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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, June 3, 2016 at 5:59:15 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pinboard.in_u-3Adchas&d=DQIFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=3EhnJEPGa_pVccaK5cLBAAO9uDJ3nNTDV9uJ9f33cNw&s=hDCjoYQk4ZXz_Ib6cZR0zfM36oyJaNEVn6XourhuCm8&e=
Table of Contents (20 articles)
EXPERT: CDC BIOLAB FAILURES 'LIKE A SCREENPLAY FOR A DISASTER MOVIE'
Tags: us_md, discovery, laboratory, biosafety, environmental
HOUSE VACATED OVER MERCURY CONTAMINATION
Tags: malaysia, public, release, response, mercury
NEWPORT BIODIESEL SETTLES CLEAN AIR ACT VIOLATIONS, MAKES HISTORY
Tags: us_ri, industrial, follow-up, environmental, biodiesel
TOXIC CHEMICAL FILLED SEMI-TRUCK TURNS OVER, SPILLS IN MIDLAND AREA
Tags: us_ga, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
FIRE PERSONNEL RESPOND TO LR CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_ar, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
HUBERT MAN PLEADS GUILTY AFTER METH LAB CAUSES FIRE
Tags: us_NC, public, explosion, response, meth_lab
IDEAL BEACH EMPLOYEES PUT OUT FIRE IN CHEMICAL HOUSE
Tags: us_IN, public, fire, response, chlorine
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CHEMICAL SPILLS ON AGRICULTURAL LAND NEED SCRUTINY -- SCIENCEDAILY
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems
STUDENT WHO DIED IN CHINA FACTORY EXPLOSION WAS FORCED TO WORK THERE BY HIS PROFESSOR
Tags: China, laboratory, follow-up, death
COMMUNICATING CHEMISTRY IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS: A FRAMEWORK FOR CHEMISTS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
TOXIC GASES CREATE CHEMICAL SPILL SCARE AT CHICO STATE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, hydrogen_sulfide
MAN SETS SWIMMING POOL ON FIRE, EXTINGUISHES IT WITH LIQUID NITROGREN
Tags: public, fire, environmental, diethyl_ether, liquid_nitrogen
HUGE BLAZE BILLOWING SMOKE RIPS THROUGH CHINESE CHEMICAL PLANT (VIDEO) " RT NEWS
Tags: China, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
SUNRISE HIGHWAY REOPENS IN BELLMORE FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_NY, transportation, release, response, pool_chemicals
WORKER HOSPITALIZED IN CHEMICAL ACCIDENT IN PALO ALTO
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, injury, epoxy
NEW HAMPSHIRE SETS GROUNDWATER QUALITY STANDARD FOR CHEMICAL
Tags: us_NH, public, follow-up, environmental, paints, plastics
DOE IG REVIEWING HANFORD CHEMICAL VAPOR PROTECTION
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, waste
PULGAON FIRE TRAGEDY: CAUSE NOT KNOWN YET, BUT FIRE SAFETY TOP PRIORITY NOW
Tags: India, industrial, follow-up, death, explosives
ONE DEAD, THREE INJURED IN BLAST AT FIREWORKS UNIT IN VIRUDHUNAGAR
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
HANOVER TOWNSHIP FRAGRANCE FACILITY HIT WITH $63K IN PENALTIES FROM OSHA
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, oils
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EXPERT: CDC BIOLAB FAILURES 'LIKE A SCREENPLAY FOR A DISASTER MOVIE'
Tags: us_md, discovery, laboratory, biosafety, environmental
Encased in spacesuit-like gear needed to protect them from the world"s deadliest viruses, four scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stepped into their lab"s decontamination chamber where a shower of chemicals was supposed to kill anything on them and make it safe for them to exit into an adjacent changing room.
But the shower wouldn"t start, and warning lights appeared as a cascading series of safety systems began to fail inside one of the world"s most advanced biosafety level 4 labs. That's highest level of containment and security, reserved for work with deadly Ebola and smallpox viruses and other pathogens that lack vaccines or reliable treatments.
The gasket seal around the exit door to the changing room deflated to the point that the scientists could see light coming in. And as they held that door shut and started an emergency chemical deluge, things got even worse.
