Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 8:15:01 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)

ACS COUNCIL TAKES UP ACADEMIC LAB SAFETY
Tags: us, laboratory, follow-up

4 HURT IN BLAST AT FORMER AMERICAN BRASS PLANT
Tags: us_ny, industrial, explosion, injuries, steam

TWO MAC BUILDINGS EVACUATED AFTER GAS ALARM
Tags: canada, laboratory, release, response, nitrogen

ANOTHER FIRE BREAKS OUT AT FPG PLANT
Tags: China, industrial, fire, plastics

FIREFIGHTERS OFFLOAD CHEMICAL FROM LEAKING WILMINGTON RAIL CAR
Tags: us_ca, transportation, release, response, alcohol

HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL REACTION SCARE AT EAST END WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Tags: us_me, industrial, release, response, water_treatment

CHEMICAL SPILL SENDS 12 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_ma, industrial, release, injuries, phenol

FOUR STUDENTS RECEIVE BURNS IN CHEMISTRY LAB IN MAITHAN
Tags: India, laboratory, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

DOZENS OF HOMES EVACUATED OVER WEEKEND
Tags: us_AL, industrial, release, environmental, waste

TRANSFORMER THEFT CONTAMINATES 8; 6 SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, oils

ACID SCARE IN DEPOT LEAK
Tags: Australia, public, release, injury, hydrochloric_acid

VICTIMS OF METH LAB BLASTS FILL BURN UNIT, AVOID PROSECUTION
Tags: us_TN, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab, follow-up

---------------------------------------------

ACS COUNCIL TAKES UP ACADEMIC LAB SAFETY

http://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/2011/09/acs-council-takes-up-academic-l
ab-safety/
Tags: us, laboratory, follow-up

Following the American Chemical Society=92s National Meeting in Anaheim 
in March, a Safety Culture Task Force was established by the ACS 
Committee on Chemical Safety, Society Committee on Education, Committee 
for Professional Training, and the Division of Chemical Health & 
Safety. Although the title of the task force doesn=92t say so, its focus 
is specifically on safety culture in academic laboratories.

---------------------------------------------

4 HURT IN BLAST AT FORMER AMERICAN BRASS PLANT
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article546781.ece
Tags: us_ny, industrial, explosion, injuries, steam

Four employees were injured this morning in an explosion at the former 
American Brass plant on Military Road.

All four were burned, and one of them also suffered physical trauma in 
the explosion reported at 6:15 a.m. at the Luvata Buffalo facility, at 
446 Military Road, fire officials said.

It was unclear how serious the injuries were, and whether any were 
life-threatening.

Fire officials described the incident as a steam explosion on one of the 
furnaces. A Buffalo Fire Department Hazmat team was called to the scene.

The explosion left an estimated $250,000 da

---------------------------------------------

TWO MAC BUILDINGS EVACUATED AFTER GAS ALARM

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/590211--two-mac-buildings-evacua
ted-after-gas-alarm
Tags: canada, laboratory, release, response, nitrogen

Confusion and panic greeted McMaster University students on campus for 
welcome week Tuesday, after an alarm sounded over a suspected gas leak.

The alarm triggered in the tandem accelerator lab on the west side of 
campus around 1:20 p.m.

But later tests showed no leak.

=93A researcher was in the lab doing work on a tank ... purging the tank 
with a nitrogen gas, which is an inert gas, (when) a gas alarm went 
off,=94 said Hamilton fire spokesperson John Verbeek.

The employee left the building and called 911.

It=92s unclear why the alarm went off, as the purging is common 
practice. There are a couple of different gases used in that chamber, 
but none was being used Tuesday, Verbeek said.

Emergency officials evacuated that building and the adjoining general 
sciences building and set up a perimeter with yellow caution tape.

The HAZMAT team responded and around 3:45 p.m. cleared the scene, 
Verbeek said.

---------------------------------------------

ANOTHER FIRE BREAKS OUT AT FPG PLANT

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/company-focus/2011/09/07/315864/Anoth
er-fire.htm
Tags: China, industrial, fire, plastics

Another fire broke out yesterday at petrochemical complex run by the 
Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) in Mailiao, Yunlin County, the eighth in 
the past year at the same industrial zone.
The group made an open apology but stressed the brief blaze was caused 
by alkymer leakage and was quickly put out, inflicting no harm to anyone 
and posing no other threats.

FPG executives reported the small fire at the No. 3 refinery plant at 
4:31 p.m.

Firefighters put out the blaze by 4:50 p.m.

FPG management said that the blaze started during the process of 
transporting alkymer, which is an element of gasoline and is used to 
make petroleum products.

Certain amount of alkymer ended up in a ditch at the plant because of 
the leak. Water and chemical foams were immediately used to contain and 
snuff out the fire, said FPG executives.

