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From: "Stuart, Ralph" <Ralph.Stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (10 articles)
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2016 12:07:56 +0000
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 093CFA90-AA8E-4841-BF1E-654B01A7BBE2**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 7:07:40 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=BQIGaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=Yr7WL84JoTffzn861wdNwRDqKeh5g7Gn4tm3XETPVoY&s=_bvkoxco-hW87_1Cd-i8M-WkTbSDPIVlj0_u-A9pArQ&e=
Table of Contents (10 articles)
NEWCASTLE CHICKEN PLANT EVACUATED AFTER CHLORINE LEAK, 26 HOSPITALISED
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, injury, chlorine
TEEN GIRLS SEE BIG DROP IN CHEMICAL EXPOSURE WITH SWITCH IN COSMETICS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
1 INJURED IN FIRE AT TROUBLED PASADENA PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, hydrogen
MUMBAI: FIRE BREAKS OUT AT CHEMICAL PLANT IN DOMBIVALI
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT CLEANS UP CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_CO, public, release, injury, cleaners
CREWS MONITORING ASPHALT PLANT FOR HAZMAT CONCERNS AFTER FIRE
Tags: us_VA, industrial, fire, response, asphalt
CAL/OSHA CITES EXXONMOBIL FOR FAILING TO REPAIR EQUIPMENT THAT EXPOSED WORKERS... -- SANTA ANA, CALIF., MARCH 4, 2016 /PRNEWSWIRE-USNEWSWIRE/ --
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, response, hydrofluoric_acid
RUNCORN CHEMICAL GIANT LOSES APPEAL OVER CHEMICAL SPILL FINE
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, follow-up, environmental, sodium_hydroxide
WORKERS RESCUED FROM CHEMICAL PLANT BLAZE IN GLASGOW
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, dust, waste
UW-MADISON FINED $56,000 IN AIRPORT HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_WI, transportation, discovery, response, flammables, illegal
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NEWCASTLE CHICKEN PLANT EVACUATED AFTER CHLORINE LEAK, 26 HOSPITALISED
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, injury, chlorine
Over two dozen people have been taken to hospital and others have been treated by paramedics after a chlorine leak at a chicken plant in Newcastle.
Almost 1,000 workers were forced out of the Baiada poultry plant at Beresfield about 9:00am, with about 30 people requiring decontamination by Hazmat crews.
NSW Ambulance spokeswoman Michelle Hoctor said 11 ambulances were at the scene of the "major incident".
"On scene paramedics have treated and assessed 26 patients all of whom have gone to one of three hospitals in the region, Calvary Mater Hospital, Maitland District Hospital and John Hunter Hospital," Ms Hoctor said.
"All are in a stable condition suffering symptoms from breathing difficulties to nausea."
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TEEN GIRLS SEE BIG DROP IN CHEMICAL EXPOSURE WITH SWITCH IN COSMETICS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
new study led by researchers at UC Berkeley and Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas demonstrates how even a short break from certain kinds of makeup, shampoos and lotions can lead to a significant drop in levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the body.
The results, published today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, came from a study of 100 Latina teenagers participating in the Health and Environmental Research on Makeup of Salinas Adolescents (HERMOSA) study.
HERMOSA is a community-university collaboration between UC Berkeley, Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, and a team of youth researchers from the CHAMACOS Youth Council, a project to involve young people in public health and the environment.
Researchers provided teen study participants with personal care products labeled free of chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, triclosan and oxybenzone. Such chemicals are widely used in personal care products, including cosmetics, fragrance, hair products, soaps and sunscreens, and have been shown in animal studies to interfere with the body"s endocrine system.
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1 INJURED IN FIRE AT TROUBLED PASADENA PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, hydrogen
One person was injured when an explosion at a Pasadena refinery sent plumes of smoke into the air and first responders scrambling to the scene Saturday morning.
The fire started at the Pasadena Refinery System plant at 10:15 AM at the hydrogen desulfurization unit. Mark Berlinger, health and safety manager for the company, said the fire was contained and the facility was in a "safe condition."
The company and Harris County Pollution Control did air monitoring and found "no indications of any off-site impacts," according to Berlinger.
The Houston Ship Channel closed briefly as Coast Guard hazmat teams also investigated the scene for any impact from possible chemical release in the air or any impact on the waterways. It has since reopened.
The injured worker was taken to the hospital for flash burns to his hand. Berlinger said the worker was responsive at the scene and talking to co-workers.
Officials abruptly ended the press conference after four minutes and refused to answer questions about how many workers were in the area at the time of the incident or whether the fire was preceded by an explosion. They also did not address questions about neighbors' concerns regarding the plant's operations or the facility's expired Title 5 permit.
The company has a long history of safety and pollution violations, including a previous December 2011 explosion and $1.1 million in fines since 2010 from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
"Everybody knows that place is a ticking time bomb," said Mike Boydston, a 16-year veteran of the industrial east side, who works at the nearby Kinder Morgan tank farm. "I mean, look at it. I quit going in there. I refuse."
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MUMBAI: FIRE BREAKS OUT AT CHEMICAL PLANT IN DOMBIVALI
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
A major fire broke out at a chemical plant in the Dombivali MIDC area in the district on Saturday.
The fire broke out at Ultra Pure Chem in the industrial colony at around 9.30 AM. The workers immediately vacated the plant, fire officer Suresh Shinde of Dombivali fire station said. Fire tenders and more than 125 firemen from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Ambernath and Kalyan-Dombivali rushed to the spot and brought it under control after nearly five hours, he said.
Nobody was injured, but the four-story plant was thoroughly damaged, Shinde said. Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation commissioner E Ravinderan also visited the spot.
