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Next by Date: Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google (9 articles) Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:57:26 -0500 Author: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" |
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google Friday, November 11, 2011 7:18:48 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 (17 articles) KFVS12 NEWS & WEATHER CAPE GIRARDEAU, CARBONDALE, POPLAR BLUFF Tags: us_KY, public, discovery, response, meth_lab WHERE-REGULATORS-FAILED-CITIZENS-TOOK-ACTION-TESTING-THEIR-OWN-AIR Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, toxics BRIGHTON GYM ACCUSED OF DANGEROUS CHEMICAL LEAK (FROM THE ARGUS) Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, pool_chemicals CHEMICAL SCARE SPARKS EVACUATION Tags: New_Zealand, public, release, injury, chlorine TENN. PROFESSOR INJURED SHIELDING STUDENTS FROM BLAST Tags: us_TN, laboratory, explosion, injury, phosphoric_acid ABC NEWS (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION) Tags: Australia, industrial, release, environmental, waste CYANIDE DEATH FORCES EVACUATION OF SCHWARTZ BREWERY HOTEL IN SURRY HILLS Tags: Australia, public, discovery, injury, sodium_cyanide UPDATED: EXPLOSION SPARKS FIRE AT OIL COMPANY Tags: us_TN, industrial, explosion, response, petroleum INSTRUCTOR HURT IN EXPLOSION IN SCHOOL LAB Tags: us_TN, laboratory, explosion, injury, phosphoric_acid ILLEGAL DRUG LAB EXPLOSION LEADS TO FIRE, ARREST IN SANTA ROSA Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, response, illegal, meth_lab TWO ARRESTED IN THEFT, HAZMAT SPILL Tags: us_CT, transportation, release, environmental, toxics SPRING HILL: HAZMAT FIREFIGHTERS DEALING WITH CHEMICAL SPILL Tags: Australia, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical AUSTRALIA CLOSES ORICA PLANT OVER CHEMICAL LEAKS Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, explosives, follow-up EPA SAYS FIRE CAUSED BY CHEMICALS Tags: us_MI, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical SMELL FROM CONCORD GAS LEAK COULD GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical HAZMAT RESPONDS TO TRW FIRE Tags: us_TN, industrial, fire, response, metals, waste FIRE CREWS CALLED TO ORICA PLANT AFTER NEW LEAK Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, ammonia --------------------------------------------- KFVS12 NEWS & WEATHER CAPE GIRARDEAU, CARBONDALE, POPLAR BLUFF http://www.kfvs12.com/story/16008222/man-arrested-police-find-meth-lab-in-camper Tags: us_KY, public, discovery, response, meth_lab MARSHALL COUNTY, KY (KFVS) - The Marshall County Sheriff's Office arrested a man after finding a meth lab in a camper. The Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force, Marshall County Sheriff's Office, Calvert City Police Department responded to a complaint of drug activity and a stolen camper on Nov. 9. Officers found Joshua L. Dehaven, 33, of Calvert City hiding in the camper with a strong chemical odor. Officers found a meth lab in the bathroom with two additional reaction vessels, three smoker bottles, camp fuel, salt, lithium battery casings, coffee filters, pseudoephedrine, lye, liquid fire and the finished product (meth) in the camper. --------------------------------------------- WHERE-REGULATORS-FAILED-CITIZENS-TOOK-ACTION-TESTING-THEIR-OWN-AIR http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/11/10/7355/where-regulators-failed-citizens-took-action-testing-their-own-air Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, toxics Until 'bucket test' and insider tips, polluter said to underreport emissions for years TONAWANDA, N,Y. ˜ For the past three decades, Jeani Thomson has been pleading with New York state officials to protect her and her neighbors from air pollution that regularly spreads into her yard from an industrial plant a mile away. Many mornings, a foul-smelling, thick fog settles around her modest house in Tonawanda, a working class town of 16,000 just outside Buffalo. The „toxic blue haze,‰ as Thomson calls it, smells like ammonia, sulfur and „an oily exhaust.‰ --------------------------------------------- BRIGHTON GYM ACCUSED OF DANGEROUS CHEMICAL LEAK (FROM THE ARGUS) http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9356455.Brighton_gym_accused_of_dangerous_chemical_leak/ Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, pool_chemicals A CITY centre gym has been accused of putting their staff, the public and firefighters lives at risk after leaking dangerously high levels of swimming pool chemicals into the air. LA Fitness, in North Road, Brighton denies two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The case follows an incident where chlorine gas and chemical fumes caused the area around the gym to have to be evacuated, in August 2010. Chlorine gas levels in the air were dangerously high and left emergency workers called to the scene feeling ill. The incident could have been „potentially fatal‰ Hove Crown Court was told yesterday. The chemicals in the air were the result of overloading of chemicals into the spa pool. The water levels of chlorine could have been „harmful to babies‰. --------------------------------------------- CHEMICAL SCARE SPARKS EVACUATION http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/chemical-scare-sparks-evacuation/1169892/ Tags: New_Zealand, public, release, injury, chlorine More than 100 people were evacuated during a chemical gas alert at Wanganui's Splash Centre yesterday. Four fire appliances and the fire service's hazardous materials unit attended the suspected chlorine leak. Police blocked both entrances to the complex in Grey St and London St and two ambulances were also on-site. A faulty sensor that detects chlorine gas levels set off the warning system at 10.45am. Splash Centre manager Tracey Prince said pool users were evacuated to Springvale Stadium. The fire service sent three officers in hazardous material suits to assess the suspected leak. --------------------------------------------- TENN. PROFESSOR INJURED SHIELDING STUDENTS FROM BLAST http://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-safety/articles/1180123-Tenn-professor-injured-shielding-students-from-blast/ Tags: us_TN, laboratory, explosion, injury, phosphoric_acid MEMPHIS, Tenn. ˜ A chemistry lab explosion at Southwest Tennessee Community College's Union Avenue campus Wednesday injured a professor and three students, authorities said. The male professor, whose name was not immediately released, apparently shielded students from much of the blast, rushing to aid a group experimenting with a mixture of phosphoric acid and an alcohol called 2-methylcyclohoexanol that began to smoke, according to students and college officials. "He became aware of the imminent danger and did take the brunt of the explosion himself," said Karen Nippert, vice president for institutional advancement for Southwest. "There was just a loud explosion," said Troy Cox, 21, in a physical science class next door when the explosion shook room 232 in Building M, at the corner of Union and Manassas, just after noon. "I saw the teacher was bleeding," from arm and head injuries, Cox said. --------------------------------------------- ABC NEWS (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-11/epa-asked-to-probe-chemical-spill/3660640 Tags: Australia, industrial, release, environmental, waste New South Wales Environment Minister Robyn Parker has called for an Environment Protection Authority (EPA) report into a chemical spill at Port Kembla yesterday. The Minister says the incident occurred at the BlueScope recycling facility, contracted to Violia. A drum carrying waste chemicals was damaged by a forklift, exposing a worker to the fumes. Fire and rescue crews wore protective suits as they contained and cleaned up the spill. Fire station commander Darin Sullivan says the chemical does not pose a risk to the public. "It's one of those things where normal household chemicals have been put into rubbish by the looks of it and that's caused some troubles within the materials that it's been thrown out with," he said. --------------------------------------------- CYANIDE DEATH FORCES EVACUATION OF SCHWARTZ BREWERY HOTEL IN SURRY HILLS http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/cyanide-death-forces-evacuation-of-schwartz-brewery-hotel-in-surry-hills/story-e6freuy9-1226193007631 Tags: Australia, public, discovery, injury, sodium_cyanide PATRONS of a Surry Hills pub were evacuated yesterday after a suspected cyanide leak. Police, ambulance and the firebrigade were called to the Schwartz Brewery Hotel following the discovery of a man's body in an upstairs room. The man was found at about 2pm and initial enquiries led police to believe that he had ingested sodium cyanide. The threat arose from a number of chemical items found in the upstairs room. By 4.30pm the building had been cleared by hazardous materials officers and there was no risk of contagion. --------------------------------------------- UPDATED: EXPLOSION SPARKS FIRE AT OIL COMPANY http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/nov/08/4/explosion-sparks-fire-oil-company-ar-1444450/ Tags: us_TN, industrial, explosion, response, petroleum BRISTOL, Tenn. -- A fiery blast Tuesday at Necessary Oil Co. reminded employees of the nearby Food City and other neighbors of a fire that occurred there more than a decade ago, killing one man and heavily damaging the property. But no one was seriously injured in the latest blaze and employees at the company on Georgia Avenue followed the proper procedure assisting firefighters in containing the fire, said owner Mark Byington. „It was just an accident that happened,‰ he said. „We‚ll wait to find out why it happened and look at it and hope to get back up and running by Monday.