Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2011 10:11:25 -0400
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From: Ralph Stuart <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google (9 articles)

Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Friday, July 1, 2011 8:15:01 AM

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UPDATE: TWO ARRESTED AFTER METH LAB FOUND AT KNIGHTS INN, http://www.wrdw.com/crimeteam12/head lines/Meth_lab_found_at_Knights_Inn_on_Boy_Scout_Rd_124956399.html

AUGUSTA, Ga. --- Two people are in custody after Richmond County deputies discovered a meth lab at the Knights Inn on Boy Scout Rd.

Deputies were called out to the scene around 11:15 p.m. Sunday night, after reports of a strong chemical smell coming from room 237.

We're told deputies knocked on the door and saw two individuals looking out the window. When they did not unlock the door, management came and opened it.

That's when investigators say a large cloud of smoke came out of the room.

Drug enforcement agents, fire and hazmat crews were then called to the scene.

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MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS RESPOND TO FIRE AT WICKLIFFE INDUSTRIAL SITE, http://news-herald.com/articles/2011/07/04/news/doc4e10f1b923 897446597174.txt

Blvd., Wickliffe.

Initial indications are the fire may have been related to a highly flammable gas that is a byproduct of the chemical process used at the plant, according to a Wickliffe Division of Fire media release.

According to Wickliffe fire officials, multiple employees of the manufacturing plant called 911 at 5:41 p.m. Sunday to report a fire inside the plant.

Mutual aid at the scene was provided by Willowick, Willoughby, Euclid, Highland Heights, Willoughby Hills and Mentor fire departments, while Eastlake fire personnel manned Wickliffe=92s fire station during the incident. Lake County Fire Investigation Unit is looking into the cause of the fire.

The fire was reported to be under control by 6:07 p.m., according to Wickliffe fire officials. The fire was contained to one reactor in the plant and does not pose a hazard to the community, according to the statement.

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MERCURY NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH, http://www.idahopress.com/n ews/mercury-not-to-be-trifled-with/article_eaff7cd6-a468-11e0-bd79-001cc4c 002e0.html

=93It=92s more than just a neat thing to play with in your hand,=94 Caldwell Fire Chief Mark Wendelsdorf said. =93It=92s a chemical, and when it gets out of its container and you=92re exposed to it, it can create health problems.=94
The Southwest Idaho Hazmat team, based in Caldwell, gets more calls to respond to mercury spills than any other hazard, Wendelsdorf said, or about six to 10 calls in the last year.
When household mercury spills, often from broken thermometers or barometers, it can release toxic vapors. And people without proper knowledge of how to clean mercury spills can spread the toxic substance instead of removing it.
=93Just cover it with a towel and call us or 911,=94 Wendelsdorf said about mercury spills. He said mercury that spreads can cost thousands of dollars to remove.

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AMMONIA LEAK AT CUTLER FRUIT PACKING PLANT, http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&amp;id =8226677

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Ammonia leaked out of a fruit packing plant in the Cutler-Orosi area Saturday morning. The Tulare County Sheriff's Department says the ammonia had been leaking since midnight at the Wileman Brothers and Elliott Plant on Ave. 400 and Road 128 in Cutler.

A Hazmat team, fire crews, and Sheriff's Deputies were at the scene Saturday morning. Road blocks were set up near the plant to keep people away from the dangerous gas. Deputies say the plant was empty when the leak was reported.

Ammonia can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.So authorities are advising people in the area to stay inside, close their doors and windows, and turn-off their air conditioning.

The cause of the leak is still under investigation.

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EDISON STATE CHARLOTTE COUNTY CAMPUS REOPENS FOLLOWING HAZMAT SCARE, http://www.news-press.com/article/20110701/NE WS0121/110701013/Edison-State-Charlotte-County-campus-reopens-following-ha zmat-scare?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome

Charlotte County Fire and Emergency Services responded today to an acid spill at the Charlotte County campus of Edison State College.

Fire department spokeswoman Dee Hawkins said a bottle of hydrochloric acid fell and broke while Edison State College staff were moving cabinets.

Edison staff evacuated the building as a precautionary measure and called emergency crews.

There were no reported injuries during the incident, which occurred around 9:28 a.m.

A health sciences building was evacuated as a hazmat crew responded to clean up the spill.

No students were inside the room when the spill occurred.

One class that was supposed to be held in the building was moved, but no other classes were impacted.

