I chose Scenario 3, the safety issues at the biodiesel manufacturing plant. Lacking technical knowledge I quoted directly from 3 sources in the Safety Issue and the Prescriptions sections. Inherent in proper safety regarding large biodiesel manufacturing equipment are fire issues, safety equipment issues, and installation, storage and handling issues and I have added them to the Scenario. Each of the three sites I visited included information about this kind of safety for biodiesel manufacturing plants, not just safe operation of the equipment.
Vegetable Solutions Biodiesel Manufacturing Company has hired me to create asynchronous safety training modules because of a poor safety record.
According to a Biodiesel (methyl Soyate and Rapeseed Methyl Esters [soy and canola oil]) Safety Data Sheet within a Fact Sheet on Biodiesel technology, produced by the State of Oregon, safety concerns exist. The site indicates that these products do not contain hazardous materials but the chemicals are certainly combustible and are irritants.
Modules would address the first the safety issue and then the prescriptions suggested by the 3 sites I visited.
Following are distance learning technologies that I would use for developing my training.
| Safety Issue | Prescription |
| Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards | “Biodiesel soaked rags or spill absorbents (i.e. oil dry, polypropylene socks, sand, etc.) can cause spontaneous combustion if stored near combustibles and not handled properly. Store biodiesel soaked rags or spill absorbents in approved safety containers and dispose of properly. Oil soaked rags may be washed with soap and water and allowed to dry in well ventilated area. Firefighters should use self-contained breathing apparatus to avoid exposure to smoke and vapor.” (Manufacturing Biodiesel Fact Sheet, Oregon Energy Department, 2010) |
| Spills | “Remove sources of ignition, contain spill to smallest area possible. Stop leak if possible. Pick up small spills with absorbent materials and dispose of properly to avoid spontaneous combustion (see unusual fire and explosion hazards above). Recover large spills for salvage or disposal. Wash hard surfaces with safety solvent or detergent to remove remaining oil film. Greasy nature will result in a slippery surface.” (Manufacturing Biodiesel) |
| Storage and Handling | “Store in closed containers between 50°F and 120°F. Keep away from oxidizing agents, excessive heat, and ignition sources. Store and use in well ventilated areas. Do not store or use near heat, spark, or flame, store out of sun. Do not puncture, drag, or slide this container. Drum is not a pressure vessel; never use pressure to empty.” (Manufacturing Biodiesel) |
| Safety Gear Summary | “The following gear should be on hand each time you brew biodiesel: • Chemical-resistant gloves (butyl rubber is best for methanol and lye) • Chemistry goggles (indirect vented) • Face shield • Dust mask or cartridge respirator • Plumbed eyewash station • Small spray bottle with vinegar for neutralizing lye spills • Access to running water • Telephone in case of emergency and emergency telephone numbers • Fire extinguishers (20-lb ABC) • Absorbent material and spill-containment supplies” (Biodiesel Safety and Best Practices Management, 2010) |
| Best Practices for Employees | “Accidents tend to occur when operators are tired, distracted, or hurried. Producers are advised to work slowly and thoughtfully, and to avoid juggling too many tasks at once in the biodiesel plant. Temporary rigging of equipment and shortcuts are high-risk behaviors that often lead to unforeseen consequences.” (Biodiesel Safety and Best Practices Management, 2010) |
| Best Practices for Supervisors regarding installation of a “safety station” on the equipment floor of a biodiesel production facility. | “A comprehensive approach to safety begins with a whole-system consideration of all potential areas for risk, followed by thorough plans for accident prevention. As a backup, preparations should also be made for response to any accident that may occur. As a general rule, users should obtain and read a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for methanol and lye, and be familiar with the safety considerations for each chemical. A “best practice” is to create a clearly labeled “safety station” within the processing facility, where the MSDSs are kept readily accessible. This will allow workers and fire or emergency personnel to readily locate chemical safety information in case of an accident. It is recommended that small-scale producers contact their local fire station to advise them of the processing and chemical storage that may be occurring on site. This will serve to warn safety personnel for their protection in case of a fire, as well as to give fire officials a chance to help small-scale producers address any potential areas of concern. Those who are unwilling to invite fire safety personnel to their facility would do well to consider their ability to responsibly produce biodiesel without incident,” (Biodiesel Safety and Best Practices Management, 2010) |
| Best Practices for Safety for Manufacturing Equipment | Step by Step Module showing proper conversion of vegetable oils and lye in a “closed system” to eliminate escape of methanol vapors.Proper plumbing and electrical installation for safety in biodiesel manufacturing equipment, which can be just electric water. Best Practice Procedures: Ensuring that the equipment is monitored and turned off when not in use. Ensuring that the heating elements are turned off when methanol is added to the system. Ensuring that sealed processors are equipped with a temperature pressure-relief valve that is compatible with the tubing used to plumb the reactor. Proper venting in the manufacturing system and in the facility. Ensuring that proper equipment is used during installation. “When plumbing a reactor of any design, stainless-steel or black iron tubing should be used wherever possible, as they are most compatible with the chemicals involved in processing. Galvanized fittings and any copper parts will reduce the oxidization stability (shelf life) of biodiesel, while standard PVC tends to break down over time.” (Safety In Small Scale Bio-Diesel Production, 2010) |
One technology I would use for this would be distance learning created from iSpring. This would include creation of interactive quiz modules, that are stand-alone and created with Flash or Flash converted Power Point Presentation. iSpring even “delivers and manages e-learning content, get detailed reports on e-learning activity, manage users and organize classes.” General Electric and Sony are listed as featured customers. One positive review of this distance learning company is Online Learning 101: Part I, Authoring and Course Development Tools by Susan Landay, June 3, 2010 in www.elearnmag.org/. Another testimonial for iSpring comes from www.ieuga.org/conf2005/sessions.htm. This was a topic of a presentation of a conference in 2005: “Collaborative Manufacturing Using iSpring and Expandable Material supply processes are arguably one of the biggest areas of cost for manufacturers. David Ginsberg of Sonic Manufacturing describes how he minimizes procurement costs and reduces material inventory by practicing collaborative manufacturing using iSpring to facilitate approvals, manage exceptions, handle supplier response and perform alternate supplier checks.”
The other distance learning company I would choose would be Camcastia, as suggested by the Technology Resources section of Walden Univeristy. I would use it for making “videocasts” of SMEs from the Biodiesel company demonstrating step-by-step procedures addressing the safety problems and prescriptions listed above. I followed several links for customer input one site indicated that they successfully used Camcastia in their trainings, the link is: www.techsmith.com/camtasia/uses.asp
I also followed a link generated by Camcastia to Stanford University and their uses of this distance learning site. http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/casestudy/stanford.asp
www.iSpringSolutions.com
Safety in Small-Scale Biodiesel Production, 2010, in Farm Energy Home,
Biodiesel Safety and Best Management Practices for Small-ScaleNoncommercial Use and Production Pennsylvania State University Pamphlet, 2008,http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/agrs103.pdf
