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E-NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE - November 2010
Industry News
ABS Consulting Verifies Design and Construction of Capsules Used to Hoist Miners to Safety
The rescue of 33 men from the San Jose Mine in Chile on October 12-13 was a proud moment for the office of ABS Consulting in Chile, which verified the safety of the capsules.
Engineer Lionel Doren performed the risk assessment of the capsule used to bring the miners to the surface. ASMAR Naval Shipyard designed and built the rescue cage, dubbed FENIX after the bird signifying new life. Although a single capsule was used in the rescue, three cages had been manufactured as a backup in case of a problem. ABS Consulting utilized the "what-if" technique on all capsules during the risk assessment process.
Each capsule stood nearly 10 feet tall but had interior space of barely over 6 feet in height and about 21 inches in diameter. The pods, which weigh more than 900 pounds each, arrived at the mine on September 25, almost two months after the mine had collapsed.
The workers were trapped about 2,300 feet below ground when the San Jose Mine collapsed August 5. The copper and gold mine is located near Copiapo in Chile's northern Atacama desert. The mine is owned by Compañia Minera San Esteban Primera, a private Chilean company.
ABS Consulting Chile is active in the Latin America mining market and has a strong relationship with the Chilean government. Following the mine collapse, representatives of the safety, risk and integrity management company met with government officials to contribute our expertise to the international rescue effort.
"Congratulations to the families of the 33 men rescued from the San Jose Mine," said Sergio Ostornol, Regional Manager for ABS Consulting, Chile. "ABS Consulting is proud to have played a role in the rescue of these brave men. Looking forward, we hope to utilize our expertise to contribute to enhanced safety regulations in the Chilean mining industry as well as other Latin American countries and build a region that epitomizes one of the safest operations in the world."
For more information, visit www.absconsulting.com.
ABS Consulting Holds Project Quality Management Workshop
ABS Consulting is pleased to present a complimentary project quality management (PQM) workshop on November 17, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Omni Houston Hotel at Westside. This workshop will include lunch. The following topics will be discussed:
- Understanding the Importance of PQM on Capital Projects
- Methodologies for PQM Implementation
- Challenges in Implementing PQM
- Best Practices in PQM
To register, contact Cynthia Middleton by phone at (281) 673-2742 or by e-mail at cmiddleton@absconsulting.com.
OSHA Issues Continuance for CNEP Directive 10-05 (CPL 02)
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently extended the National Emphasis Program for chemical facilities (CNEP) directive until publication of a permanent directive for PSM-covered chemical plants. In July 2009, OSHA launched the pilot CNEP (CPL 02-09-06), which calls for programmed inspections of facilities covered by the PSM regulations in Regions 1, 7, and 10. View the official extension notice.
The directive also includes unprogrammed inspections in all regions. Although facilities in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) are exempt from programmed inspections, they are not exempt from unprogrammed inspections. Their VPP recertification audits now include evaluation against the demanding CNEP questions.
In June of this year, OSHA had opened 90 CNEP inspections with an average of 7.5 violations per inspection and 52 percent of inspections outside the pilot region. During the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center International Symposium on October 27, Jordan Barab of OSHA related that 136 inspections have resulted in an average of 9 violations per inspection. View the speech.
ABS Consulting can provide customized services to help prepare you for the NEP inspection for chemical facilities. For more information, contact Cynthia Middleton at cmiddleton@absconsulting.com.
VISIT US!
PowerGen International
December 14-16, 2010
Orlando, FL
Booth #4659
FEATURED ABS CONSULTING TRAINING COURSES
Environmental Compliance Bootcamp
December 6-10, 2010 - Courtyard by Marriott - Orlando, FL
January 24-28, 2011 - Holiday Inn Bayside - San Diego, CA
This granddaddy of environmental bootcamp courses helps both those new to the environmental field and those who need a refresher learn about the major environmental laws and regulations, including Clean Air, Clean Water, RCRA, Superfund, EPCRA, PCBs, asbestos, underground and aboveground storage tanks, storm water, and spill prevention, as well as gain insight into environmental audits and inspections.
Root Cause Analysis and Incident Investigation
December 6-8, 2010 - Hilton Garden Inn - Las Vegas, NV
Learn state-of-the-art techniques that have been proven throughout industry for performing incident investigations and root cause analyses. Realistic examples and workshops are used to help you practice your new skills. You also receive a toolkit with checklists, forms, and guides to help you perform investigations.
DISCOUNT OF THE MONTH
Attend one of our public course offerings to get a first-hand view of how our courses can help your personnel. If you like what you see and hear and you schedule an onsite offering of the same course at your facility within 6 months, we will credit the cost of the public course against the onsite course fee. No training discounts apply to the Certified ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor Training courses. Discounts may not be combined with other discounts. Click here for details.
Upcoming Courses: November 2010 - December 2010
*Take two or more courses during the same week to SAVE! Combination options are highlighted. View the course calendar for a complete list of courses.
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISO 9001 Internal Auditor |
Environmental Compliance Bootcamp |
Combined Course: Certified ISO 14001 / OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor** |
Certified ISO 14001 Lead Auditor** |
PROCESS SAFETY
Process Hazard Analysis Leader |
Root Cause Analysis and Incident Investigation |
QUALITY
ISO 9001 Internal Auditor |
SAFETY
Certified OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor** |
MARINE
Integrated Internal Auditor ISO, OHSAS** |
Internal Audit and Nonconformity Report Writing** |
Maritime RCA / Incident Investigation |
Tanker Management and Self-Assessment (TMSA) Awareness** |
ISM Code Internal Auditor |
Orientation to Classification Surveys and Engineering Requirements** |
Risk Assessment** |
We're sure you'll be satisfied with the content of our courses. If you're not, tell us why in a brief letter, and we will credit your investment toward another course.
**No training discounts apply.
For more information...
Contact ABS Consulting directly via e-mail, telephone, or fax...
traininginfo@absconsulting.com | Tel: 1-800-769-1199 | Fax: 1-281-673-2931
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