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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, January 25, 2013 8:15:14 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 (12 articles)
PROJECT TRACKING FLOW OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS KICKS OFF IN WEST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN
Tags: us_WI, transportation, follow-up, response
SEN. LAUTENBERG INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REDUCE 'CATASTOPHIC RISK' AT CHEMICAL FACILITIES
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, follow-up, environmental
CHEMICAL LEAK AT PACE PLANT
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, injury, methylamine
RESIDENTS STILL HAVE QUESTIONS MONTHS AFTER CHEMICAL LAB EXPLOSION
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
UC DAVIS CHEMIST CHARGED WITH 10 FELONIES FOR EXPLOSION
Tags: us_CA, public, follow-up, injury, bomb, illegal
'HAZMAT' TEAM RESPONDS TO TRIPOLI ACID LEAK
Tags: us_IA, transportation, release, response, nitric_acid
7 HOSPITALIZED AS HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO SKYVIEW HIGH
Tags: us_WA, education, release, injury, ammonia, bleach
ROOSEVELT, UTAH NATURAL GAS WELL FIRE FORCES EVACUATIONS
Tags: us_ut, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas
FUMIGANT FIRE IN ELLENSBURG QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED
Tags: us_WA, public, fire, response, pesticides
OSLO, NORWAY GOAT CHEESE FIRE SHUTS DOWN ROAD TUNNEL
Tags: Norway, transportation, fire, response, milk
HEATING OIL CO. FINED FOR HAZMAT DISPOSAL VIOLATION
Tags: us_MA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, petroleum, waste
CENEX FINED $500K FOR TOXIC CHEMICAL FIRE NEAR MALTA
Tags: us_MT, public, fire, response, pesticides
---------------------------------------------
PROJECT TRACKING FLOW OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS KICKS OFF IN WEST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN
http://www.pricecountydaily.com/news/regional/article_1fb4a5b4-6574-11e2-9056-001a4bcf887a.html
Tags: us_WI, transportation, follow-up, response
In the rural reaches of West-Central Wisconsin, volunteer fire departments and law enforcement agencies are typically the first line of response in accidents involving hazardous materials.
National newsfeeds bring to life examples of the dangers that can await emergency services personnel in the aftermath of accidents involving these touchy commodities; fires, chemical-slicked roadways, the release of toxic vapors - they all can be part of the hazmat response equation.
A joint study of transportation infrastructure in Price, Polk, Burnett, Rusk, and Barron Counties aims to get a clearer picture of what potentially dangerous materials move through the region and leave local response teams better equipped to take on the special challenges that arise when dealing with hazmat-related accidents.
The Eau Claire based firm 5 Bugle Training & Consulting LLC is guiding counties through the project, fully funded by a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant. Estimates place the total cost of the project at around $20,000.
It's up to local first responders to secure the scene of hazmat-related accidents and provide whatever information they can to the responding regional hazmat team once they arrive, as Bruce Fuerbringer, owner of 5 Bugle, explained in the HMEP grant proposal.
One part of the study involves gauging hazmat response training levels of first responders in the five-county area and offering recommendations on additional training if necessary. The preparedness and response capabilities of county hazmat teams will also be assessed during the course of the approximately nine-month study period.
In the next part of the project, estimated to run from January-April, 5 Bugle will be conducting random traffic observations to collect data on the types of hazardous materials transported across the counties' major routes. Without dedicated truck routes and Interstate access, U.S. and state highways become the main corridors for transporting hazardous materials over the road in the region creating special safety considerations.
---------------------------------------------
SEN. LAUTENBERG INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REDUCE 'CATASTOPHIC RISK' AT CHEMICAL FACILITIES
http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2013/01/sen_lautenberg_introduces_legi.html
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, follow-up, environmental
Bills in the U.S. Senate meant to lessen the "catastrophic risk" associated with chemicals plants could be a step in protecting families and communities in South Jersey, according to U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg.
