years after the Phillips 66 Chemical plant tragedy. Click here to read this AcuSafe Editorial and let us know your thoughts.

HUMAN FACTORS FOCUS
Human Factors, Time for Action?
It has been well understood that human factors present both the cause of most hazards in the chemical process industries as well as the area needing the most attention to affect change in actual risk. Most of industry has been preoccupied with initiating the development of process safety management programs and conducting PHA studies, but has not developed special initiatives to address human factors in a fully comprehensive way. Read more from AcuSafe's Dave Moore on why this may be and how to address the situation. Also, please take a few moments to fill our our human factors survey form. Results will be shared in an upcoming issue.

RESOURCES
Have You Seen our Links Recently?
AcuSafe is continually improving its set of internet links, which are available at http://www.acusafe.com/links/links-frame.htm . Organized by organizational type and content type, it is a proven resource for finding information quickly. Among its popular offerings are links to all state regulatory offices that are delegated to handle OSHA matters and state offices that handle Risk Management Programs. AcuSafe also includes a collection of process safety requirements for a number of countries. AcuSafe is a great portal for finding a variety of sites of interest.

CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD UPDATE
Bitter War Of Words At The Chemical Safety Board
On April 25, 2000, three members of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released to the public a summary analysis of allegations made by Paul L. Hill along with the full text of Dr. Hill's memorandum to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Read more about the ongoing troubles at the CSB. 

INCIDENT NEWS
Update On Phillips 66 K-Resin Plant Incident
An explosion Monday March 27, 2000 rocked a Phillips Petroleum Co. chemical plant along the Houston Ship Channel, killing one worker and sending at least 66 workers to local hospitals while keeping area residents indoors for more than two hours Please click on this link to read our summary of events and reports.

EVENTS UPDATE
National Safety Council's Congress & Expo 2000
The National Safety Council's Congress & Expo 2000 October 16-18, 2000 in Orlando is the largest event for safety, health, and environmental issues, agendas, and answers anywhere in the world. Congress & Expo 2000 is the ONE event to get real answers, tips, tools and useful techniques. This 154 session conference, in concise, easy to absorb 90-minute segments, brings you today' s most advanced techniques, technologies and innovative solutions. Addressing the very same health and safety issues you face every day! 

Register for the conference by clicking on the Expo link.

A free calendar detailing important conferences, events, meetings, and regulatory deadlines is available on AcuSafe. The calendar will be updated regularly, so we suggest you bookmark it for future reference - http://www.acusafe.com/Calendar/index.html. Our readers are encouraged to contribute other events of interest to Process Safety professionals.