| About This Archive | | DCHAS-L 2015 Index | | DCHAS-L Yearly Index | |
Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.
|
Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Teaching Chemistry with a Historical Perspective Date: Saturday, August 15, 2015 10:36:52 AM Author: alvaldenio**At_Symbol_Here**VERIZON.NET |
Next by Date: Subject: [DCHAS-L] HHRA Research Program Update: August 2015 Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:28:04 -0400 Author: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" |
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, August 17, 2015 at 5:17:51 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__pinboard.in_u-3Adchas&d=BQIFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=NtKXRnkQkN7eACEasDgSFDJzdfzZ2ATOX4HoFfK87WA&s=CdQ0FvkaSVGl4DIPI5zh_jpKtiDijH4bz7NRWxLtrHY&e=
Table of Contents (16 articles)
ONE HOSPITALISED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
Tags: New_Zealand, laboratory, release, injury, sulfuric_acid
HAZMAT CREW CLEARS EMBALMING FLUID SPILL IN ST. PAUL'S HOSPITAL MORGUE
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, response, formaldehyde
CHINA BLAST ZONE EVACUATED OVER CONTAMINATION FEAR; 104 DEAD
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, injury, sodium_cyanide
‰??WE‰??VE GOT EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL‰?|‰?? CHEMICAL SPILL ON ERIE CANAL ROAD CAUSED EVACUATION AND SENT MANY TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, injury, sulfur_dioxide
CLEAN UP UNDERWAY AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL ON ELKHART RIVER
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, ferric_chloride, waste, water_treatment
EXPLOSIONS, FIRE ROCK TEXAS CHEMICAL PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO HAZMAT SPILL AT TEXAS TECH
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical
IIT TEACHER INJURED IN HAZMAT SITUATION
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT SITUATION PROMPTS EVACUATION OF BIO-CHEMISTRY BUILDING AT UC IRVINE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
DEATH TOLL IN BLASTS IN CHINA'S TIANJIN PORT RISES TO 85
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, death, explosives
HUGE EXPLOSION ROCKS CHINESE PORT CITY
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, explosives, tnt
PACIFIC STEEL CONCERNED ABOUT INJURED EMPLOYEES AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, chlorine, metals, waste
FIRE HITS CHEMICAL FACTORY IN NORTHWESTERN CZECH REPUBLIC
Tags: Czech_Republic, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
AS CHINA BLAST TOLL HITS 50, FEARS MOUNT OVER CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental, calcium_carbide, cyanide, sodium_cyanide, toluene, toxics
CHINA EXPLOSION COULD TRIGGER MORE BLASTS MILES AWAY
Tags: China, public, follow-up, response, chlorine, petroleum, solvent, toluene, toxics
WIDNES CHEMICAL SPILL ALERT IS OVER
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, response, chlorine
---------------------------------------------
ONE HOSPITALISED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
Tags: New_Zealand, laboratory, release, injury, sulfuric_acid
One person has been taken to hospital after a chemical spill at the University of Canterbury.
The Fire Service says the small spill occurred in the ESR Science department at 1.20pm today.
Fire officers wearing hazardous materials suits stabilised the chemical.
Three people required medical attention, with one taken to hospital with minor respiratory issues.
The two others were able to return to work.
The Fire Service said the chemical involved was sulphuric acid.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CREW CLEARS EMBALMING FLUID SPILL IN ST. PAUL'S HOSPITAL MORGUE
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, response, formaldehyde
Specialized fire crews responded to a spill of an embalming chemical at the St. Paul's Hospital morgue Friday night.
It happened at around 10:30 p.m. CST. A release from the Saskatoon Fire Department's Battalion Chief states the hospital called to say 3 litres of a chemical used in the embalming process called Formalin had spilled onto a ceramic floor. The room was locked and evacuated of any staff members.
The hazmat crew donned protective gear and breathing equipment to go inside. The spill was traced to a leaking valve. Crews soaked up the spill, and closed the valve before ventilating the wing, the released stated.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
---------------------------------------------
CHINA BLAST ZONE EVACUATED OVER CONTAMINATION FEAR; 104 DEAD
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, injury, sodium_cyanide
TIANJIN, China -- New small explosions rocked a disaster zone in the Chinese port of Tianjin on Saturday as teams scrambled to clear dangerous chemical contamination and found several more bodies to bring the death toll to 104 in massive blasts earlier in the week.
