News & Information

Safety Alert: Anhydrous Ammonia & Propane Cylinders

Introduction:

Readers of this bulletin should consult the law of their individual jurisdictions for codes, standards and legal requirements applicable to them. This bulletin merely suggests methods which the reader may find useful in implementing applicable codes, standards and legal requirements. This material is not intended nor should it be construed (1) to set forth procedures which are the general custom or practice in the propane industry; (2) to establish the legal standards of care owed by propane distributors to their customers; or (3) to prevent the reader from using different methods to implement applicable codes, standards or legal requirements. The National Propane Gas Association assumes no liability for reliance on the contents of this bulletin. It is offered as a guide only to assist expert and experienced teachers and managers in training in service personnel in their organizations.

Caution!

The brass valve in a propane cylinder will be damaged if it comes in contact with anhydrous ammonia. This deterioration will lead to cracking of the valve body or its components and can ultimately result in a violent, unexpected expulsion of the valve from the cylinder, causing personal injury or death.

Background and Recommended Action:

has come to the attention of the National Propane Gas Association that propane cylinders are being used in the manufacturing of Methamphetamines. This drug is commonly referred to as 'crank'. Manufacturers of this illegal substance are using propane cylinders for the storage and the use of anhydrous ammonia. These cylinders have been found in many states at cylinder exchange and refilling locations as well as in hotel rooms and mobile laboratories, where the manufacturing of this illegal substance takes place.

A blue-green stain on any brass portion of a service valve is evidence that it may have been in contact with anhydrous ammonia*. The pungent odor of ammonia on or near the cylinder is also an indication. If you suspect that a propane cylinder contains or has contained anhydrous ammonia, exercise extreme caution and restrict access to the area.

It can be dangerous to move the cylinder due to the unknown integrity of the cylinder's service valve. If you determine that it must be moved, keep in mind that hazards due to valve expulsion can be reduced by pointing the end of the container in which the valve is placed away from yourself and others and towards the most safe direction..

Immediately contact your Fire Department, Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Unit or the nearest office of the United States Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for information on properly disposing of the cylinder. If these respondents are not sure what to do, for assistance call 1-800-728-2482, which is the contact number for PERS, an independent hazardous materials information resource.

Note: Sherwood valves contain a green coated valve stem. Additionally, a green thread sealing compound is used on some valves. These valves should not be confused with those that have been exposed to anhydrous ammonia.

ASSE Officer Central Security Protocols Changed

As of this week, the security protocols for Officer Central have been changed. Please be advised that all members of ASSE will now be able to access the materials located on Officer Central, with the continued exception of the chapter rosters. The security protocols for the rosters remain the same—only Chapter Presidents, Secretaries and Membership Chairs will be able to search and create a roster of their chapter from Officer Central.

This change has been made with the support of the Council on Member and Region Affairs for several reasons; 1) to let ASSE members gain a clearer understanding of the connection between ASSE leadership and the mission and vision of the organization, 2) to potentially offer a recruiting tool to Chapter officers to help them with their succession planning efforts and 3) to allow members consistent and appropriate access to the governance documents and reporting records of their chapter.

This latest innovation to the ASSE website leads the way to some dramatic changes you will be seeing to Officer Central in the months ahead which are intended to make this site more user friendly, up to date and of greater value to our ASSE leadership.

ASSE Officer Central

Revisions to the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries File

The final count of fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2006 was revised upward to 5,840, from the preliminary count of 5,703. The overall 2006 fatality rate for the U.S. was revised upward from 3.9 per 100,000 employed workers to 4.0 per 100,000 employed workers.

The final numbers reflect updates to the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) file made after the release of preliminary results in August 2007. Revisions and additions to the 2006 CFOI counts result from the identification of new cases and the revision of existing cases based on source documents received after the release of preliminary results.