The acid has been cleaned, and the building has been reopened.

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MAN FOUND DEAD IN CAR AT GARVIN PLACE COULD BE LOUISVILLE'S FIRST CHEMICAL SUICIDE, http://www.courier-journal.com/ article/20110701/NEWS01/307010084/All-clear-given-after-hazmat-situation-G arvin-Place-man-found-dead-car?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CLocal%20Ne ws

Louisville officials believe they=92ve seen the city=92s first case of chemical suicide after an incident in Old Louisville in which a man was found dead in a car Friday afternoon.

About 12:30 p.m., Louisville Metro Police officers were called to the 1100 block of Garvin Place on reports of a suspicious vehicle that seemed to have an unresponsive man inside, said Officer Carey Klain, a department spokeswoman.

When officers approached the car, they found a note on it that warned there were hazardous materials inside and urging people to =93use caution.=94

At that point, officers notified Louisville Fire &amp; Rescue to ask for a hazardous materials team to respond to the scene.

Because of the note, officials warned residents within 30 feet of the car to remain inside until firefighters could secure the scene and make sure any risk was eliminated.

It took until about 2:30 p.m. for firefighters to safely enter the car. They found a man, believed to be in his 30s, along with some household chemicals inside the car.

Firefighters were able to neutralize the chemicals, said Capt. Sal Melendez, a fire spokesman.

Homicide detectives are investigating the case as a death investigation.

Klain said while this type of suicide has not been seen in Louisville before, other law enforcement agencies across the country have seen similar cases.

Deputy Chief Jacob Oreshan of the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control has been tracking cases of chemical suicides nationally since 2008. Last year, there were 36 chemical suicides logged, but since January Oreshan said there have been at least 27, not counting Friday=92s in Louisville.

=93It=92s just gaining in popularity,=94 Oreshan said, fueled in part by more information becoming available about the practice via media reports and the Internet.

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FIRE BREAKS OUT AT HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR, htt p://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/story.aspx?id=636122

HEMLOCK -- A small fire broke out at Hemlock Semiconductor Friday morning, releasing chemicals into the air and injuring one person.

Local residents say the siren went off at 6:15 a.m.  Around 7:20 a.m. they received a call from 911, informing them of an incident at the plant. About a half an hour later, dispatchers reported that the danger had passed.

Thomas Township Fire Officials say there was a small chemical release. The cloud went from the building and blew in the northwest direction.  The officials say the chemicals have moved out of the area since, and are no longer dangerous.

One Hemlock Semiconductor employee is being treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire was caused by a chemical leak in the building.

Fire officials also say there was another, unrelated incident at Dow Corning.  Spokespeople are not yet releasing the details concerning that incident yet.

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FOUL SMELL CAUSES EVACUATION OF CU-BOULDER ENGINEERING BUILDING, http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_18387842?source=most_emailed

The engineering building at the University of Colorado was briefly evacuated Friday morning after a sulphur-based chemical leaked out of a containment box, causing a foul smell in a laboratory.

The incident, which initially was described on police radio traffic as a small explosion, was actually just a leak of a non-hazardous chemical, said Brandon Boger, associate director of environmental health and safety at CU.

Some researchers were doing an experiment involving a thiol-class chemical in a containment box a little before 10 a.m. when they noticed a strong smell of rotten eggs, Boger said.

They followed standard procedure in any chemical leak by pulling the fire alarm.

The building at 1111 Engineering Drive was briefly evacuated.

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MINOR CHEMICAL SPILL CLEARS BROWN LAB AT PURDUE, http://www.jconline.com/article/20110702/NEWS09/110702004/Mino r-chemical-spill-clears-Brown-Lab-Purdue?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7 CFRONTPAGE%7Cp

A minor chemical spill forced the evacuation of the Brown Laboratory of Chemistry at Purdue early this afternoon.

Students working in a lab there heard a container inside a refrigerator explode and pulled the fire alarm as they exited the building, said Carol Shelby, director of environmental health and public safety on campus.

Crews from the Purdue fire department and the Tippecanoe County Emergency Management Agency's hazardous materials unit responded and were still investigating the spill as of 2 p.m. The incident was reported around 12:30 p.m.

Shelby said there were no injuries reported. She said responders donned full hazmat suits while investigating and clearing the scene just in case there were additional chemical reactions.

The container explosion may have been caused by humidity, Shelby said, but it seemed to be an isolated incident.

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