---------------------------------------------

FIREFIGHTERS OFFLOAD CHEMICAL FROM LEAKING WILMINGTON RAIL CAR
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_18835729
Tags: us_ca, transportation, release, response, alcohol

WILMINGTON (CNS)- Los Angeles firefighters spent about five hours 
offloading about 4,700 gallons of a solvent from a leaking railcar in 
Wilmington on Tuesday.

Firefighters sent to the tracks near the 1300 block of South Alameda 
Street about 11 a.m. had Alameda closed between Pacific Coast Highway 
and Sepulved Boulevard as a precaution, Matt Spence of the Los Angeles 
Fire Department said.

The liquid -- identified as pentanol, a form of alcohol -- was leaking 
at the rate of 3-5 gallons per minute, Spence said. No evacuations were 
ordered.

Fire crews were unable to stop the leak or close a valve. So vacuum 
trucks were brought in to suck up the stuff, Spence said. Pentanol is a 
solvent that can be used as a fuel

---------------------------------------------

HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL REACTION SCARE AT EAST END WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
http://portlanddailysun.me/node/28249/
Tags: us_me, industrial, release, response, water_treatment

Emergency officials say the potential for a serious situation at the 
East End's wastewater treatment plant was averted Tuesday after two 
chemicals, not meant to be combined, were accidentally mixed together.

Fire Chief Fred LaMontagne said everything was safe and stabilized at 
the Portland Water District's waste treatment plant Tuesday afternoon. 
His announcement came after 500 gallons of liquid sodium hypochlorite 
and sodium bisulfite were mixed in a 2,500 gallon container.

Combining the chemicals used to treat wastewater generates heat and has 
the potential to be explosive. Firefighters from multiple departments 
responded to the plant following the report of a vapor cloud at about 
7:30 a.m.

"We were able to quickly identify the two substances that were 
combined," LaMontagne said. "At no time was there a risk to the general 
public."

About 11 employees were evacuated from the plant and officials blocked 
off a neighboring section of the East End Trail. Some employees were 
permitted to gather their belongings by about 4 p.m. and LaMontagne 
expected the trail and surrounding area would reopen to the public 
sometime Tuesday evening.

Neighboring businesses and the surrounding area was not evacuated as 
result of the accident. City officials said that air monitors were setup 
outside the plant to determine if there was any risk to the public =97 
none was found.

---------------------------------------------

CHEMICAL SPILL SENDS 12 TO HOSPITAL
http://www.telegram.com/article/20110907/NEWS/109079812/-1/NEWS05
Tags: us_ma, industrial, release, injuries, phenol

MILLBURY =97  A dozen people, mostly rescue workers, were taken to the 
hospital after a hazardous chemical spill yesterday at Barrday Composite 
Solutions, 86 Providence Road (Route 122A). 

Nobody was seriously hurt, and the spill was contained with only a small 
amount getting into the ground, officials said. They said the public was 
never at risk. 

=93The situation is very much under control. The leak has stopped. There 
were very minor injuries,=94 Millbury Fire Chief Matthew R. Belsito said 
around 6 last night. =93It is my understanding at this time that 
everyone was transported as precautionary and they will probably be 
treated and released.=94 

About 1:35 p.m. yesterday, the town=92s 911 dispatcher received a call 
saying a Barrday worker had been doused with the chemical phenol, Chief 
Belsito said. 

Michael E. Buck, president of the company, said a company engineer was 
working on an outside storage tank containing about 10,000 gallons of 
phenol when the accident occurred. When the worker removed a wire, the 
tank sprung a leak and liquid phenolic resin sprayed onto the worker=92s 
arm, he said. Mr. Buck said the engineer and a second employee who was 
having trouble breathing were taken to a hospital for treatment. 

When he arrived at the scene shortly after the initial call, Chief 
Belsito said, he immediately called Worcester Special Operations and 
summoned the state=92s hazardous materials teams. He said the source of 
the leak was an approximately three-fourths-inch hole in the piping 
connected to the tank. 

Andrew Delisio, the hazmat technician team leader on the site, estimated 
5,000 to 6,000 gallons of phenol escaped. 

=93At no time was the public in any danger,=94 Chief Belsito said.

---------------------------------------------

FOUR STUDENTS RECEIVE BURNS IN CHEMISTRY LAB IN MAITHAN

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-04/ranchi/30112640_1_c
hemistry-students-burns
Tags: India, laboratory, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

DHANBAD: Four students of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Maithan received burn 
injuries in a chemistry laboratory of the school.

Two of the students have been shifted to the Bokaro General Hospital as 
their condition was critical, according to doctors who attended them. 
The students received more than 50 per cent burns.