Angry relatives of missing firefighters stormed a government news conference to demand any information on their loved ones, who have not been seen since a fire and rapid succession of blasts late Wednesday at a warehouse for hazardous chemicals in a mostly industrial area.
The death toll in the ensuing inferno included at least 21 firefighters - making the disaster the deadliest for Chinese firefighters in more than six decades.
An unknown number of firefighters remain missing, and a total of 720 people were injured in the disaster in Tianjin, 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Beijing. One additional survivor was found Saturday.
Two Chinese news outlets, including the state-run The Paper, reported that the warehouse was storing 700 tons of sodium cyanide - 70 times more than it should have been holding at one time - and that authorities were rushing to clean it up.
---------------------------------------------
‰??WE‰??VE GOT EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL‰?|‰?? CHEMICAL SPILL ON ERIE CANAL ROAD CAUSED EVACUATION AND SENT MANY TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, injury, sulfur_dioxide
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) ‰?? Vigo County Central Dispatch confirmed a chemical spill Saturday evening on Erie Canal Road on the south side of Terre Haute.
Officials told our crew on the scene that the exact location was 2400 Erie Canal Road which is the address for Hydrite Chemical Co. and near the intersection of Erie Canal Rd and E Voorhees Street. Originally they stated that the chemical was sulfuric acid ‰?? but firefighters on the scene reported later that it was sulfur dioxide.
Those in the area were evacuated and officials were blocking many streets near the area.
Callers were telling News 10 that they could smell and taste the chemicals. Many people were at the Terre Haute Quarter Midget track when the spill happened. Callers were stating that their lungs began to burn and as they were evacuating they had to use their shirts to cover their faces.
‰??‰?|We‰??ve got everything under control at this time,‰?? explained Joe Swan, Terre Haute Fire Department. ‰??We believe Hydrite‰??s got everything shut down and there‰??s no leak at this time.‰??
Our crew on the scene was told that those needing medical attention were taken to Regional Hospital.
Just before 10 p.m. Terre Haute Regional Hospital released a statement saying a total of 15 people were seen; of those only three had to be admitted for further testing and treatment.
---------------------------------------------
CLEAN UP UNDERWAY AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL ON ELKHART RIVER
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, ferric_chloride, waste, water_treatment
WOLCOTTVILLE -
Clean up is underway on the Elkhart River after a chemical spill from the Wolcottville waste water treatment plant released contaminated water into the river earlier this week.
Just a few days after more than 1,200 gallons of the chemical acidic ferric chloride was released into the river things are almost back to normal.
"From what they're telling me, the pH property of this is neutral, which is a good sign. We don't see any dead fish. We don't see anything. We did see some coloration in the river yesterday, it's greatly diminished now,‰?? said Michael Newton with Noble County EMA.
---------------------------------------------
EXPLOSIONS, FIRE ROCK TEXAS CHEMICAL PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
CONROE, Texas -- A series of explosions rocked an oil field chemical supply company north of Houston on Friday, setting off a three-alarm fire that sent a broad, dense column of thick, black smoke towering into the otherwise blue skies.
Authorities knew of no injuries from the explosions and blaze that erupted about 4:30 p.m., said Conroe Fire Marshal Mike Legoudes.
Firefighters took about two hours to bring the fire under control at the DrillChem plant on the eastern fringe of Conroe, about 40 miles north of Houston.
"The facility was empty at the time of the fire and we are thankful that no injuries have been reported," said DrillChem CEO Brandon Hayes in a statement. "We are working closely with local authorities to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage."
---------------------------------------------
FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO HAZMAT SPILL AT TEXAS TECH
Tags: us_TX, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical
EL PASO, Texas ‰?? Firefighters responded to a hazmat spill in south central El Paso.
The El Paso Fire Department said they worked to clean a chemical spil on the third floor of a building at the Texas Tech Health Science Center on 5001 El Paso Dr.
It happened around 4 p.m. Friday.
No injuries were reported but the building was evacuated and streets were blocked off, according to the fire department.
Officials said a research team of 20 people worked to clean up the spill and they were cleared to go home around 7:30 p.m.
