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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 5:55:40 AM
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (13 articles)
SAGINAW CHEMICAL INCIDENT SENDS 3 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, injury, sodium_bicarbonate, sulfuric_acid
HAZMAT TEAM HANDLES SMALL CHEMICAL SPILL AT SCHOOL
Tags: us_IL, education, release, injury, chlorine, cleaners
CHEMDESIGN, MARINETTE MARINE WORKERS EVACUATED DUE TO LEAK
Tags: us_WI, industrial, release, injury, ammonia, pharmaceutical
SOUTH TYNESIDE DISTRICT HOSPITAL LAB CLEARED IN CHEMICAL ALERT
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, release, injury, formaldehyde, nitric_acid, wastes
CHEMICAL FIRE RESTRICTS GOLDEN EARS BRIDGE ACCESS, LEAVES ONE INJURED (WITH VIDEO)
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, injury, oils
SPEEDWAY COMPLIANCE AN ISSUE AFTER FUEL FIRE
Tags: Canada, industrial, follow-up, response, biodiesel
UPDATE: CLEANUP UNDER WAY AFTER AUSTINTOWN SPILL
Tags: us_OH, public, release, environmental, paints
FIRE CHIEF: LAUNDRY SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTS
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, other_chemical
WORKER HOSPITALIZED FOR CHEMICAL BURNS
Tags: us_RI, industrial, release, injury, pool_chemicals
"FIRE IN THE SKY" OVER HOPEWELL PLANT
Tags: us_VA, industrial, release, response, nitrogen_oxide
EIGHT CHEMICAL BOMBS FOUND IN PALATINE
Tags: public, discovery, response, bomb, bleach
GLOBAL DIAPER SHORTAGE COULD FOLLOW JAPANESE CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: Japan, industrial, follow-up, response, plastics
'BLACK SMOKE TO A FIREBALL'
Tags: Canada, transportation, explosion, response, biodiesel, diesel, methanol
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SAGINAW CHEMICAL INCIDENT SENDS 3 TO HOSPITAL
http://www.wsgw.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=1&item_id=3551
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, injury, sodium_bicarbonate, sulfuric_acid
Chemical fumes that escaped at the Thompson Aerospace Plant in Saginaw sent three people to the hospital Monday morning. Saginaw firefighters were called to the plant on North Hamilton Street for reports of a hazardous materials incident shortly before 10:00 a.m.
Firefighters say a mixture of muratic acid and residue from sulfuric acid being transferred from a 55 gallon drum into a 200 gallon tank caused some eye and skin irritation after about five gallons were poured.
The three people were treated at Covenant Healthcare for non, life-threatening injuries. A team from Young's Environmental Clean Up, assisted by Saginaw firefighters, used a sodium bicarbonate or essentially a "baking soda" solution to resolve the situation.
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HAZMAT TEAM HANDLES SMALL CHEMICAL SPILL AT SCHOOL
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x670730084/Hazmat-team-handles-small-chemical-spill-at-school
Tags: us_IL, education, release, injury, chlorine, cleaners
PEORIA Ñ
A janitor at Rolling Acres Middle School on Tuesday accidentally mixed toilet cleaner with what was believed to be chlorine residue, prompting a response by the Peoria Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Response Team.
Firefighters responded just before 3 p.m. as children were being let out for the day and had the spill cleaned up within an hour.
The janitor suffered minor injuries and was taken to Proctor Hospital, according to Battalion Chief Tom Carr, but no students or faculty were harmed.
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CHEMDESIGN, MARINETTE MARINE WORKERS EVACUATED DUE TO LEAK
http://www.wbay.com/story/19715499/2012/10/03/290-employees-evacuated-from-marinette-chemical-plant
Tags: us_WI, industrial, release, injury, ammonia, pharmaceutical
Nearly 300 employees were evacuated during a chemical leak at a plant in Marinette Tuesday evening.
Authorities say an ammonia-based product, called 1,1-Dimethoxy-N,N-dimethyl methanamine, was released at ChemDesign Corp., which, according to its web site, is a custom chemical manufacturer.
Marinette County dispatch received a call about an odor just after 6 p.m., and the Marinette Fire Department and county Hazardous Materials Response Team responded and tested the air.
The plant is near Marinette Marine, where some workers complained of nausea and a headache. No one sought medical treatment, but as a precaution the entire second shift was sent home early and operations were suspended.
According to the fire chief, the light winds helped keep the chemical from spreading, and the chemical leak was confined to those two companies' properties.
....
According to MatWeb, an engineering materials database, the chemical involved in Tuesday's leak is used for the production of pharmaceuticals. It has an ether-like odor and breaks down in water.
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SOUTH TYNESIDE DISTRICT HOSPITAL LAB CLEARED IN CHEMICAL ALERT
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/10/03/south-tyneside-district-hospital-lab-cleared-in-chemical-alert-61634-31956081/
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, release, injury, formaldehyde, nitric_acid, wastes
TWO firefighters and a laboratory assistant were yesterday taken to hospital after a chemical alert in the same building.