---------------------------------------------
DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT CLEANS UP CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_CO, public, release, injury, cleaners
The Denver Fire Department responded to a chemical spill at a laundry room on Quebec Street Saturday afternoon, according to a series of tweets from the fire department.
The tweet said roughly two pints of concentrated laundry product spilled. Four people were transported to hospitals with complaints of minor inhalation.
Fire department spokesperson Melissa Taylor said the chemicals were being transferred from one container to another at the time of the incident.
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CREWS MONITORING ASPHALT PLANT FOR HAZMAT CONCERNS AFTER FIRE
Tags: us_VA, industrial, fire, response, asphalt
HOPEWELL, VA (WWBT) -
Hopewell Fire crews are still at an asphalt plant where a fire broke out earlier Friday.
The fire at Associated Asphalt Hopewell on Water Street is now out, but the crews are still on scene because there are hazardous materials nearby. Officials say the fire was inside a heating exchange holding 750 gallons of oil.
Hopewell's fire chief says the problem stemmed from a heating liquid that's used to warm the asphalt, keeping it hot enough to stay fluid. That presented firefighters with a unique problem, so they are still on the scene just to be on the safe side.
There have no reports of any injuries. The fire has been knocked down. Prince George Fire is assisting.
---------------------------------------------
CAL/OSHA CITES EXXONMOBIL FOR FAILING TO REPAIR EQUIPMENT THAT EXPOSED WORKERS... -- SANTA ANA, CALIF., MARCH 4, 2016 /PRNEWSWIRE-USNEWSWIRE/ --
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, response, hydrofluoric_acid
SANTA ANA, Calif., March 4, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cal/OSHA issued citations to ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Company today after it discovered the company did not repair faulty equipment at its Torrance refinery for four years, exposing workers to possible serious injury or death.
Cal/OSHA opened an investigation following a hydrofluoric acid leak at the refinery's alkylation unit on September 6, 2015. Investigators found that the leak was related to a temporary clamp that was installed on a three-inch nozzle flange following an earlier leak in 2011. The nozzle was not replaced until January, 2016.
"This is a case, a minor repair could have prevented workers at this refinery from exposure to a life-threatening acid," said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. "These citations and penalties are a wake-up call that refineries must follow strict safety protocols to protect their employees."
The three citations issued today include one willful-serious, indicating the employer was aware of the hazardous condition and did not take reasonable steps to address it, and two general citations for ExxonMobil's failure to conduct a hazard analysis and identify and address the 2011 leak. Proposed penalties total $72,120.
ExxonMobil mitigated the leak caused by the faulty clamp within 48 hours of the release. The company also removed tank 5C-31 from service, where the faulty nozzle was attached, to make repairs. Before ExxonMobil was allowed to restart operations in January, a complete inspection of the alkylation unit was conducted to ensure there were no additional leaking flanges or nozzles.
---------------------------------------------
RUNCORN CHEMICAL GIANT LOSES APPEAL OVER CHEMICAL SPILL FINE
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, follow-up, environmental, sodium_hydroxide
A Runcorn chemicals giant has lost a bid to avoid paying a hefty fine following a toxic spill after top judges described it as a "mere pinprick" in the company"s finances.
Weston Point-based Ineos ChlorVinyls Limited was fined å£166,650 after it admitted accidentally releasing caustic soda into the Manchester Ship Canal.
The substance was being loaded through a filter onto a ship berthed in the canal on January 17 2012, Lord Justice McCombe told London"s Appeal Court.
But, when the filter failed, 3.8 metric tonnes of the chemical escaped onto the jetty and 500 litres into the canal.
The chemical would have sunk to the bottom of the canal and there were "no signs of dead fish" and no significant lasting harm to water quality, the court heard.
Ineos ChlorVinyls admitted causing or knowingly permitting a water discharge activity and was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on June 12 last year.
---------------------------------------------
WORKERS RESCUED FROM CHEMICAL PLANT BLAZE IN GLASGOW
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, dust, waste
Three factory workers were rescued as firefighters tackled a blaze at a waste treatment plant in Glasgow.
A level 2 Hazmat Incident was declared after crews arrived at the Clearwater premises on Boden Street in Bridgeton to find a fire throwing up "a large amount of smoke and dust".
Three fire appliances are at the scene along with an environmental protection unit.
A scientist is also assisting as emergency services try to ascertain the nature of the incident and whether chemicals could be involved.
As a precaution, nearby streets have been cordoned off and local residents advised to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.
A fire service spokesman said they were called to the incident at 5.30pm on Thursday and there were no casualties.
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UW-MADISON FINED $56,000 IN AIRPORT HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_WI, transportation, discovery, response, flammables, illegal
MADISON (WKOW) -- Federal Aviation Administration officials say UW-Madison was fined $56,000 after a university researcher put hazardous materials in luggage and checked the baggage onto a flight, only to have TSA screeners intercept the cargo.
Officials say the material included research-grade alcohol, which FAA spokesperson Tony Molinaro calls "highly flammable."
Officials say corrosive epoxy resin was also in the traveling graduate student's baggage.
The Jan. 13, 2015 Delta Airlines flight was bound from Dane County Regional Airport to Minneapolis. UW officials say the researcher's complete, travel itinerary was domestic only.
UW-Madison officials say the student did not realize his cargo had to be treated as hazardous material.
In a statement, UW-Madison officials say both the student and another involved, student researcher received more intensive training after the incident.
They say beyond the two students, there were "...steps...to raise awareness and train University researchers, faculty, staff and administrators on hazardous materials and chemical packaging."
UW-Madison officials consider the incident isolated, and say with considerable research travel across several academic disciplines at the university, the school's safety record is good.
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