---------------------------------------------
IIT TEACHER INJURED IN HAZMAT SITUATION
Tags: us_IL, laboratory, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Fire Department responded to a hazmat situation Friday evening on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology on the city's South Side, officials said.
A teacher was mixing chemicals in the Life Sciences building at 3105 S. Dearborn St. when there was an explosion. The chemicals were non-toxic, officials said.
The teacher was transported to Northwestern Hospital in stable condition with minor injuries to the face.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT SITUATION PROMPTS EVACUATION OF BIO-CHEMISTRY BUILDING AT UC IRVINE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
IRVINE (CBSLA.com) ‰?? Four people were hospitalized on Friday after a chemical spill occurred in a laboratory at the University of California, Irvine.
Shortly after midnight, firefighters were sent to the bio-chemistry building located in the 500 block of Biological Court, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
Upon their arrival, authorities learned two students who were performing unrelated research noticed fumes in the building.
The third floor of the building was subsequently evacuated and facility management was called to the scene.
Two men and two women became overcome by the fumes, and experienced nausea and shortness of breath before calling 911.
Authorities said they were hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries.
Two of the students were able to recover on their own once outside of the building. They were not hospitalized.
---------------------------------------------
DEATH TOLL IN BLASTS IN CHINA'S TIANJIN PORT RISES TO 85
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, death, explosives
TIANJIN, China (AP) - The death toll from an inferno and huge explosions in the Chinese port city of Tianjin climbed to 85 on Saturday, including 21 firefighters, with hundreds of people injured and some still unaccounted for.
A rapid succession of explosions late Wednesday - one equal to 21 tons of TNT - were sparked by a fire at what authorities said were shipping containers containing hazardous material at a warehouse, and they struck a mostly industrial zone late at night - otherwise the death toll could have been much higher. But the warehouse was close enough to residences to appear out of compliance with safety regulations, raising questions about whether the facility had properly been authorized.
The toll included at least 21 firefighters among the more than 1,000 sent to the disaster, local officials told a news conference Saturday. Firefighters initially responded to a fire at the warehouse and many of them apparently were killed by a series of explosions triggered 40 minutes after the fire was reported.
---------------------------------------------
HUGE EXPLOSION ROCKS CHINESE PORT CITY
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, explosives, tnt
Two massive blasts at a hazardous chemical storage warehouse in Tianjin‰??s harbor killed at least 50 people and injured hundreds of others on Aug. 12. Victims were primarily firefighters and employees of cargo handling firms operating in the Chinese harbor.
Beijing Daily Group, a media group based in Beijing, reported that the first explosion had a force equivalent to 3 tons of TNT. The second blast, far larger, represented the equivalent of 21 tons of TNT. Chinese state media reported that windows were shattered on buildings miles away from the accident. Chinese TV news showed images of huge plumes of flames shooting into the sky.
The accident occurred in Binhai New Area at the company Ruihai Logistics, a freight handler that according to state media reports is authorized to manage dangerous goods. Authorities took in several of the company‰??s employees for questioning. The firm‰??s website became inaccessible after the blasts.
With a population of 15 million people, Tianjin is one of four cities directly managed by China‰??s national government. In a statement, Tianjin‰??s government said China‰??s President Xi Jinping had taken control of the situation. Xi issued several directives, notably ordering that the fire be rapidly put down and that those responsible be severely punished.
---------------------------------------------
PACIFIC STEEL CONCERNED ABOUT INJURED EMPLOYEES AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, chlorine, metals, waste
SPOKANE, Wash. -
Confusion and questions remain at Pacific Steel and Recycling a day after a container that contained chlorine gas ruptured, sickening eight employees, leaving several of them in critical condition.
The incident happened Wednesday morning when a metal container ruptured and released chlorine gas into the air. By the time the gas settled more than two dozen people were affected by exposure to the gas, and several were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Pacific Steel and Recycling President and CEO Jeff Millhollin said Thursday in his more than 15 years in the business, he's never seen anything like this happen, and his company is now working to figure out what the chemical was, why it was at the plant and to look after the workers injured in the accident.
‰??Something back in our scrap metal processing area ruptured and we do know it was a yellowish greenish puff of something came up int he air. How it got opened or what it was, none of that stuff we don't know yet,‰?? he said.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE HITS CHEMICAL FACTORY IN NORTHWESTERN CZECH REPUBLIC
Tags: Czech_Republic, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
PRAGUE (AP) ‰?? An official says firefighters in northwestern Czech Republic have been battling a blaze in a chemical factory that broke after an explosion.
