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From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2016 07:42:34 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 5E39ACE9-CD67-4082-AE5E-F3AFF2F20D75**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, January 22, 2016 at 7:42:21 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=jQgPQANtHC1eh1rxEiVKJALMtRGiEDMJc8nfQ_Ta6kc&s=n1pJGLN69A87WuMUj2nJcfPZ_MPOk2MvUZmu-w_gAjI&e=
Table of Contents (12 articles)
SULPHUR TRUCK DESTROYED IN BLAZE NEAR CASINO
Tags: Australia, transportation, fire, response, sulphur
HAZMAT CALLED IN FOR CHLORINE LEAK, ANDERSON RIVER PARK CLOSED
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, chlorine
PURSE FIRE SHOWS DANGER OF LITHIUM BATTERIES
Tags: us_IL, public, explosion, injury, batteries
LAMAR UNIVERSITY CLOSES CAMPUS AS NEARBY INDUSTRY FLARES
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, environmental, unknown_chemical
MACHINERY, PRODUCTS WORTH LAKHS DESTROYED IN FACTORY FIRE
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
STEELWORKERS, EXXONMOBIL, CALOSHA START TALKS ON TORRANCE REFINERY EXPLOSION
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, injury, other_chemical
PITTSBURGH WATER-SEWER AUTHORITY USING NEW LEAD-FIGHTING CHEMICAL
Tags: us_PA, public, follow-up, response, corrosives
GREEN CHEMISTRY HINDERED BY LACK OF TOXICOLOGY TRAINING
Tags: education, discovery, environmental, toxics
MAIN STREET "ICE" CHEMICAL SPILL SCANDAL BREWING
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, antifreeze, ethylene_glycol
BLASTS ROCK FIREWORKS FACTORY IN CHINA'S JIANGXI AHEAD OF LUNAR NEW YEAR
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
BONNER COUNTY DAILY BEE: LOCAL NEWS
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, unknown_chemical
KINGSTON COLLEGE EVACUATED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: Jamaica, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical
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SULPHUR TRUCK DESTROYED IN BLAZE NEAR CASINO
Tags: Australia, transportation, fire, response, sulphur
A TRUCK driver was lucky to escape serious injury when his rig, loaded with sulphur, caught fire at Dyraaba near Casino.
Newcastle Fire Communications shift supervisor Paul Randall said NSW Fire and Rescue Casino brigade was called to Sextonville Rd at 12.30pm today after reports a truck had caught fire.
When fire fighters arrived at the scene they found it was no ordinary truck fire, as the burning eight-tonne rig was carrying three-and-a-half tonnes of sulphur, Mr Randall said.
Reinforcements were called from across the Northern Rivers, with eight tankers called to the scene from Lismore, Goonellabah, Alstonville and Kyogle, and Hazmat units from Goonellabah and Tweed Heads.
"It was very fortunate that when fire fighters arrived the truck driver had managed to get out of the vehicle and to safety," he said.
The Gavin Creighton"s Fertiliser Spreading truck spilled part of the sulphur, Mr Randall said, and burned for more than three hours as fire fighters battled the blaze and shifting wind conditions.
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HAZMAT CALLED IN FOR CHLORINE LEAK, ANDERSON RIVER PARK CLOSED
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, chlorine
ANDERSON, Calif. -
The Anderson River Park is closed after a chlorine leak at the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
According to Cheryl Buliavac, public information officer for CAL FIRE speaking on behalf of Anderson fire, the hazmat team was preparing to enter the facility as of 1:30 p.m.
She said there are five tanks at the plant, all of them are one ton each. Two hold sulfur dioxide and three hold chlorine, she explained that the gas has been turned off.
One employee was exposed to the chlorine, and they were treated and released at the scene.
Buliavac explained that the leak is coming from the fitting where the pipes meet.
---------------------------------------------
PURSE FIRE SHOWS DANGER OF LITHIUM BATTERIES
Tags: us_IL, public, explosion, injury, batteries
A Memorial Hospital employee received an important lesson about the dangers of lithium batteries on Tuesday.
That night, Chester firefighters responded to the report of a smoke detector sounding at a nurse"s station inside the facility. Upon arrival, they discovered a purse had caught fire and singed the hair of the victim.
"She had a lithium battery in her purse that got mixed with some coins, shorted out the battery and the purse ignited," said Chester Fire Chief Marty Bert, who added the fire had already been extinguished upon firefighters" arrival. "Since I"ve been on with the department, this is the second or third one I"ve seen."