The shower"s door back into the infectious disease lab "forcefully" burst open again and again " and they couldn"t even hold it shut. Meanwhile, air pressure alarms were blinking and monitors displayed the lab as "red," according to records of the February 2009 incident recently obtained by USA TODAY under a Freedom of Information Act. The CDC took 3 å1Ú2 years to fulfill the request.
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HOUSE VACATED OVER MERCURY CONTAMINATION
Tags: malaysia, public, release, response, mercury
Residents complain of body aches, headaches and being nauseous after exposure to mercury their children found near their village.
merkuri
TASEK GELUGOR: A family was ordered to vacate their house in Jalan Padang Menora, Kampung Baru here, for the second time after checks found that the level of mercury content there was still high.
Liaison officer for the Penang Fire and Rescue Department, Senior Assistant Superintendent Mohd Azman Hussin said the married couple and three children living in the house had to vacate it at 2pm yesterday after checks by the Hazardous Materials Management Team (Hazmat) found the mercury reading in it at 11 microgrammes.
"This follows the mercury reading at 11 microgrammes and the five residents of the house were ordered to move out to enable the Hazmat team to cleanse it," he said here today.
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NEWPORT BIODIESEL SETTLES CLEAN AIR ACT VIOLATIONS, MAKES HISTORY
Tags: us_ri, industrial, follow-up, environmental, biodiesel
The U.S. EPA announced June 1 that the agency and the justice department have settled an environmental enforcement case with Rhode Island-based Newport Biodiesel Inc., a 2.8 MMgy production facility that converts used cooking oil into biodiesel.
The settlement is over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act regarding methanol emissions and accident prevention, in addition to violations of oil spill planning and chemical reporting requirements. EPA said the settlement concludes the first civil judicial action against a biodiesel manufacturer for violations of CAA hazardous air pollutant regulations and chemical accident prevention standards.
According to EPA, Newport Biodiesel had no control system for its methanol emissions when the agency began its enforcement action in 2013.
"Newport Biodiesel has agreed to settle allegations made by the U.S. EPA that, dating back to 2012, the company violated regulations relating primarily to the storage, use, and emission of methanol in our biodiesel manufacturing process," said Blake Banky, president of Newport Biodiesel. "The company vigorously disputed the allegations and that we were even subject to certain regulations. In fact, the company had estimated emissions to be under certain regulatory limits based upon EPA"s own methodology and industry knowledge that emissions limits would not be triggered at the then current production levels."
Banky said when it was later determined through actual testing that emissions were above required limits, Newport Biodiesel agreed to work with EPA to make changes to the plant and operations to reduce emissions of methanol and to improve the safety of its manufacturing processes. In 2014, EPA and Newport Biodiesel signed an administrative order on consent in which the company agreed to comply with CAA hazardous air pollution standards and control its methanol emissions.
---------------------------------------------
TOXIC CHEMICAL FILLED SEMI-TRUCK TURNS OVER, SPILLS IN MIDLAND AREA
Tags: us_ga, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
11:30 a.m. " Both lanes of Macon Road westbound is still closed as crews work in hazmat suits to clean up a toxic chemical spill. Fire crews identify the substance as tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) which is used for industrial use to strip and etch metal surfaces.
A safety guideline by the University of California, Los Angeles says TMAH is extremely toxic if ingested, can cause deadly chemical burns to the skin, and produces harmful fumes.
Police say a truck carrying TMAH crashed, overturned and spilled the chemical onto Macon Road just after midnight Thursday. They say the truck was traveling on a delivery from Savannah.
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FIRE PERSONNEL RESPOND TO LR CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_ar, transportation, release, response, other_chemical
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Little Rock Fire Department responded to a chemical spill on Thursday afternoon, officials say.
The driver of a tractor-trailer was at Love's Travel Stop at 11700 Interstate 30 when he noticed his vehicle was leaking sulfur dioxide, according to fire personnel.
The truck was then moved to a nearby empty lot.
---------------------------------------------
HUBERT MAN PLEADS GUILTY AFTER METH LAB CAUSES FIRE
Tags: us_NC, public, explosion, response, meth_lab
A Hubert man pleaded guilty to drug charges after his methamphetamine laboratory blew up.