Firefighter spokesman Lukas Marvan said the explosion of propylene took place in the Unipetrol plant near the city of Litvinov Thursday morning.
Marvan said firefighters managed to get the conflagration under control after about four hours. Czech public television showed a huge fire and massive clouds of black smoke.
The broadcaster said one person and four firefighters had to be treated by emergency services.
Local authorities in Litvinov said no dangerous substances have been released but have recommended people to close windows and stay inside.
---------------------------------------------
AS CHINA BLAST TOLL HITS 50, FEARS MOUNT OVER CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental, calcium_carbide, cyanide, sodium_cyanide, toluene, toxics
An environmental expert says evacuation of the area around Wednesday‰??s mammoth warehouse blast in the Chinese port city of Tianjin is the ‰??main priority,‰?? and warned of the explosion‰??s long term consequences.
His words came as the death toll continued to rise, with at least 50 people dead and over 500 hospitalized, of which 71 are in critical condition, officials said Thursday. Several of the dead are reportedly firefighters.
‰??With a blast like this, normally you would expect the transport [of particulate matter] to be along the wind gradient or contours, but a blast this big must push it beyond that in the opposite direction,‰?? Ravi Naidu, Director of the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation at the University of Newcastle Australia, told TIME. ‰??Not just people but animals and other organisms would be exposed to certain chemicals.‰??
Rescue operations have been temporarily suspended while chemical teams scan the area for harmful materials as fears of airborne toxins mount.
‰??We are concerned that certain chemicals will continue to pose a risk to the residents of Tianjin,‰?? Greenpeace Asia‰??s Beijing office said to TIME in an emailed statement. ‰??According to the Tianjin Tanggu Environmental Monitoring Station, hazardous chemicals [that may have been at the blast site] include sodium cyanide (NaCN), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and calcium carbide (CaC2), all of which pose direct threats to human health on contact. NaCN in particular is highly toxic. Ca(C2) and TDI react violently with water and reactive chemicals, with risk of explosion. This will present a challenge for firefighting and, with rain forecast for tomorrow, is a major hazard.‰??
---------------------------------------------
CHINA EXPLOSION COULD TRIGGER MORE BLASTS MILES AWAY
Tags: China, public, follow-up, response, chlorine, petroleum, solvent, toluene, toxics
People up to 20 miles away from the site of the chemical explosions that devastated the Chinese port city of Tianjin could be in danger from the fallout.
‰??People within the first couple of miles [surrounding the blast] could be severely endangered from poisonous gas,‰?? says Rick Hind, legislative director of Greenpeace‰??s toxics campaign. Investigators have set up 12 air-quality monitoring stations that have shown levels of toluene, used in solvents and gas to improve octane ratings, that surpass the national standard. Prolonged exposure to the chemical can harm the central nervous system or respiratory system.
‰??It would be harmful if you breathe in [this toxic air] for a long time,‰?? Wen Wurui, the head of Tianjin‰??s environmental protection bureau, told the BBC. ‰??But at present, it has not exceeded [the standard] too much based on our monitoring.‰??
Hind says the bigger risk in the world‰??s 10th-largest port‰??beyond airborne chemicals‰??are any other petrochemicals being stored and transported in the area. ‰??The first mile or two is key. As we saw in video, whole buildings collapsed a mile away. If there was another tank of poisonous gas, like chlorine, then more people could be at risk.
---------------------------------------------
WIDNES CHEMICAL SPILL ALERT IS OVER
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, release, response, chlorine
A chemical alert on a Widnes industrial estate is over.
Roads were closed and residents warned to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors shut after chlorine leaked into the drains of the Hale Bank estate at around 11am today.
Ambulances stood by and for a while the police helicopter circled overhead. Cheshire Fire Service confirmed there had been a release of chlorine into the drains but it was confined to the surface water drainage system and there was no risk of it reaching the mains water supply.
Just after 5pm a spokesman said fire fighters had safely flushed the drains and it was confirmed there was no longer any trace of the chemical. All road closures and restrictions are lifted.
---------------------------------------------
Ralph Stuart
secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Secretary
Division of Chemical Health and Safety
American Chemical Society
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post