The incident happened in the histopathology department of South Tyneside District Hospital, after two chemicals reacted with each other, producing nitrous oxide gas.
Fire crews arrived at the building in Harton Lane, South Shields, at around 12.13pm yesterday and went inside wearing breathing apparatus.
They placed the chemicals into oversized drums and took them outside, where a 30m exclusion zone had been set up, to allow the gases to evaporate naturally.
....
A spokesman from the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said the incident involved formalin and nitric acid, which were in 500ml containers and were accidentally mixed.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL FIRE RESTRICTS GOLDEN EARS BRIDGE ACCESS, LEAVES ONE INJURED (WITH VIDEO)
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/injured+Langley+chemical+fire+with+video/7333743/story.html
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, injury, oils
METRO VANCOUVER -- One person was airlifted to hospital in serious condition and traffic headed to the Golden Ears Bridge was snarled Tuesday afternoon as fire crews battled an industrial chemical fire on Langley's northern border with Surrey.
The victim was transported to Vancouver General Hospital according to British Columbia Ambulance Service spokeswoman Kelsie Carwithen.
The three-alarm fire started around 2:30 p.m. after an accident caused a blast that triggered multiple chemical explosions at 9807 196 A St., Langley RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Holly Marks confirmed.
The company, Ken Johnson Trucking Ltd., trucks chemicals, lubricating oils, asphalt and special waste around Western Canada and the United States, according to its website.
---------------------------------------------
SPEEDWAY COMPLIANCE AN ISSUE AFTER FUEL FIRE
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/speedway-compliance-an-issue-after-fuel-fire-172417911.html
Tags: Canada, industrial, follow-up, response, biodiesel
An explosive industrial fire on the edge of a residential neighbourhood in St. Boniface has raised questions about the storage of highly volatile chemicals at a city biodiesel facility.
About 100 residences and businesses were forced to evacuate on Monday due to the risk of further explosions from a massive fire at Speedway International at 40 Nicolas St.
The facility is the only business in Winnipeg with a provincial licence to manufacture biodiesel and fire officials initially estimated there were 400,000 litres of flammable chemicals at the site, including methanol, biodiesel and racing fluid.
Provincial cabinet spokesman Jean-Marc Prevost confirmed late Tuesday Manitoba Conservation and the Office of the Fire Commissioner are investigating whether Speedway International complied with provincial fuel-storage regulations.
---------------------------------------------
UPDATE: CLEANUP UNDER WAY AFTER AUSTINTOWN SPILL
http://www.wytv.com/content/news/local/story/UPDATE-Cleanup-Under-Way-After-Austintown-Spill/w4BJhQpjo0GnJbFpHyookg.cspx
Tags: us_OH, public, release, environmental, paints
Ohio EPA representatives worked along side firefighters from Youngstown and Austintown and field crews from the Mahoning County Sanitary Engineering Department to quickly stop, and then clean up, a paint by-product from contaminating about a mile of creek.
Crews quickly built a dam to stop an unknown amount of paint primer from flowing further down the creek, which eventually flows to Mill Creek Park.
"It's heavier than water, so it's sitting on the bottom of the stream bed, so what we've done is we built a dam so we can have a collection point for the material," said interim Austintown Fire Chief Andy Frost.
"Called check dams, or overflow, so it dams up a little bit of water, the clean water overflows and keeps moving down, and this material settles out along the bottom," said Kurt Kollar, a member of the Ohio EPA emergency response team.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE CHIEF: LAUNDRY SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTS
http://tarrytown.patch.com/articles/fire-chief-laundry-spontaneously-combusts
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, other_chemical
The Beekman Coin Laundry was smoked out Sunday when chemicals in a dryer caused the machine to spontaneously combust, Sleepy Hollow Fire Department reported.
By Krista Madsen Email the author October 1, 2012
Email Print Comment
A batch of rags with some sort of chemical on it spontaneously combusted in the Beekman Coin Laundry at 88 Beekman Avenue Sunday afternoon, causing the Sleepy Hollow Fire Department to evacuate upstairs tenants for about an hour and temporarily shut down the business.
"It looked a lot worse than it was," said Fire Chief John Korzelius, describing "lots of smoke" in the business from a fire that was "basically contained to the dryer."
Korzelius spoke to the owner of the laundromat who said it wasn't uncommon for someone to have a lighter left in a pocket or a laborer to have a substance on dirty rags that might ignite in the hot temperature of the dryer. The men checked out the back of the machine and didn't find evidence of any mechanical problem.
---------------------------------------------
WORKER HOSPITALIZED FOR CHEMICAL BURNS
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/providence/north-providence-worker-hospitalized-for-chemical-burns
Tags: us_RI, industrial, release, injury, pool_chemicals
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- A man in North Providence has been hospitalized after being exposed to raw chlorine.
