You may not be able to see radiation, but you’re probably aware that it can be deadly in high doses. Many people who came of age during the Cold War have a strong fear of nuclear weapons. And when a tsunami crippled Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant nearly a decade ago, leading to one of the largest accidental releases of …

Storage tanks of a variety of shapes and sizes can be found in all sorts of industries. While we typically associate storage tanks with refineries and other petrochemical-related facilities, you’ll see them at nearly every type of production facility. They may hold diesel fuel for a company’s vehicles, purified water for food processing, plastic pellets for injection molding, or chemicals …

It doesn’t matter whether you work in an urban, suburban, or rural setting. Look around, and you’ll see that electric power transmission lines are a familiar part of the landscape. From the wood poles that deliver service local customers, to the giant towers carrying high-voltage, high-tension conductors around the nation’s power grid, power lines also present a significant hazard to …

It’s May in Indianapolis and that means one thing, the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500! The Vine to Zero is thrilled to have the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Doug Boles, sit down and share in this electric and exciting time of year. Doug and Randy touch on the ever evolving safety of guests and drivers, the magnitude …

Mold is all around us and can be an important part of life. People have found ways to use mold. For example, one of the most common antibiotics, penicillin, was developed from mold. And if you’ve ever wondered what gives blue cheese its distinctive color, it’s the mold that spreads through the cheese as it ages. Mold can also cause …

Squeezing a volume of air into a smaller space dramatically increases its pressure. That’s the remarkably simple concept behind today’s air compressors, which pressurize to power everything from paint guns to impact wrenches and much more. This powerful process is usually very safe, as long as the right procedures are being used. The most important procedure is making sure that …

More than a couple decades ago, I began my service as an Emergency Medical Technician. In those days, colleagues viewed blood-splattered clothes as a badge of pride, because they indicated you had been through a very busy shift with especially tough calls. Blood and dirt were signs you had been busy saving lives. You’d wash up and wait for the …

The business world has more access to detailed data than ever before, and companies are using what’s come to be known as “big data” to be more competitive, more efficient, and more profitable. By applying the science of analytics to their data, managers can more accurately predict the outcomes of decisions they make. For example, a fast-food chain can determine exactly …

From time to time, industrial facilities need to undergo major repairs or renovations. They can involve everything from retooling to accommodate a new product line, to replacement of key components as part of a preventive maintenance effort, to the installation of new environmental controls, to a complete overhaul of the entire operation. When faced with major changes, the managers of …

From an early age, we’re taught that discussing certain bodily functions is generally considered to be inappropriate. Although everyone has a need to use restroom facilities several times each day as part of their general health, most people find the topic either embarrassing or disgusting. As a result, talking about this reality is something many people choose to avoid. But …