"This is a particularly disturbing case because it demonstrates the dangers associated with methamphetamine production," said District Attorney Ernie Lee.
William Tracy Allen Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine on Tuesday, according to a press release from Lee.
Allen was found in the passenger seat of a speeding car, moaning from burned hands and arms, on Nov. 3, 2015, according to previous reports by The Daily News. Deputies received a call about a fire about 90 minutes later.
The fire was caused by a "one-pot" meth lab, Maj. Chris Thomas with the Onslow County Sheriff"s Office previously told The Daily News.
---------------------------------------------
IDEAL BEACH EMPLOYEES PUT OUT FIRE IN CHEMICAL HOUSE
Tags: us_IN, public, fire, response, chlorine
ELKHART COUNTY " Quick action by city employees prevented serious damage to a popular water attraction.
Ideal Beach Park opens Saturday but a fire this morning jeopardized that.
Late Wednesday morning smoke was spotted coming from a pump house that supplies chemicals used at Elkhart's Ideal Beach.
"We assumed when they said pump house and where we were going, that there was going to be chlorine and acid and things involved, in balancing the PH, that there could be a number of chemicals in this and it could have been nasty fire," said Osolo Battalion Chief, Randy Stone.
The chemicals are used in the kiddie pool, splash pool, and the park's signature water slide.
As it turns out, city park department staffers were already at the beach when one of them noticed smoke coming from the building. They took matters into their own hands and knocked down the small fire before it could get larger.
"We were doing some construction work up here," said Jim Humpreys with the Building and Grounds Department. "One of the employees noticed smoke coming from the vent, from the pump house, so we basically dropped what we were doing, went and took a look in there, saw there was a fire in the corner, grabbed a hose and fire extinguisher and put it out."
---------------------------------------------
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CHEMICAL SPILLS ON AGRICULTURAL LAND NEED SCRUTINY -- SCIENCEDAILY
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, environmental, ag_chems
Hydraulic fracturing, a widely used method for extracting oil and gas from otherwise impenetrable shale and rock formations, involves not only underground injections composed mostly of water, but also a mixture of chemical additives. These chemicals range from toxic biocides and surfactants, to corrosion inhibitors and slicking agents, and many are also used by other industries.
A Colorado State University research team desired a deeper understanding of the fate of these chemicals when they are spilled accidentally during either transportation or production in oil and gas operations. These spills, especially in Colorado, often take place on or near agricultural lands.
The researchers set out to discover whether the degradation of these chemicals in agricultural soil are affected by co-contamination. The team consisted of Thomas Borch, a professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences, with joint appointments in civil and environmental engineering and chemistry; Jens Blotevogel, a research assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering; and their graduate student Molly McLaughlin.
Their results are online in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
---------------------------------------------
STUDENT WHO DIED IN CHINA FACTORY EXPLOSION WAS FORCED TO WORK THERE BY HIS PROFESSOR
Tags: China, laboratory, follow-up, death
Following the death of a young graduate student in a Shanghai factory explosion, Chinese public attention has closed in on the all-too-frequent exploitation that is pervasive in the country"s academic scene.
Beijing News reported that Li Peng, a 25-year-old student at Shanghai"s East China University of Science and Technology, died on May 23 along with two other employees at a chemical factory called Joule Wax Co. Ltd.
The Joule Wax factory. (via Beijing News)
The same day, Li"s sister, Li Huimin, described in a post on her Weibo social media account how her brother"s boss and supervising professor, Zhang Jianyu, had been forcing him to work at Joule Wax by refusing to publish the academic papers required for graduation.
The university announced May 27 that Zhang was the sole shareholder at Joule Wax.
---------------------------------------------
COMMUNICATING CHEMISTRY IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS: A FRAMEWORK FOR CHEMISTS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental
ABSTRACT: Many chemists engage in outreach activities through their companies, colleges and universities, government laboratories, and ACS local sections. Sharing research findings, developing better-informed citizens and consumers, and inspiring future generations of chemists and chemical engineers are factors that motivate chemists to engage with the public. Yet most chemists receive little training in effectively communicating with the public. A recent report by the National Academies, Effective Chemistry Communication in Informal Environments, offers a framework to guide chemists in engaging with the public. This framework not only provides structure to communication activities, it is also intended to encourage chemists to engage with the public.
