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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 8:33:49 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)
2 TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AFTER EXPLOSION AT VAUGHAN PLANT
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, injury, diesel
HAZMAT TEAMS EVACUATING ROSEDALE APARTMENT
Tags: us_MD, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach
RESEARCH: DEVELOPMENT OF FIREGROUND EXPOSURE SIMULATOR (FES) PROP FOR PPE TESTING AND EVALUATION
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
CONDUCTING CONTENT ANALYSIS FOR CHEMISTRY SAFETY EDUCATION TERMS AND TOPICS IN CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM STANDARDS, TEXTBOOKS, AND LESSON PLANS SHOWS INCREASED SAFETY AWARENESS
Tags: China, laboratory, discovery, environmental
DRY CLEANING SOLVENT POSES HEALTH RISKS TO WORKERS AND CONSUMERS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, pce
SANITATION WORKERS ON FRONT LINE OF CRISIS
Tags: us_NC, industrial, discovery, environmental, batteries, waste
HWY 58 IS CLOSED AT HWY 184 DUE TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_CA, transportation, fire, response, batteries
DIESEL OIL SPILL THREATENS HUDSONVILLE NATURE CENTER
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, diesel, oils
QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION TO IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT U.S.-TRAINED DOCTORAL CHEMISTS REQUIRE IN TYPICAL CHEMISTRY POSITIONS
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR WASTE
Tags: Netherlands, public, discovery, environmental, plastics, waste
INCINCERATORS MAY SPREAD, NOT BREAK DOWN PFAS
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
EXPLAINER: WHY IS MIXING CLEANING CHEMICALS SUCH A BAD IDEA?
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, discovery, environmental, cleaners
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2 TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AFTER EXPLOSION AT VAUGHAN PLANT
https://www.680news.com/2020/04/28/2-treated-for-minor-injuries-after-explosion-at-vaughan-plant/
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, injury, diesel
An explosion at a processing plant in Vaughan on Tuesday afternoon left two people with minor injuries.
It happened at a plant on Freshway Drive near Highway 407 and Highway 6.
Vaughan Fire tells CityNews two people were treated on scene and that investigators discovered evidence of an explosion and diesel leak.
The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Labour are investigating.
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HAZMAT TEAMS EVACUATING ROSEDALE APARTMENT
http://www.nottinghammd.com/2020/04/28/hazmat-teams-evacuating-rosedale-apartment/
Tags: us_MD, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach
ROSEDALE, MD‰??Emergency crews are responding to a possible hazardous materials incident at a Rosedale apartment complex.
At around 4:30 p.m., units responded to the 5200-block of Daybrook Circle (21237).
At the scene, firefighters found that an occupant had mixed ammonia and bleach in a third floor apartment in The Apartments at Cambridge Court.
Hazmat teams are reportedly working to evacuate the third floor and all floors above.
There has been no word on any injuries.
Motorists should use caution in the area.
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RESEARCH: DEVELOPMENT OF FIREGROUND EXPOSURE SIMULATOR (FES) PROP FOR PPE TESTING AND EVALUATION
https://www.fireengineering.com/2020/04/28/487371/research-development-of-fireground-exposure-simulator-fes-prop-for-ppe-testing-and-evaluation/
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
Research on the performance of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Fire Service is challenged by the ability to repeatedly and feasibly test new designs, interventions and wear trials in realistic conditions that appropriately simulate end use environments. To support firefighter PPE research and firefighter PPE acclimation/training, a multidisciplinary team has developed a low cost, easily replicable approach for simulating conditions commonly encountered by firefighters operating on the interior of a residential structure fire. The testing enclosure can be used with either stationary mannequins or firefighters conducting typical fireground activities, providing a method to study a wide range of PPE and physiological studies as well as training activities that may support developing new technologies and standardized testing opportunities. Environmental gas concentrations and firefighters‰?? local temperatures were measured during trials and compared to data collecte!
d from simulated fireground activities and fireground responses with good agreement.
---------------------------------------------
CONDUCTING CONTENT ANALYSIS FOR CHEMISTRY SAFETY EDUCATION TERMS AND TOPICS IN CHINESE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM STANDARDS, TEXTBOOKS, AND LESSON PLANS SHOWS INCREASED SAFETY AWARENESS
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00809
Tags: China, laboratory, discovery, environmental
The topic of chemistry safety was included at the margins of traditional chemistry education in China. In order to understand the concerns of the safety issues based on the new chemistry curriculum in the mainland China secondary school, this study analyzed old and new secondary chemistry curriculum standards via the Natural Language Processing & Information Platform (NLPIR). Results show that the frequency of chemistry-safety-related words increased in the new curriculum standards. Evidence that the safety content is enriched and enhanced can also be found in the new textbook. In addition, content analysis of lesson plans from Jiangsu teaching contests reveals that the chemistry teachers (CTs) pay more attention to the safety risk of experiments, but they generally ignore the consideration of risks from the perspective of the uncertainty of chemical reactions.