....
Lautenberg's bill Ñ The Secure Water Facilities Act and the Secure Chemical Facilities Act Ñ were sparked by a recent Environmental Protection Agency study that found there are 12,440 facilities in the United States putting people at risk of dangerous chemical exposure in the case of an accident or terrorist attack.
The bills would require chemical and water facilities to assess their vulnerability to attack, develop a plan to address those vulnerabilities and respond to an emergency and provide worker training to carry out those plans.
It will also require facilities that use dangerous chemicals to evaluate whether it can reduce the consequences of an attack by using a safer chemical or process and make those facilities implement those safety measures if feasible.
For South Jersey, which is surrounded by chemical plants in Delaware and Philadelphia, as well as those located within the area, this legislation is meant to protect the communities that could be at risk if something were to occur at one of these plants.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL LEAK AT PACE PLANT
http://www.northescambia.com/2013/01/chemical-leak-at-pace-plant
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, injury, methylamine
A chemical leak at Taminco Pace #4 plant located at 4575 U.S. Hwy. 90 was reported to Santa Rosa County Emergency Communications by the company at 7:18 Thursday morning. A shelter in place order was issued as a precautionary measure for the east side of the plant and the public alarm system or sirens were activated.
Two employees and one truck driver were triaged on site and transported in stable condition to West Florida Hospital for evaluation. One employee was taken to Santa Rosa Occupational Health. Two EMS workers were also being evaluated at West Florida.
The spill occurred during a rail transfer on company property and released DMA60, a methylamine-water mixture. The material released is used in pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals and water treatment chemicals. Taminco reports the situation was contained in approximately five minutes. The shelter in place notice was lifted at approximately 7:45 a.m. when an all clear message of the public alarm system was issued. No offsite impact was reported.
---------------------------------------------
RESIDENTS STILL HAVE QUESTIONS MONTHS AFTER CHEMICAL LAB EXPLOSION
http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/your-stories/residents-still-have-ques
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, follow-up, response, unknown_chemical
SLAUGHTER, LA (NBC33) Ñ Residents living behind the remains of the leveled Monolyte Laboratories in Slaughter say they're starting to get frustrated waiting for answers.
"What are we up against basically is what they're (residents) asking," Gil Causey, who lives near the ruined chemical lab, asked.
Causey lives just a few houses down from the ruins of the chemical lab, and said many of his neighbors will tell you they're often assaulted with a strong chemical odor. Causey maintains he hasn't had a problem with the smell for a while, but did add he is more concerned with problems his senses may not be able to detect.
"I don't know what all was in that plant, what was blowing up, what was releasing in to the atmosphere from the explosions. So yeah, I am a little uneasy," Causey added.
And whether residents complaints were chemical in nature or not, everyone can agree on one issue they want resolved, answers to their questions and the road in to their neighborhood re-opened.
---------------------------------------------
UC DAVIS CHEMIST CHARGED WITH 10 FELONIES FOR EXPLOSION
http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_22443439/uc-davis-chemist-charged-10-felonies-explosion
Tags: us_CA, public, follow-up, injury, bomb, illegal
The UC Davis chemist accused of keeping dangerous substances in his campus apartment was brought before a judge Thursday, and prosecutors have charged him with 10 felony counts including possession of homemade bombs.
Sporting a striped jumpsuit and a large white bandage on his left hand and arm, David Scott Snyder, 32, was led into the courtroom of Judge Janene Beronio for a pretrial hearing. His bail is currently set at $2 million.
Snyder is accused of keeping dangerous chemicals in his Russell Park apartment and using them to make bombs, although his attorney denies those charges. He also faces charges of "reckless disposal of hazardous waste" and of possessing firearms on campus.
Authorities discovered the materials in the early morning hours on Thursday, Jan. 17, after Snyder injured his hand during a small explosion in his home laboratory and checked himself into Sutter Davis Hospital. Hospital staff, noting the nature of his injuries, contacted police, who then searched his apartment.