‰ The fire started at the oil refinery plant just before 12:30 p.m., said Jack Spurgeon, assistant chief for the Bristol Tennessee Fire Department. About 26 firefighters from both Bristol fire departments had the blaze contained in about 35 minutes, he said. A preliminary investigation suggests the fire started in the area of the plant where the vapors that are pulled off the oil during the refining process are stored, he said. Firefighters were on scene until about 4:30 p.m., investigating the cause, said Capt. Harry Miller. He said Tuesday night that the final report is expected to be filed today. --------------------------------------------- INSTRUCTOR HURT IN EXPLOSION IN SCHOOL LAB http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/us/tenneessee-school-expolosion/ Tags: us_TN, laboratory, explosion, injury, phosphoric_acid (CNN) -- Firefighters are trying to confirm what chemicals were involved in an explosion around noon Wednesday at the campus of Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis. "Twelve students were in the classroom. The instructor was injured, suffered cuts to the face, upper body and arms. He was transported to the hospital," said Lt. Wayne Cooke of the Memphis Fire Department. "Three students are being evaluated because of respiratory concerns." The other students were under observation, he added. Southwest Tennessee Community College spokesman Robert Jackson released a statement describing a fiery mushroom from the explosion, and saying the cause was thought to be a chemical mixture of phosphoric acid and 2-methylcyclohexanol. Emergency responders were told 18 milliliters "of chemicals or product" were being heated in a container at the time of the explosion, Cooke said, and a hazardous materials team was working to confirm what chemicals were involved. The building was evacuated when emergency units arrived on the scene, he said. --------------------------------------------- ILLEGAL DRUG LAB EXPLOSION LEADS TO FIRE, ARREST IN SANTA ROSA http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20111109/ARTICLES/111109530/1010/sports?Title=Drug-lab-explosion-leads-to-fire-arrest-in-Santa-Rosa- Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, response, illegal, meth_lab An illegal drug-making operation in a Santa Rosa home Tuesday evening sparked an explosion that caused a fire, bringing firefighters, then police officers, narcotics investigators and a bomb squad to the residence. Officers arrested Andrew Rossini, 29, at the Morgan Street home. A second man, Anson Bernard Doucette, 41, was wanted for questioning in the case, reported Sgt. Mike Tosti. Santa Rosa firefighters went to the house at about 5:30 p.m. for a reported fire. They found no significant blaze but called police after seeing signs of suspected illegal activity. --------------------------------------------- TWO ARRESTED IN THEFT, HAZMAT SPILL http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/11/09/Two-arrested-in-theft-hazmat-spill/UPI-93651320886146/ Tags: us_CT, transportation, release, environmental, toxics ENFIELD, Conn., Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Two men face charges they stole a Connecticut power company transformer that leaked a toxic chemical, forcing a hazardous materials crew to clean up the mess. Robert Simmons, 46, and Richard Simmons, both of Enfield, allegedly admitted stealing the transformer, which they say they found on the ground Tuesday where it had fallen during an Oct. 29 storm, the Hartford (Conn.) Courant reported Wednesday. The men said they intended to sell the transformer as scrap metal. The two were spotted driving with the equipment in the back of their truck by a Connecticut Light & Power crew who then called police, said Dennis Schain, a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman. The men were arrested and released with a court date scheduled this month. About 5 to 10 gallons of oil with polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, was leaked onto the road, the men's clothing and their truck, Schain said. The carcinogen is dangerous after long-term exposure or ingestion. --------------------------------------------- SPRING HILL: HAZMAT FIREFIGHTERS DEALING WITH CHEMICAL SPILL http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/spring-hill-hazmat-firefighters-dealing-with-chemical-spill/2353728.aspx Tags: Australia, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical Hazardous materials crews have rushed to a Spring Hill recycling plant after a forklift punctured a drum of an unknown substance. Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Wollongong, Warrawong and Unanderra, along with a Hazmat crew from Shellharbour are on scene at the Springhill Rd plant. Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Jay Bland said one man was believed to have been exposed to the substance after the forklift punctured a large drum, which was inside a building. Firefighters in full protective gear entered the building earlier this afternoon but are awaiting a specialist team from Sydney to determine what the substance is. Paramedics have reported the exposed man was taken by security guards to a medical centre where was being treated. --------------------------------------------- AUSTRALIA CLOSES ORICA PLANT OVER CHEMICAL LEAKS http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57322020/australia-closes-orica-plant-over-chemical-leaks/ Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, explosives, follow-up (AP) SYDNEY ˜ Australian environment officials ordered Orica Ltd., the world's largest explosives maker, to shut down one of its plants Thursday, a day after the company was charged over a gas leak that exposed a community to a cancer-causing compound. The New South Wales state Environment Protection Agency said the Melbourne-based company's performance at the plant near the coastal city of Newcastle had been unacceptable. Wednesday's charges against Orica came just hours before another leak at the plant sent two railyard workers to the hospital. "Last night, I telephoned the CEO of Orica and I told him the performance of Orica was unsatisfactory and it needed to improve," Deputy Chief Executive of Environment Regulation Greg Sullivan said. "I also made clear that the series of events we've had at Orica are disturbing, and both the regulator and the community need to have confidence they can operate that plant safely." Orica came under fire after a leak from the plant on Aug. 8 sent the carcinogen hexavalent chromium into the air. Traces of the compound were found in the Newcastle suburb of Stockton, sending residents into a panic. --------------------------------------------- EPA SAYS FIRE CAUSED BY CHEMICALS http://www.wlkm.com/?p=23435 Tags: us_MI, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical Workers from the Environmental Protection Agency have been summoned to Park Township, where a fire at an abandoned warehouse late last week was found to be caused by a chemical reaction. The Thursday morning incident at the former Varnell Plating company prompted firefighters to evacuate neighboring business on Franklin Drive. The site was in the midst of being cleaned as a result of an EPA-ordered mandate. Firefighters said a barrel containing an unknown type of acid reacted, starting the blaze --------------------------------------------- SMELL FROM CONCORD GAS LEAK COULD GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8423076 Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical CONCORD, Calif. (KGO) -- The smell that has upset neighbors living downwind from a pipeline rupture at a former naval weapons station in Concord may last for days. Hazmat teams spent part of Tuesday testing the air. By Tuesday afternoon, the smell had drastically improved and officials insist that even at its worst, the air was still safe to breathe. Still, at least one family, with a 2-week-old baby decided to stay in a hotel room Monday night, just in case. People living near the ConocoPhillips pipeline in Concord say the smell from the leaking oil has been unbearable. --------------------------------------------- HAZMAT RESPONDS TO TRW FIRE http://themountainpress.com/view/full_story/16330371/article--HazMat-responds-to-TRW-fire-?instance=homeleftlocal_top_stories Tags: us_TN, industrial, fire, response, metals, waste SEVIERVILLE ˜ Firefighters and a hazardous materials cleanup crew were called to the TRW plant on River Road Tuesday afternoon after a fire at the facility. Officials said there were no injuries at the facility when flames erupted from a large metal trash bin holding oily filters from inside the plant. „We had a dumpster fire on the exterior of the building,‰ said Capt. Steve Whaley of the Sevier County Volunteer Fire Department. „We ended up having a little bit of a (hazardous materials) issue.‰ Fires can ignite where the filters are stored because the oil is sometimes still hot when it‚s placed in the container, he explained. --------------------------------------------- FIRE CREWS CALLED TO ORICA PLANT AFTER NEW LEAK http://www.smh.com.au/environment/fire-crews-called-to-orica-plant-after-new-leak-20111109-1n721.html Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, ammonia Three plumes of ammonia gas have leaked from the Orica chemical plant at Kooragang Island this afternoon - just hours after it was revealed the company would be prosecuted for a toxic leak in August at the same plant. NSW Fire and Rescue said the gas was released in three blasts at 3.30pm. Six fire units and Hazmat are on the scene. No one has been injured or evacuated. A spokesman for Fire and Rescue NSW said no chemicals had yet been detected by air quality monitors, while an Orica spokeswoman said the company was investigating the incident. Earlier, the Environment Protection Authority announced that Orica would be prosecuted after hexavalent chromium belched into the air from the company's ammonium nitrate plant at Kooragang Island, near Newcastle, on August 8. ---------------------------------------------
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