Although rare, the horror stories are out there. E-cigarettes exploding in people's" pants, cell phone batteries melting and now, purses catching fire.
According to Live Science, lithium-ion batteries have circuitry inside them to prevent overcharging or short circuits.
But if that circuitry becomes damaged, or if the batteries are installed incorrectly, they can overheat and set off a chemical reaction referred to as "thermal runaway."
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LAMAR UNIVERSITY CLOSES CAMPUS AS NEARBY INDUSTRY FLARES
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, environmental, unknown_chemical
BEAUMONT -
12News and emergency dispatchers Thursday received numerous calls about flaring at local industries.
The flaring is the result of power outages in the area. Beaumont Fire Rescue told 12News it was notified by ExxonMobil that its Beaumont facility had 8 flares going to help maintain safety levels because of the outages.
Plant officials as well as Jefferson County and City of Beaumont Officials are monitoring the situation.
Lamar University sent the following message to its students as a result of the flaring:
In an abundance of caution due to activated flares at nearby chemical plants, Lamar University activities are suspended and the campus will be closed for the remainder of the day. Once it has been deemed safe to return another notice will be provided.Cardinal Village Dorms Shelter in place until further notice.
A Lamar spokesperson later in the afternoon issued a second statement:
The refinery flaring does not represent an immediate threat to the LU campus. Afternoon classes remain canceled and offices remain closed, but evening classes will be held as scheduled. All classes and activities will be held tomorrow.
Nearby Lamar Institute of Technology called off afternoon and evening classes as well. LIT will resume classes Friday morning.
---------------------------------------------
MACHINERY, PRODUCTS WORTH LAKHS DESTROYED IN FACTORY FIRE
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A fire broke out at a chemical factory in the Hargobind Pura area here today. According to information, products and machinery worth lakhs were destroyed in the fire. The fire broke out at around 7 pm. The local residents called up the fire brigade.
Fire Safety Officer Rajinder Sharma said 25 fire tenders took turns to control the fire. Sharma said they worked hard for two and a half hours to put out the fire. Finally, the flames were doused at around 9:30 pm.
The fire official suspects the fire was triggered by a short-circuit.
No loss of human life has been reported in the incident.
---------------------------------------------
STEELWORKERS, EXXONMOBIL, CALOSHA START TALKS ON TORRANCE REFINERY EXPLOSION
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, injury, other_chemical
PITTSBURGH (PAI) - The Steelworkers and the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) have opened talks with ExxonMobil about how to solve rampant safety problems in the oil firm's Torrance, Calif., refinery after a federal investigative agency revealed last year's explosion there was a near-miss of a disaster.
"Things are going fine" in the talks with ExxonMobil about how to solve the problems, "but it's a slow process," says Kim Nibarger, the Steelworkers vice president who now heads its oil, chemical and atomic workers sector. Nibarger was formerly USW's top overall safety and health official.
But in an indication ExxonMobil still is recalcitrant, the company "didn't share that same vision" by the feds of the near-miss, "which is quite disappointing," Nibarger adds.
On Jan. 13, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board unveiled its findings about the Feb. 18, 2015 accident at Torrance, which injured two workers. The Steelworkers represent the Torrance refinery workers, as well as two-thirds of all U.S. refinery workers.
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PITTSBURGH WATER-SEWER AUTHORITY USING NEW LEAD-FIGHTING CHEMICAL
Tags: us_PA, public, follow-up, response, corrosives
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority started using a new chemical Thursday that within months should make water less corrosive and form a film on pipes to prevent lead from seeping into a family"s potable water.
"We"re using the public water supply to prevent [lead] leaching from people"s private plumbing," PWSA executive director James Good said.
The decision to switch from caustic soda to soda ash was weeks in the making and correlates with, but was not caused by, a drinking water crisis in Flint, Mich., authority spokesman Brendan Schubert said.
Concerned about the high price of Detroit water, Flint in April 2014 began drawing corrosive water from the Flint River that broke down pipes, exposing residents to lead, which can affect the nervous system and children"s development.
President Barack Obama on Saturday declared a state of emergency there. Residents are advised against using unfiltered tap water for cooking, bathing or drinking, although Flint went back to using Detroit water in October.
---------------------------------------------
GREEN CHEMISTRY HINDERED BY LACK OF TOXICOLOGY TRAINING
Tags: education, discovery, environmental, toxics
Pioneers in green chemistry are warning that the development of new environmentally friendly, non-toxic chemicals is being hampered by a lack of training in toxicology and environmental mechanisms in US chemistry degree courses.
