In June 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced its assessment of a $940 thousand fine against a Chevron subsidiary, stemming from a fatal explosion in 2014. The DEP found the company had violated several laws, some of which contributed to the explosion that killed a contractor. The fine is one of the largest in DEP’s history, and one could assume it’s intended to be a warning to othe...
If you commute by train, you may need to find another way to get to the office next year. December 31, 2015, is the deadline for railroads to complete upgrades required by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The act requires railroads to install positive train control (PTC) systems that slow or stop trains to avoid derailment and train-to-train collisions. Railroads that fail to complete PTC upgrades this year face...
Chimney fires can be sudden and explosive, or long-lasting smoldering fires that either burn out or seep through masonry to ignite a home’s wood frame. Homeowners may be unaware of small fires that occur high in a chimney, and those fires could undermine the structural integrity of the chimney, increasing the risk of a serious fire. Each year, chimneys cause about 24,000 fires nationwide. The reasons chimneys fail are...
In July, a West Chester University employee tested positive for Legionnaire’s disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. A subsequent investigation found “higher-than-acceptable” levels of the bacteria in eight campus buildings. When an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease occurs, it can usually be traced to some industrial or professional setting, where improperly maintained plumbing or coo...
Once, asbestos was a substance commonly encountered in a wide range of occupations. It was used to insulate pipes and boilers; as fireproofing; in ship construction, cement making, automotive brake manufacture, and others. This changed in the 1970s, when exposure to asbestos fibers was found to cause mesothelioma (a form of lung cancer) and other lung-related diseases. Although asbestos is banned from use in new products, ...