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DRY CLEANING SOLVENT POSES HEALTH RISKS TO WORKERS AND CONSUMERS
https://cen.acs.org/policy/chemical-regulation/Dry-cleaning-solvent-poses-health/98/i17
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, pce
Achemical widely used as a solvent in dry cleaning, degreasing industrial equipment, and production of fluorinated refrigerants poses unreasonable health risks to workers and consumers, the US Environmental Protection Agency says in a draft assessment released on April 27. The chemical, perchloroethylene or perc, is associated with acute neurotoxic effects and poses long-term risks of cancer and neurological, kidney, liver, immune, and developmental effects, the agency finds.
The EPA emphasizes that the evaluation is only a draft and any risks found, including those associated with dry cleaning, ‰??are preliminary and do not require any action at this time.‰?? The agency claims that the use of perchloroethylene in dry cleaning has been decreasing as facilities shift to new technologies and safer alternatives. Even so, the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, an industry group, estimated in a 2017 letter to the EPA that 70% of dry cleaners use the solvent because it is nonflammable.
The EPA evaluated short- and long-term inhalation and dermal exposures to perchloroethylene in workers and consumers. For workers, the agency found unreasonable risks‰??primarily neurological effects‰??for nearly all evaluated uses when personal protective equipment was not used. The agency did not find such risks for workers who use perchloroethylene in a laboratory setting. For consumers, the EPA found risks of neurological effects associated with skin exposure to clothes cleaned with perchloroethylene.
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SANITATION WORKERS ON FRONT LINE OF CRISIS
https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/features/columnists/sanitation-workers-on-front-line-of-crisis/article_332c2e88-f2f9-57e5-aef7-53ca675a6786.html
Tags: us_NC, industrial, discovery, environmental, batteries, waste
Sanitation workers are one of our more valuable assets to keeping our communities clean and green.
Dealing with all the trash society produces is a dirty and dangerous job even in normal times. During a global health pandemic, it gets even riskier. According to USA Today, refuse and recyclable material collectors is No. 5 on the Top 25 most dangerous jobs list.
Garbage collectors and other sanitation workers are selfless in their desire to perform an essential service despite the potential high risks to themselves.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each person in the United States produces an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste every day. During quarantine conditions, this number is likely to double.
This means heavier loads as well as the potential for exposure to COVID-19 contaminated trash. A single worker on a residential route comes in contact with the garbage of hundreds of different individuals each day.
Some ways that you can help our sanitation workers stay safe while they continue to provide essential services are:
Use soap and water or an alcohol-based cleaning product to wash off the handles and lids of all trash and recycling bins that are physically picked up by
sanitation workers.
Ensure that bins and bags are closed and sealed properly, rinse off and wipe down bottles, cans and other recyclables that you put into bins.
Keep to the rules outlined by your local sanitation department and only place proper waste and recycling materials in the proper bins.
Not only do sanitation workers run a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and other deadly diseases, they also are subject to weather-related injuries, such as falls from wet or slick surfaces, injuries resulting from hazmat materials, such as battery acid to bleach, from pesticides to hypodermic needles.
---------------------------------------------
HWY 58 IS CLOSED AT HWY 184 DUE TO HAZMAT INCIDENT
https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/hwy-58-is-closed-at-hwy-184-due-to-hazmat-incident
Tags: us_CA, transportation, fire, response, batteries
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) ‰?? Hwy 58 is closed at Hwy 184 due to hazmat incident involving a semi fire with Lithium Ion Batteries.
There is no estimated time of reopening at this time.
Traffic is currently being rerouted.
---------------------------------------------
DIESEL OIL SPILL THREATENS HUDSONVILLE NATURE CENTER
https://whtc.com/news/articles/2020/apr/27/diesel-oil-spill-threatens-hudsonville-nature-center/1011602/
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, diesel, oils
HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) -- Ottawa County's HazMat team responded to a 150-gallon oil spill at Hutt Trucking -- one that threatened the Hudsonville Nature Center on Monday, April 27, 2020.
No one was hurt.
Ottawa County Emergency Manager Nick Bonstell said Hudsonville firefighters were called to a spill clean up under a semi-tractor trailer and the trucking site, 2966 Highland Drive, in Hudsonville at about 9 a.m. Monday.
"Basically a drive shaft had broken on the semi-truck and caused diesel to be released from the saddle tanks of the semi-truck," he said. The fluid went into a storm drain and that emptied near a retention pond in the Hudsonville Nature Center, 2700 New Holland St.
He said about 150 gallons of diesel fluid was recovered from the pond. Clean-up will continue until Tuesday morning, he said, and that requires the nature center to be closed during that time.