John Warner, president and chief technology officer of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry in Massachusetts, said at a 13 January briefing on Capitol Hill that most chemists are taught to synthesise molecules without considering their impacts on human health or the environment. He said it is wrong that "part of their educational process isn"t how to anticipate the negative impacts of those things". The event was convened by the Green Chemistry & Commerce Council, which is a network of about 80 US companies invested in greening their supply chains.
"This is the weird aberration of the way the science of chemistry has evolved that someone else"s problem is to worry about the toxicity and environmental impact," Warner told the briefing attendees. Because most chemical companies have R&D budgets that are similar to their environmental compliance budgets, it makes sense for scientists to only invent non-toxic, benign chemical formulations, he suggested.
Adelina Voutchkova, an assistant chemistry professor at George Washington University in Washington, DC, agreed that there is a real dearth of chemists who understand the field of toxicology. Further, she said there is an even bigger scarcity of tools in the research sector that can be applied to innovating new chemicals, as opposed to discussing the relative toxicity of one chemical over another.
---------------------------------------------
MAIN STREET "ICE" CHEMICAL SPILL SCANDAL BREWING
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, antifreeze, ethylene_glycol
Remember "Main Street Ice?"
For those of you who"ve forgotten, this is the infamous government-funded ice skating rink in downtown Columbia, S.C. " a city whose motto is "famously hot" (and a city which has proven famously incapable of managing its infrastructure).
Anyway, according to our sources Main Street Ice was involved in a hazardous materials incident this week in which toxic chemicals were leaked into a downtown Columbia, S.C. storm drain.
The chemical mixture " half Ethylene Glycol and half water " was reportedly discovered dumped into a storm drain early Thursday morning as the rink was being disassembled.
Columbia, S.C. hazardous materials crews reportedly arrived on the scene around noon on Thursday, but they "(couldn"t) really do much because the anti-freeze has already traveled down in to the storm drain system before they were notified."
"It"s not a good day to be a fish," a source familiar with the spill told us.
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) emergency officials were on the scene responding to a complaint regarding the incident " which City of Columbia officials told the agency involved a 250-300 gallon spill.
---------------------------------------------
BLASTS ROCK FIREWORKS FACTORY IN CHINA'S JIANGXI AHEAD OF LUNAR NEW YEAR
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
At least three people were killed and dozens more injured after fire and several massive explosions tore through a fireworks factory in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi on Wednesday, Chinese state media said on Wednesday.
Video of the explosions showed several fireballs bursting into the sky near Jiangxi's Shangrao city, with people exclaiming each time the blasts rocked the building they were in, amid sounds of smashing glass.
A local resident surnamed Huang was in the area at the time of the blasts.
"The noise was really, really loud," he said. "I thought it was a typhoon; all the glass was tinkling down, shattering, so I thought it was a very strong wind."
"You could hear it for 30 or 40 kilometers all around. People started to scatter as soon as the first blast went off," Huang said.
"[This area] produces fireworks, and this happened before when I was a kid, but it wasn't as big as that," Huang said.
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BONNER COUNTY DAILY BEE: LOCAL NEWS
Tags: us_WA, industrial, follow-up, injury, unknown_chemical
NEWPORT, Wash. " Zodiac Cabin & Structures Support has been fined more than $1 million for workplace safety and health violations following the investigation of an explosion that rocked the Newport facility and injured 17 workers last July.
After a nearly six-month investigation, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries fined the employer $1,316,000 and cited them with 17 willful violations for knowingly exposing workers to the risk of serious injuries.
"Each citation mentioned in the Labor and Industry report is being reviewed with attention and will be shared across all of our sites," Zodiac Aerospace said in a press release. "Every company of the Zodiac Aerospace Group remains committed to ensuring a workplace free of recognized hazards consistent with our Corporate Health Safety and Environmental Policy."
The release added that while the investigation was underway, Zodiac Aerospace has undertaken various measures to review and identify potential workplace hazards and implement precautions to enhance safety.
The L&I investigation concluded that the explosion could have been prevented if Zodiac had used required safety interlocks and safeguards to ensure that the curing oven was used safely and as advised in a consulting engineer"s report.
---------------------------------------------
KINGSTON COLLEGE EVACUATED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: Jamaica, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical
The North Street-based Kingston College has been evacuated following a chemical spill in a fourth-form chemistry lab.
It's not clear what chemical was spilled or what caused the spill.
A parent told The Gleaner Online that they were advised to collect their sons earlier than normal because of the spill.
When the Gleaner team visited the school, the principal Dave Myrie, was locked in a meeting to discuss the problem.
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