In the last couple of weeks there have been two derailments of trains carrying crude oil, one in Virginia on April 30 and one in Colorado on May 9. These incidents are just the latest in a string of accidents that began last summer when a runaway oil train carrying Bakken crude derailed and exploded in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, killing 47 …
RFA Offers Updated Ethanol Emergency Response Guide
There is an updated version of “The Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response,” prepared by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFS) available for use. The resource was developed to give first responders, hazmat teams, and safety personnel in-depth and accurate information on proper training techniques when responding to an ethanol-related emergency. The training guide has been used at Ethanol Safety Seminars …
RFA Honored for Emergency Readiness Training
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) was honored today with the “2012 TRANSCAER® National Achievement Award,” at the Association of American Railroads/Bureau of Explosives HazMat Seminar in Addison, Texas. RFA received the award for its commitment to the goals of TRANSCAER® and for its role in educating communities on how to handle chemical transportation emergencies. TRANSCAER® (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency …
Ethanol Safety Seminar Offered by RFA
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), along with Norfolk Southern Corp., CN Railway and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) will co-host an Ethanol Safety Seminar on August 22nd in Decatur, IL. The free seminar will give first responders, hazmat personnel, safety teams and the general public in-depth information on proper training techniques needed to effectively respond to an ethanol-related emergency. “Ethanol …
Ethanol Safety Training in Iowa
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), CN Railway and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association are co-hosting two Ethanol Safety Seminars in Iowa this week. The Dubuque, IA seminar will be held Wednesday at the Dubuque County Emergency Responder Training Facility, also co-hosted by Big River United Energy. The Waterloo, IA seminar will be held Thursday at the Hawkeye Community College, also …
Ethanol Safety Training in Chattanooga
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Norfolk Southern Corp., and Tate & Lyle will co-host a free Ethanol Safety Seminar in Chattanooga, TN on April 18th at the Chattanooga Fire Department Training Center. The goal of this seminar is for attendees to gain a full ethanol emergency response training experience that they can put to use immediately in the field as …
Record Attendance at Ethanol Safety Seminar
Nearly 160 emergency personnel, first responders, hazmat teams, safety managers, and local emergency planning committee members attended an ethanol safety seminar in Forsyth, Georgia this week. The free seminar was co-hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Norfolk Southern Corp., and Motiva Enterprises to provide in-depth information on proper training techniques for responding to ethanol-related emergencies. Several more are planned …
PSM Most Cited Ethanol Plant Hazard
In 2010, process safety management (PSM) was the most common cited hazard at ethanol plants by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). The data was published by Albert Patin with South Dakota State University. This year PSM citations are appearing to be on the same course as OSHA has been arriving unexpectedly at ethanol plants across the country assessing fines. …
How to Engage Your Employees in Safety
To have a profitable business you need to operate safely while producing a high quality product. You can produce a high quality product but if your employees are getting hurt while you’re doing this, you’re not going to be in business long. So it’s important that you engage your employees into your safety program from top to bottom. And that’s …
Tips For Methanol Safe Handling
Chemicals are an everyday part of operating a biorefinery facility as we learned in Part 1 of Biorefinery Safety Series. Chemicals are also an integral part of biodiesel production. Therefore, it is vitally important that all employees at a biodiesel facility, whether a large operation on a small backyard operation, learn, practice and live safe methanol handling techniques. So today, …