---------------------------------------------
'HAZMAT' TEAM RESPONDS TO TRIPOLI ACID LEAK
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/hazmat-team-responds-to-tripoli-acid-leak/article_1bbb15a4-7afe-5555-9967-08114873ca6b.html
Tags: us_IA, transportation, release, response, nitric_acid
TRIPOLI, Iowa --- The Waterloo hazardous materials team was called to Tripoli Tuesday after a driver discovered his semi trailer leaking the liquid nitric acid he was hauling.
Mike Schipper, leader of the "hazmat" team, said the Figanbaum Trucking semi had stopped to refuel when the leak was found. The truck was in the midst of transporting several containers of the hazardous material among other items from Wisconsin to Colorado.
Initially, the Tripoli Fire Department responded, but the team from Waterloo Fire Rescue was called about 2:30 p.m. "due to the amount of product and the toxicity of that product," said Schipper. The team arrived in Tripoli at 4 p.m. and stayed more than 12 hours.
"We were there until 5 o'clock (Wednesday) morning," said Schipper. "That's very abnormal for hazmat response to last that long. There were several factors that made the incident a little more challenging."
Part of the issue was that they were dealing with a "fairly toxic" and flammable nitric acid solution, he said. Also, the leaking container was at the front of the trailer. "We had to unload pretty much everything else to get to it," said Schipper. Cold weather was another factor that slowed down the operation.
---------------------------------------------
7 HOSPITALIZED AS HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO SKYVIEW HIGH
http://www.kptv.com/story/20670570/7-hospitalized-as-hazmat-team-responds-to-skyview-high
Tags: us_WA, education, release, injury, ammonia, bleach
VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV) -
A bottle full of ammonia and bleach spilled onto the floor of a Vancouver high school classroom, and the fumes sickened four students and three staff members.
School officials said one student brought the bottle to class at Skyview High School and held it in front of another student. That student pushed it away, and the bottle spilled onto the floor.
"We were sitting in class and just about the end of the period the security guards came in and told us to evacuate the area and to get all of our stuff and go out the commons area," said Brandon Zink, a sophomore at the school.
The fumes started to make some of the students cough.
School staff cleared the area, and paramedics responded to treat at least four students, fire officials said.
---------------------------------------------
ROOSEVELT, UTAH NATURAL GAS WELL FIRE FORCES EVACUATIONS
http://www.firehouse.com/news/10857444/utah-natural-gas-well-fire-forces-evacuations
Tags: us_ut, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas
ROOSEVELT -- A fire burning at an oil well north of Roosevelt could take some time to extinguish. "I can't speculate how long this will last, but we're working on it, I can tell you that," said David Klaassen of Devon Energy, which operates the well. "Fires at rig sites are a rare occurrence."
The Duchesne County Sheriff's Office, in a statement released late Tuesday, said it could take "up to a week or longer to bring things back to normal operations" at the well.
Crews working on a drilling rig owned by Frontier Drilling notified authorities shortly after midnight Tuesday that the well they had recently completed had experienced a gas blowout -- a high-pressure release of oil and natural gas from the well, according to Duchesne County Undersheriff David Boren.
Sheriff's deputies and Roosevelt firefighters spent several hours at the scene while workers tried to regain control of the well. But just before 7 a.m., something ignited the fumes, setting off a blaze that sent towers of smoke and flames into the sky.
---------------------------------------------
FUMIGANT FIRE IN ELLENSBURG QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED
http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/free/news/hazardous-materials-fire-quickly-extinguished-on-dolarway-road/article_0a4309d6-64fd-11e2-8d6b-0019bb2963f4.html
Tags: us_WA, public, fire, response, pesticides
ELLENSBURG Ñ A fire at Calaway Trading hay company on Dolarway Road that involved hazardous materials was quickly extinguished Tuesday afternoon.