---------------------------------------------
TOXIC GASES CREATE CHEMICAL SPILL SCARE AT CHICO STATE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, hydrogen_sulfide
When the chemicals were released, five people in the building suffered from minor exposure-related irritation, said Chico fire Division Chief Jesse Alexander, from the Bidwell Presbyterian Church parking lot where the hazmat team set up a base. The building was evacuated and the five people showered to decontaminate themselves before being checked by medical personnel. They all declined medical treatment.
The second crew to enter the building righted all the containers, but they did not find any liquid spilled.
"All our sensors showed elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide," Alexander said. "Obviously, we had a leak. It probably evaporated prior to us making entry."
After more than 4 hours at the scene, the hazmat crews sealed the room. The building"s circulation system is expected to remove the toxic gases, which included carbon monoxide as well as hydrogen sulfide, over the next several days.
"It"s a long process that we have to go through. All the protocols have to be completed," Alexander said.
---------------------------------------------
MAN SETS SWIMMING POOL ON FIRE, EXTINGUISHES IT WITH LIQUID NITROGREN
Tags: public, fire, environmental, diethyl_ether, liquid_nitrogen
In this corner: diethyl ether, the instantly flammable chemical known for blowing up the chemistry labs of the careless. In the other corner: The people's champion of cold, liquid nitrogen. These two face off in the newest delightfully bonkers video by the Backyard Scientist, in which he sets his swimming pool aflame and tries to extinguish it before it gets out of hand.
Diethyl ether makes a pretty convincing flame that spans the width of the pool. But it's not match for the liquid nitrogen, which spreads across the surface like the mists of a doomed lake and chokes the life out of the fire. It's not that the stuff is cold, it's that the nitrogen covers the surface of the pool and smothers the flames by cutting off the supply of oxygen. The gas creates a pretty damn cool mini-tornado at the end, too.
Watch through the rest of the video as the Backyard Scientist tosses liquid nitrogen directly into the pool. You know, just to see what happens.
---------------------------------------------
HUGE BLAZE BILLOWING SMOKE RIPS THROUGH CHINESE CHEMICAL PLANT (VIDEO) " RT NEWS
Tags: China, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical
A massive fire at a chemical plant in China"s central Hubei Province has injured at least three people, while covering the area with dark, thick clouds of smoke.
The fire, which reportedly started in the city of Yichangon on Tuesday afternoon, has been successfully extinguished, according to China"s CCTV agency.
---------------------------------------------
SUNRISE HIGHWAY REOPENS IN BELLMORE FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_NY, transportation, release, response, pool_chemicals
BELLMORE - Eastbound Sunrise Highway between Route 106 and Henry Road in Bellmore has been reopened following a chemical spill.
Police say Hazmat crews were on the scene where about six containers of pool chemicals were spilled.
Motorists were told to expect delays and avoid the area.
---------------------------------------------
WORKER HOSPITALIZED IN CHEMICAL ACCIDENT IN PALO ALTO
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, injury, epoxy
An employee of a Palo Alto company was hospitalized and more than a dozen co-workers were evaluated for chemical exposure after an "unexpected" chemical reaction, authorities said.
Two employees of Stangenes Industries were mixing epoxy at about 9 a.m., said Catherine Capriles, Palo Alto"s deputy fire chief. But they used the wrong quantities of chemicals, she said, and the solution began emitting gas and melted the plastic bucket in which it was being held.
The pair ran outside with the bucket so the fumes could be released outdoors, Capriles said.
---------------------------------------------
NEW HAMPSHIRE SETS GROUNDWATER QUALITY STANDARD FOR CHEMICAL
Tags: us_NH, public, follow-up, environmental, paints, plastics
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The state of New Hampshire has filed an emergency rule setting a state groundwater quality standard for a potentially cancer causing chemical that has been found in some drinking water in the southern part of the state.