Tapas Kumar Roy, Sumit Gupta, Akash Yadav and Rohit Kumar studying in 
class IXA were doing practical classes in the chemistry laboratory when 
an explosion took place. However principal Sanjiv Sinha claimed the 
students had entered the laboratory even when their classes were not 
scheduled. They were expected to be present in English class.

But the students claimed that the chemistry practical class was 
scheduled and they were authorized to enter the lab. "The spirit lamp in 
the lab exploded injuring us." one of them said.

Their parents rushed to the Kendriya Vidyalaya. Most of the students in 
the school are children of the employees of the Davodar Valley 
Corporation.

---------------------------------------------

DOZENS OF HOMES EVACUATED OVER WEEKEND

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20110904/NEWS/110909896/-1/OPINION01?T
itle=Dozens-of-homes-evacuated-over-weekend
Tags: us_AL, industrial, release, environmental, waste

Residents of about 28 homes were evacuated late Saturday night after 
some type of chemical release at Environmental Waste Services Inc. in 
Glencoe, Denise Cooey, deputy director of Gadsden-Etowah County 
Emergency Management Agency, said.

Cooey said a passerby reported to the Glencoe Police Department a strong 
smell coming from the plant on Webster=92s Chapel Road, about a 
half-mile off U.S. Highway 431.

 She said in a short time, the police officers also could smell the odor 
and it was determined to be coming from a holding tank at the plant.  
The police department contacted the Glencoe Fire Department and it 
contacted EMA. 

=93You could see the emission of a white cloud coming from the tank, and 
the smell was irritating,=94 Cooey said.

 The plant manager was able to explain that the tank contained chemical 
waste materials, but was unsure what had caused the reaction that 
created the plume and the odor, Cooey said.

She said all waste materials at the plant are tested in the lab to make 
sure they can be placed in the tank without a reaction, and there had 
been no indication that any of the chemicals would react.

Cooey said the temperature of the tank reached about 240 degrees and the 
plume was emitting the smell.

---------------------------------------------

TRANSFORMER THEFT CONTAMINATES 8; 6 SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES

http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/15393701/six-victims-of-contamination-in
-aromas-hazmat-incident
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, oils

CAL FIRE says eight people were treated for contamination after being 
exposed to transformer oil.

Two of the victims are suspects who were trying to steal the 
transformers off the property on Aromitas Road, said the San Benito 
County Sheriff's Department.

CAL FIRE says the six other victims are sheriffs deputies from San 
Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.

"We isolated the people and then denied entry to all others," said John 
Owens, CAL FIRE.  "The hazardous materials team kept the people who were 
contaminated isolated."

The two men were trying to steal the transformers out of Ag fields.  The 
spill's about 50 feet in diameter and Granite Rock, who owns the land, 
will have to hire a crew to clean up the spill, according to CAL FIRE.

The San Benito County Sheriff's Department said the men were most likely 
after the copper winding's inside the transformers.

---------------------------------------------

ACID SCARE IN DEPOT LEAK

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/acid-spill-closes-wattl
e-grove-traffic/story-e6frea83-1226130103901
Tags: Australia, public, release, injury, hydrochloric_acid

AZMAT crews have been called to an acid spill in Adelaide's inner 
northeast.

Firefighters received reports of a chemical leaking on to a footpath 
from inside a Port Adelaide-Enfield Council depot on Wattle Grove, 
Klemzig, about 9.15pm.

Five fire trucks, police officers and ambulance crews attended the 
incident and both ends of the street were closed to traffic.

Police notified Wattle Grove residents, but no one was evacuated.

The chemical was determined to be about 10-15 litres of hydrochloric 
acid and authorities said it had been contained.

---------------------------------------------

VICTIMS OF METH LAB BLASTS FILL BURN UNIT, AVOID PROSECUTION

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110905/NEWS07/308260124/Victims-meth-l
ab-blasts-fill-burn-unit-avoid-prosecution?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%
7CFRONTPAGE
Tags: us_TN, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab, follow-up

A man in his 60s lies in Vanderbilt University Medical Center=92s burn 
unit, being treated for disfiguring burns to his eyes and arms.

He denies it, but the doctors and nurses are sure the man was injured 
when a methamphetamine lab exploded.

At any given time, one-third of the 25 beds in Dr. Jeffrey Guy=92s burn 
unit are occupied by people injured in meth lab accidents. That number 
hasn=92t changed much in the last decade.

This man=92s story is very similar to that of other meth lab victims in 
the unit. He has no insurance. The hospital will pick up the tab, an 
estimated $10,000 a day. Staff here can=92t remember treating a single 
victim of a meth explosion with insurance.

---------------------------------------------

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post