No one was hurt, and there was minor damage to an outbuilding where a fumigant caught fire. Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue arrived at about 4:30 p.m., along with the Washington State Patrol, which responds to all hazardous material incidents, according to KVFR Chief John Sinclair.
The fire was out within about a half hour.
A 50-gallon container holding 40 gallons of the chemical caught fire, Sinclair said. It's not clear what started the fire, he said, but the fumigating chemicals can ignite.
Calaway employees attempted to stop the fire with fire extinguishers, but the fire kept flaring back up.
---------------------------------------------
OSLO, NORWAY GOAT CHEESE FIRE SHUTS DOWN ROAD TUNNEL
http://www.firehouse.com/news/10857355/norway-goat-cheese-fire-shuts-down-road-tunnel
Tags: Norway, transportation, fire, response, milk
OSLO, Norway (AP) Ñ A road tunnel in northern Norway will be shut for several weeks after a 27-ton truckload of sweet goat's milk cheese caught fire.
Regional traffic department chief Geir Joergensen says flames engulfed the tunnel last week and gases from the melting, brown load hindered firefighters. It took four days to put it out.
The driver was not hurt and no other vehicles were in the 3.6-kilometer (2.2-mile) tunnel at the time.
Joergensen said Wednesday that the tunnel near the small Arctic municipality of Tysfjord, some 1,350 kilometers (840 miles) north of the capital, Oslo, likely will be closed for two more weeks.
Goat's milk cheese, a sweet delicacy with a high sugar and fat content, is an essential part of many Norwegians' daily diet.
---------------------------------------------
HEATING OIL CO. FINED FOR HAZMAT DISPOSAL VIOLATION
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2013/01/23/heating-oil-hazmat-disposal-fine.html
Tags: us_MA, transportation, follow-up, environmental, petroleum, waste
A Stoughton oil company will pay $80,000 to settle allegations that it used rickety containers to transport what Attorney General Martha Coakley's office is calling "petroleum-soaked solids" to the Allston rail yard.
Those solids, Coakley's office said, leaked hazardous waste onto the ground, and the company, Cyn Oil Corp., failed to transport the containers for out-of-state disposal.
Cyn Oil and Coakley's office signed the settlement agreement in Suffolk Superior Court Friday.
The company was accused of using a 20-yard "roll-off" containers to bring the polluted materials to Allston, and instead of putting the containers on rail transporters, left them sitting in the rail yard loosely covered by a tarp, in violation of state environmental law and Department of Environmental Protection regulation.
The containers leaked about 35 gallons of waste oil onto the ground.
---------------------------------------------
CENEX FINED $500K FOR TOXIC CHEMICAL FIRE NEAR MALTA
http://www.kpax.com/news/cenex-fined-500k-for-toxic-chemical-fire-near-malta/
Tags: us_MT, public, fire, response, pesticides
PHILLIPS COUNTY - Cenex Harvest States has been fined $500,000 after a 2009 fire at a fertilizer and pesticide store released toxic chemicals into the air and may have contributed to the deaths of 14 calves.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office says On Nov. 21, 2009, a Milk River Cooperatives facility owned by CHS containing agriculture chemicals caught fire. The building contained seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, including 1,800 punds of substances containing the chemical 2,4-D.
The Phillips County Volunteer Fire Department Chief responded, and was concerned about the chemicals burning, the press release says.
Most of the chemicals in the building were burned and released into the air or ground, according to the fire chief.
When a CHS environmental, health and safety manager learned of the fire and informed the state's emergency agency, the fire was described as small and "of no significance," according to the release.
Another CHS safety manager "later stated that if the wind had been blowing west, towards Malta, they would have evacuated the town."
CHS has been fined $500,000 for failure to report the release of a hazardous substance, besides a $400 special assessment and $50,000 to the Phillips fire department as community service.
---------------------------------------------
Ralph Stuart
secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Secretary
Division of Chemical Health and Safety
American Chemical Society
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