According to the North Providence fire chief, the Modern Pool employee received a chemical burn from the chlorine, which was released after a pressure valve let go.
He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital to be treated. We've also learned that some firefighters were also being evaluated, and both OSHA and the DEM were called to the scene.
---------------------------------------------
"FIRE IN THE SKY" OVER HOPEWELL PLANT
http://www.nbc12.com/story/19687978/chemical-release-creates-yellow-cloud-over-hopewell
Tags: us_VA, industrial, release, response, nitrogen_oxide
HOPEWELL, VA (WWBT) -
An unusual, orange cloud floating ominously over the Honeywell plant in Hopewell startled many nearby residents.
Honeywell plant officials say it was an unexpected burst of nitrogen oxide. Spokesman John McCarthy says that nitrogen oxide is also emitted by cars, and the cloud doesn't pose a health risk.
However, this sudden "burp" of nitrogen oxide had people nearby very concerned.
Mike Williams says he was fishing nearby, when he noticed the orange gas floating above.
"It scared me because I didn't know what it was. I almost started to run," said Williams. He snapped a picture with his cell phone. Many viewers also sent NBC12 pictures of the startling scene.
The 84-year-old plant went into emergency mode. The factory's sirens rang out. Employees were told to stay put, as "shelter-in-place" mode went into effect.
---------------------------------------------
EIGHT CHEMICAL BOMBS FOUND IN PALATINE
http://arlingtonheights.patch.com/articles/several-chemical-bombs-found-in-palatine
Tags: public, discovery, response, bomb, bleach
The Cook County Bomb Squad disarmed and removed eight chemical bombs from a courtyard at Randville Condominiums in Palatine Sunday, police said.
According to the Palatine Police Department, filled with bleach, the eight "Macgyver type bombs," or homemade chemical bombs were found around the courtyard behind the condominium at 1116 E. Randville Drive, less than one mile from Palatine High School.
A nearby resident spotted one of the devices and called 911 Sunday about 1:15 p.m. Deputy Fire Chief William Gabrenya said firefighters from a distance were able to confirm the presence of several devices in the courtyard of Randville Condominiums and verified the potential hazard of the chemical bombs.
---------------------------------------------
GLOBAL DIAPER SHORTAGE COULD FOLLOW JAPANESE CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION
http://www.examiner.com/article/global-diaper-shortage-could-follow-japanese-chemical-plant-explosion
Tags: Japan, industrial, follow-up, response, plastics
A global diaper shortage could follow a chemical plant explosion that took place on Sat., Sept. 29, 2012 in Himeji, Japan. Nippon Shokubai Co. owns the chemical plant, which is one of largest producers of acrylic acid in the world. Unfortunately, acrylic acid happens to be one of the main components of disposable diapers. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) that contain acrylic acid are used in disposable diapers because of their ability to absorb liquid.
According to an Oct. 1, 2012 Fox News report, "[Nippon Shokubai spokesman Akira] Kurusu said the company had already reached out to other producers to make sure their clients' needs are met, but said he could not comment on whether the plant closure in Japan would affect global costs and supply."
---------------------------------------------
'BLACK SMOKE TO A FIREBALL'
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/black-smoke-to-a-fireball-172235631.html
Tags: Canada, transportation, explosion, response, biodiesel, diesel, methanol
An explosive blaze at a St. Boniface fuel company prompted Winnipeg fire crews to evacuate nearby homes and shut down several city blocks in an attempt to contain a massive chemical inferno.
The fire broke out at Speedway International Inc. at 40 Nicolas Ave. in St. Boniface around 5:30 p.m. on Monday. It didn't take long before a thick, black plume of smoke billowed from the intense flames. Speedway International sells high-octane fuel to racers, and fire officials estimated there was upwards of 400,000 litres of explosive chemicals on site, including methanol and diesel fuel.
A train line runs directly to Speedway to transport chemicals to and from the St. Boniface facility. Firefighters were concerned railcars stopped near the plant contained potentially explosive liquids.
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Chief Reid Douglas said fire crews could not get close enough to the fire to fight it offensively and backed off before a massive explosion occurred around 6:30 p.m. Douglas said a truck tanker containing 75,000 litres of methanol caught fire and exploded, sending flames 800 metres into the sky. After that, he said, about 55 firefighters went into "defensive mode" and established a perimeter to close off access to the blaze and keep any curious onlookers from getting too close.
Residents within an 800-metre radius were told to leave their homes due to the threat of explosions, should the wind shift and one of the tankers catch fire, Douglas said.
Late Monday, Douglas said the department's biggest concern was the risk of more explosions.
Two railcars adjacent to the building each contain 100,000 litres of fuel -- one with biodiesel and one with methanol, he said.
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