A table summarizing the results of the update process appears on the next page. Among the important changes resulting from the updates:

The revised fatality total for 2006 represents a 2 percent increase over the final 2005 total. The preliminary results released in August 2007 showed a decline in the number of cases. The higher fatality rate resulting from the revision indicates that the fatal work injury rate in 2006 was unchanged from the 2005 fatality rate.
Fatal work injuries incurred by Hispanic or Latino workers rose by 53 cases from the preliminary figure, bringing the total number for that worker group to 990 fatal work injuries. The higher number of fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers also pushed the rate of fatal injury for that worker group to 5.0 per 100,000 employed workers, up from the previously reported rate of 4.7 per 100,000 employed workers for 2006. In 2005, 923 Hispanic workers were fatally injured on the job and the rate of fatal injury among Hispanic workers in 2005 was 4.9 per 100,000 employed workers.
The number of fatal work injuries involving foreign-born workers increased from 997 cases to 1,046 cases as a result of the updates. Of the 1,046 cases involving foreign-born workers, 667 involved Hispanic or Latino workers. Both the foreign-born total and the Hispanic or Latino
foreign-born total were new highs for the series.
Fatal occupational injuries in California increased by 89 cases from the preliminary figure. As a result of the increase, California surpassed Texas as the State with the highest number of fatal work injuries in 2006. The totals for Oregon (up by 15), Georgia (9), and Florida (5) also increased. Overall, 15 States revised the counts upward as a result of the update process.
In terms of occupations, the largest revision in fatalities was in transportation and material moving occupations (up by 38 fatalities), followed by construction and extraction occupations (15 fatalities).
The industry sectors reporting the largest increases in fatal work injuries due to updates were transportation and warehousing (28 new cases), government (19), construction (13), and accommodation and food services (12).

The CFOI Program has compiled a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. since 1992 by using diverse data sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal work injuries. For more information, see chapter 9 of the BLS Handbook of Methods, available online at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch9_a1.htm.

Revisions to the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) File (pdf)

Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Designation Review

The Region VI PDC in Myrtle Beach, SC in September 2008 will be offering a two day ARM Review Class as a pre-conference session. Go to www.asse-region6.org for more information. The following article provides a quick overview of the ARM Designation.

Each day, your organization faces risks related to corporate governance, cyber-liability, terrorism, workers’ compensation, and more. And ever-increasing regulations and litigation only compound these risks. The Associate in Risk Management (ARM) certification (designation) can help safety professionals gain a better understanding of insurance, liability, and risk exposures.

This three part process is sponsored by the American Institute for CPCU and the Insurance Institute of America. Working together, these organizations promote the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation program. However, even as a stand-alone certification, the ARM shows you have knowledge in the field. The tests are eighty-five computer-administered, objective (multiple-choice) questions taken within the 2 hour allotted time period.

The three exams of the ARM are:

ARM 54—Risk Assessment: Risk Management Programs; The Risk Management Process; Legal Foundations of Liability Loss Exposures; Assessing Property, Liability, Personnel, and Net Income Loss Exposures; Management Liability and Corporate Governance; Forecasting; Cash Flow Analysis.
ARM 55—Risk Control: Controlling Property, Personnel, Liability, and Net Income Loss Exposures; Intellectual Property Loss Exposures; Criminal Loss Exposures; Disaster Recovery for Property Loss Exposures; Understanding Claim Administration; Fleet Operations Loss Exposures; Environmental Loss Exposures; Understanding System Safety; Motivating and Monitoring Risk Control Activities.
ARM 56—Risk Financing: Insurance as a Risk Financing Technique; Reinsurance and Self-Insurance; Retrospective Rating Plans and Captive Insurance Companies; Finite and Integrated Risk Insurance Plans; Capital Market Products; Forecasting Accidental Losses; Accounting and Income Tax Aspects; Claim Administration; and Allocating Risk Management Costs.

For those in the public sector, there is a new "add-on" designation for public entities. Once you obtain the ARM, the ARM-P designation includes studying additional materials in the Risk Management for Public Entities course and passing another test.

Go to www.aicpcu.org for information on the ARM designation process and plan to attend the ASSE Region VI PDC in Myrtle Beach, SC on September 15-19, 2008. Go to www.asse-region6.org for more information on the PDC.

News & Information

Safety Alert: Anhydrous Ammonia & Propane Cylinders

ASSE Officer Central Security Protocols Changed

Revisions to the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries File

Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Designation Review

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