The rule set an ambient groundwater standard of 70 parts per trillion for the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"s drinking water health advisory levels for the chemical.
The rule is in effect for 180 days.
The chemical, used in Teflon coatings, was first found in more than 50 wells in towns surrounding the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The Department of Environmental Services says it"s also been found in drinking water in Manchester, Bedford, Litchfield, Amherst, Portsmouth and Dover.
---------------------------------------------
DOE IG REVIEWING HANFORD CHEMICAL VAPOR PROTECTION
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, waste
The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General has started a review of DOE"s actions to address concerns about exposure to chemical vapors at the Hanford tank farms.
Investigators met Tuesday with DOE Hanford officials to discuss the scope of the review and any matters Hanford officials wanted to discuss. Fieldwork by investigators is planned to start June 6, according to a memo from the DOE Office of Inspector General to DOE environmental cleanup officials..
"This is a good step toward providing the workers at Hanford with some assurance that someone is looking out for their safety," said Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a statement. He made public the Office of Inspector General memo on Tuesday.
This spring about 50 Hanford workers have received medical evaluations for possible exposure to chemical vapors. Some had respiratory symptoms, some smelled a suspicious odor and others were checked because they were in the vicinity when vapors were suspected.
Workers are concerned that exposure to chemical vapors from Hanford waste stored in underground tanks could put them at risk for serious health problems long term.
---------------------------------------------
PULGAON FIRE TRAGEDY: CAUSE NOT KNOWN YET, BUT FIRE SAFETY TOP PRIORITY NOW
Tags: India, industrial, follow-up, death, explosives
AS ARMY conducts an inquiry into the fire at the Central Ammunition Depot in Pulgaon, retired and serving officers from the Army Ordnance Corps say that though drills for fire safety preparedness are carried out regularly and there are Standard Operating Procedures in place, unfortunate incidences such as these would have important lessons to impart for the future.
Read | Pulgaon fire: PM Modi asks Manohar Parrikar to take stock of the situation
Pune has three important ordnance depots " Ordnance Depot (OD) in Talegaon, Dehu Ammunition Depot (DAD) and Dighi Magazine. Pune also has establishments like Ammunition Factory and High Explosives Factory in Khadki, High Energy Material Research Laboratory in Pashan. Some of these establishments have been witness to accidents in the past.
Lt Col Yashwant Umralkar (Retd), who has served at the Central Ammunition Depot in Pulgaon where the incident on Tuesday took place and also at Talegaon COD in the past, said, "Time and again, it has been told to people at these depots that fire is one of the biggest enemies. Every such establishment has a fire brigade of its own and drills and exercises in tackling real-life scenarios are held. There are surprise drills too."
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ONE DEAD, THREE INJURED IN BLAST AT FIREWORKS UNIT IN VIRUDHUNAGAR
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
Summary: Virudhunagar: One person died and three others suffered burn injuries in a blast at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Kurundamadam near Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district on Tuesday. The workers were mixing chemicals at the chemical room of Rathinam Fireworks factory when the incident happened around 11am, police said. The injured were rushed to the Aruppukottai Government Hospital.The chemical room was reduced to rubble in the explosion. Fire and rescue department personnel from Aruppukottai rushed to the spot and doused the fire, which was quickly spreading from one room to another. Aruppukottai tahsildar, Seethalakshmi and police officers inspected the accident spot.The dead body of the worker was recovered from the rubble and sent to postmortem.
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HANOVER TOWNSHIP FRAGRANCE FACILITY HIT WITH $63K IN PENALTIES FROM OSHA
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, oils
Ungerer & Co. is facing $63,450 in proposed penalties after it allegedly exposed its workers to chemical hazards and other dangers at its facility in Hanover Township, Northampton County, the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday.
OSHA last week issued one repeat, six serious and one other-than-serious violations to the company, which has a facility at 110 N. Commerce Way.
The investigation was prompted by a referral the agency received on Jan. 27 from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, which alleged Ungerer & Co. employees suffered respiratory distress from an unknown chemical odor.
Officials at Ungerer & Co., a worldwide producer of oils for use throughout the flavor and fragrance industries that has its U.S. headquarters in Lincoln Park, N.J., could not be immediately reached to comment.
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