---------------------------------------------
QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION TO IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT U.S.-TRAINED DOCTORAL CHEMISTS REQUIRE IN TYPICAL CHEMISTRY POSITIONS
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b01027
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental
In 2012, the National Research Council and the American Chemical Society criticized many graduate education programs in the chemical sciences for not adequately preparing graduate students for the interdisciplinary careers that they will likely occupy. These and other reports anecdotally suggest that soft skills, broad versus specific knowledge, and interdisciplinary skills will make graduate students more competitive and better prepared for careers. However, relatively few efforts have been made to empirically evaluate and assess what specific knowledge and skills doctoral chemists require to be successful in their future careers. The qualitative study here expands on the previous anecdotal data by empirically identifying the knowledge and skills required for chemistry careers and compares those required in the academic and nonacademic sectors. A total of 31 U.S.-trained doctoral chemists from academia, industry, and government were interviewed about the activities they con!
duct on a day-to-day basis and the knowledge and skills required to successfully complete these activities. Twelve distinct, nonduplicative knowledge and skills that enable these chemists to successfully perform their jobs in different chemical sectors have been identified by thematic analysis of the interviews. Three inter-rater reliability (IRR) metrics were used to evaluate coding and demonstrate the trustworthiness of data. The results provide evidence that technical knowledge, communication, management, and several other skills are required for chemists in both academic and nonacademic job sectors, but these skills could be fundamentally different across sectors. The results of this study imply that different skill sets are required for diverse career pathways, and graduate programs should consider tailoring their programs for students accordingly.
---------------------------------------------
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR WASTE
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/taking-responsibility-for-waste/4011544.article
Tags: Netherlands, public, discovery, environmental, plastics, waste
How well are companies that produce and use plastics living up to their duty?
In the 2017 documentary series Blue Planet II, naturalist David Attenborough issues the world a stark challenge. ‰??Industrial pollution and the discarding of plastic waste must be tackled for the sake of all life in the ocean,‰?? he says. In directing our attention to the plastic problem, the series focused close attention on companies originating the materials. There is no denying that plastic brings valuable benefits, like keeping food edible for longer. Yet waste is clearly a flaw that it appears producers and users had previously failed to take adequate responsibility for. Blue Planet II has seemingly started an industry transformation, as companies strive to show they are now living up to that responsibility.
Industry has a role in tackling waste already in the environment, as well as preventing further pollution being released
Tom Zoete from environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk in Utrecht, the Netherlands, argues that corporate responsibility‰??s importance often hasn‰??t been stressed enough. Instead Zoete suggests industry often deflects responsibility onto individuals. ‰??As a consumer, it‰??s very hard to avoid all this single-use plastic packaging,‰?? he says. By contrast, if a company reduces the weight of its product by a few grams, tonnes of material might never reach the market. ‰??That‰??s enormous,‰?? Zoete says. ‰??Compared to that, each individual consumer‰??s choice has a very limited scope.‰??
---------------------------------------------
INCINCERATORS MAY SPREAD, NOT BREAK DOWN PFAS
https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/Incincerators-spread-break-down-PFAS/98/web/2020/04
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
New data suggest that commercial incineration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) doesn‰??t break down these hardy chemicals. Instead, it spreads them into surrounding areas.
Soil and surface water near an incinerator in Cohoes, New York, that has burned firefighting foam containing PFAS are tainted with these persistent substances, preliminary data released April 27 by Bennington College show.
In early March, a team of professors and students from the Vermont college traveled about 50 km (31 miles) from their campus to Cohoes, where they collected soil and surface water samples near the incinerator. A commercial laboratory analyzed the samples for the presence of PFAS.
The PFAS found in the samples are the same chemicals that were formerly used in firefighting foams, notably perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), says David Bond, a professor at Bennington College.
---------------------------------------------
EXPLAINER: WHY IS MIXING CLEANING CHEMICALS SUCH A BAD IDEA?
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/explainer-why-is-mixing-cleaning-chemicals-such-a-bad-idea/4011257.article
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, discovery, environmental, cleaners
Accidental poisonings in the US have risen dramatically during the Covid-19 lockdown. They are up 20% in the first three months of 2020 compared with last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There were 45,550 calls related to exposure to disinfectant and cleaning agents, almost two-thirds of the incidents involving bleach and most of the others non-alcohol disinfectants and hand sanitisers. Often problems have arisen when people unwittingly or inadvertently mix different kinds of cleaning agents.
What potentially hazardous cleaning products are out there?
It‰??s a dirty job, but someone‰??s got to do it. Disinfecting, bleaching, wiping down ‰?? it might seem simple but if a job‰??s worth doing, it‰??s worth doing well. And during this time of heightened anxiety about Covid-19 with increasing attempts to clean and disinfect everything around us, making sure you get it right when using cleaning products has become more important than ever.
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