About Mike Schmidt

With a career in the CPI that began in 1977 with Union Carbide, Mike was profoundly impacted by the 1984 tragedy in Bhopal and has been working on process safety ever since.

Hot Work Permits: Has the EPA Created a New Fire Hazard?

“Paper doesn’t save people. People save people.”  — Dan Peterson I don’t know anyone in a regulated community that likes regulations. Some may accept them because they bring clarity in a confusing situation, but no one likes them. Even with the best of intentions, someone that must comply with a lot of regulations worries that [...]

Déjà Vu at BioLab: What Can We All Learn?

“If they knew it was water-reactive, why did they store it in a warehouse with automatic sprinklers?”  — Chris Schmidt, retired pre-school teacher Wikipedia is a “go-to” source for quick information. Regarding the fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, however, it has this disclaimer: “Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and [...]

By |2024-10-04T18:30:49-05:00October 3rd, 2024|Chemicals, Current Events|0 Comments

Restarting a Plant: Do You Really Need a PSSR?

“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”  — Carl Bard Constellation Energy just signed a 20-year deal with Microsoft to provide clean energy—or at least carbon-free energy—from Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant. The plan is [...]

By |2024-09-26T10:30:31-05:00September 26th, 2024|Chemicals, Current Events, PHA, Process Safety, Process Safety Management, Workplace Safety|Comments Off on Restarting a Plant: Do You Really Need a PSSR?

Process Safety: Proper Maintenance is Essential

“If at any time [federal] inspectors identify something that needs to be addressed, our team does so immediately.”  — Elizabeth Ward, company spokesperson for Boar’s Head Provision Co. I was once a Scoutmaster. One of the most coveted items that my younger Scouts could earn was the Totin’ Chip, which granted them the right to [...]

By |2024-09-19T08:23:35-05:00September 19th, 2024|Current Events, Process Safety, Process Safety Management|Comments Off on Process Safety: Proper Maintenance is Essential

Improving Safety: Lessons from Blue Food

“Did you ever notice, there’s no blue food? Whenever I say that, people say, ‘Ha! What about blueberries?’ But no-o-o…blueberries are purple.”  — George Carlin My wife loves blue food. She has George Carlin to thank for that. It’s not because George Carlin’s comedy convinced my wife to love blue food. It’s because George Carlin’s [...]

By |2024-09-12T11:37:41-05:00September 12th, 2024|Process Safety, Workplace Safety|Comments Off on Improving Safety: Lessons from Blue Food

Unusual Process Hazards: Manhole Covers

“If I had a nickel for every time this happened, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. Right?”  — Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirz Friends and acquaintances recently flooded my inbox with stories about a series of sewer explosions near the north riverfront of St. Louis. It launched several [...]

By |2024-09-05T13:59:57-05:00September 5th, 2024|Chemicals, Current Events, Process Safety|1 Comment

Complacency: What Can Be Done About It?

“You need to have redesign because familiarity breeds a kind of complacency.”  — Timothy White When a hazardous incident occurs, we often hear a single word offered as an explanation: “Complacency.”  Maybe it’s true, but is it helpful? You will never hear someone come to the defense of complacency. Complacency is universally regarded as undesirable. [...]

By |2024-08-29T08:41:18-05:00August 29th, 2024|Process Safety, Process Safety Management, Workplace Safety|Comments Off on Complacency: What Can Be Done About It?

Sugar, Sugar: Fake News About a Chemical Hazard

“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”  — Groucho Marx My doctor is trying to help me identify a food sensitivity that has been causing me health problems. His list of potential culprits includes sweeteners, and he has advised against any artificial sweetener and [...]

By |2024-08-22T18:36:03-05:00August 22nd, 2024|Chemicals, Process Safety|Comments Off on Sugar, Sugar: Fake News About a Chemical Hazard

Vader: Killed in the Line of Duty

“The love of a dog is a pure thing. He gives you a trust which is total. You must not betray it.”  — Michel Houellebecq A week ago, Vader, a police dog in the Arnold Police Department (APD), died from heat exhaustion after his handler found him in a hot patrol vehicle. Arnold is a [...]

By |2024-08-08T08:45:37-05:00August 8th, 2024|Current Events, Process Safety, Workplace Safety|Comments Off on Vader: Killed in the Line of Duty

Work-related Fatality Rates: How Low Is Low Enough?

“If you don’t get better, staying the same is probably not good enough.”  — Chris Mullen If a bowler always—always—bowls a perfect 300, they are as good as a bowler can be. If other bowlers also develop that level of skill, they cannot beat a perfect 300. The best they can do is tie. There [...]

By |2024-05-02T13:22:32-05:00May 2nd, 2024|Workplace Safety|Comments Off on Work-related Fatality Rates: How Low Is Low Enough?
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