Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 08:19:46 -0500
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From: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject: 5 Chemical Safety news stories from Google

Japan

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100108p2a00m0na012000c.html

Explosion at chemical plant in Yokohama leaves 8 injured

Firefighters battle the fire at Japan Carlit Co.'s Yokohama plant in 
Yokohama's Kanazawa Ward at 7:20 p.m. on Thursday. (Mainichi)
YOKOHAMA -- Ten people were injured in an explosion at a chemical plant 
explosion here on Thursday evening, police said.

The explosion is believed to have originated at the center of Japan 
Carlit Co.'s Yokohama plant in Yokohama's Kanazawa Ward at around 5:50 
p.m. A subsequent fire razed eight buildings before it was brought under 
control around 2 1/2 hours later. Eight employees and two passers-by 
were left with mild injuries.

This is the second explosion accident at the plant, following one that 
left one employee dead and another injured in April 2008. Three 
employees, including the former plant manager, were reported to 
prosecutors on suspicion of professional negligence leading to death and 
injury over the case, and a company official announced that the plant 
had stopped handling any explosive substances.

"We have strived to prevent a similar problem since the last accident. 
We sincerely apologize for the damage we've caused," said President Isao 
Isa.

===
China

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/07/content_12772684.htm

Chemical plant explosion kills two in NW China
www.chinaview.cn  2010-01-07 21:27:14=09

LANZHOU, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Two people were confirmed dead Thursday 
after a chemical plant exploded in northwest China's Gansu Province, 
said local officials.

The blast happened at around 5:30 p.m. at a chemical plant in the 
provincial capital of Lanzhou, which was operated by the Lanzhou 
Chemical Company of the China National Petroleum Corporation, the 
country's largest oil and gas producer, the officials said.

The site was 30 kilometers away from downtown, and 500 meters away from 
the nearest residential quarter, which was not affected, they said.

The precise casualties, property losses were not yet known. The cause of 
the accident is under investigation.
===

Massachusetts


http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/x1793474887/Patients-stable-at-Eme
rson-after-contamination-incident-in-Maynard

Patients 'stable' at Emerson after contamination incident in Maynard
 
By Patrick Ball/Staff Writer
 
Wed Jan 06, 2010, 05:26 PM EST

CONCORD - Three patients are =93clinically stable=94 after being 
contaminated with an unknown chemical or biological substance, Emerson 
Hospital and Concord Fire officials said Wednesday afternoon.

Hospital spokesman Bonnie Goldsmith and Concord Fire Chief Mark Cotreau 
did not identify the three patients, who were transported to Emerson 
from the State Police Crime Lab, on Acton Street in Maynard, earlier in 
the afternoon Jan. 6.

In an interview at the hospital, Cotreau said emergency officials were 
waiting for more information about the substance from the HAZMAT team 
and others who had first responded to the crime lab before deciding how 
to proceed.

As of Wednesday afternoon, it was not clear if the patients would be 
required to stay the night.

Emerson Hospital called the fire department for help with the 
decontamination process, Cotreau said.

=93We came up here and we assisted the hospital about three people who 
were being transported,=94 he said.

Goldsmith said whether the hospital works collaboratively with local 
fire departments on chemical exposure incidents such as this one depends 
a number of variables, including the seriousness of the incident, the 
number of people in the Emergency Department and the size of staff on 
hand to help.

===

Australia


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/991589/houses-evacuated-after-chemical
-leak
 
Residents return after chemical leak

Evacuated residents have returned home after a chemical leaking from a 
central western NSW recycling facility was deemed to be harmless.

Two people were decontaminated and one of them - a 48-year-old man - was 
taken to Lithgow Hospital after being exposed to a gel-like chemical 
seeping from a military ordnance at the recycling facility.

About 210 people and 50 houses and businesses surrounding the Inch 
Street facility at Lithgow were evacuated after a forklift punctured a 
cannister marked "military ordnance" about 3pm (AEDT) on Thursday, 
emergency services said.

By 10pm (AEDT) evacuated residents were allowed to return home after the 
substance was deemed to no longer pose a threat and once it had been 
contained within the facility, Fire Brigades Superintendent Ian Krimmer 
said.

Hazmat crews, a scientific officer and a "mobile scientific laboratory" 
had been flown to the scene from Sydney to identify the chemical, Supt 
Krimmer said.

"It's now been determined that the device contains a chemical of a 
hydrocarbon-based nature," he told AAP, adding the substance was 
gel-like and flammable.

"But we are still conducting further analysis."

A common hydrocarbon is petrol.

Crews would continue their investigation through the night and into 
tomorrow, Supt Krimmer said.

Police said "a small number of people suffered a burning sensation" 
after being exposed to the substance.
===

http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_007131812.html?keyword=topst
ory

Massachusetts

Chemical odor forces Hannah evacuation

Cate Lecuyer
BEVERLY =97 Administrators evacuated Hannah Elementary School just 
before 12:30 p.m. after a teacher smelled an unknown odor that turned 
out to be drain cleaner. 

Principal Susan Snyder immediately announced the evacuation, pulled the 
fire alarm, and called the Fire Department. 

Beverly Fire Capt. Jeff Sirois said the sulfur-like odor came from the 
art room. 

=93We believe one of the janitors was cleaning out a clogged sink,=94 he 
said. The smell permeated the room, but was not dangerous. 

=93There should be no health risk at all,=94 he said. Firefighters aired 
out the building with a fan. 

Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer**At_Symbol_Here**salemnews.com

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