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From: DCHAS Secretary <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2017 06:17:30 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 0736510A-FBD5-4496-AFC9-431859B4D799**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 6:17:16 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (12 articles)
POLICE ACTIVATE 'MASS CASUALTY RESPONSE' FOR HAZMAT CRASH ON HIGHWAY 401 IN ONTARIO: LAND LINE MAGAZINE
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, injury, corrosives, hydrofluoric_acid
STORMONT VAIL EMERGENCY ROOM REOPENS AFTER MERCURY SPILL
Tags: us_KS, public, release, response, mercury
VIDEO: HAZMAT CREWS STILL WORKING TO FIND CAUSE OF MERCURY SPILL IN ANTIOCH NEIGHBORHOOD
Tags: us_CA, public, follow-up, environmental, mercury
ANTIOCH: COUNTY HAZMAT TO WORK THROUGHOUT NIGHT TO CLEAN UP MERCURY CONTAMINATION
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, response, mercury
HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO HUMANE SOCIETY AFTER URINE-BASED AMMONIA HOSPITALIZES WORKER
Tags: us_SC, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach, cleaners
HAZMAT RESPONDS TO BUTANOL LEAK, ONE INJURED
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, injury, butyl_alcohol, ethanol
GIRL'S DEATH BLAMED ON HOVERBOARD FIRE
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, death, batteries
BATTLEMENT MESA FIRE HAD POTENTIAL FOR ‰??HIGHLY TOXIC‰?? FUMES
Tags: us_CO, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas
SWEETENER CAN TRACK PEE IN THE POOL
Tags: Canada, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pool_chemicals
HAZMAT CREWS CALLED TO LANSFORD
Tags: us_PA, public, release, response, suicide
CORPORATION MOVES TO RELOCATE OLD DHAKA'S CHEMICAL FACTORIES
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, follow-up, environmental, illegal
NO MORE LICENCE TO CHEMICAL SHOPS IN OLD DHAKA
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, follow-up, environmental, flammables
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POLICE ACTIVATE 'MASS CASUALTY RESPONSE' FOR HAZMAT CRASH ON HIGHWAY 401 IN ONTARIO: LAND LINE MAGAZINE
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, injury, corrosives, hydrofluoric_acid
A multiple vehicle crash on Highway 401 near Mallorytown, Ontario, has shut down all travel lanes. A hazardous material spill prompted law enforcement to issue a mass casualty event response due to the number of people exposed.
A chain reaction crash involving at least a dozen tractor-trailers and several ancillary collisions occurred near the township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands on Tuesday. At least one of the commercial vehicles involved in the primary crash was transporting a hazardous material that turns into hydrofluoric acid when exposed to heat, according to a Facebook post by the Gananoque Police Service. Hydrofluoric acid is a highly toxic, highly corrosive and poisonous solution harmful to skin, lungs and eyes.
The Gananoque Police Service is not the agency responding to the crash, but is sharing updates about the crash via its social media accounts.
The transport is believed to have been carrying between 7,000 and 10,000 liters (between 1,800 and 2,600 gallons) of the chemical at the time of the crash, according to a report from KingstonRegion.com. The report states that several people, including firefighters and others in the area, were covered in the hazardous liquid. A decontamination station was set up in the eastbound lanes of the 401 for those who were exposed, per the report.
The police service post notes that emergency responders are requesting anyone in the area to remain in their vehicles and await further instructions and evacuation by first responders.
The township of Leeds issued a news release at 3 p.m. Tuesday stating that emergency responders were on-site and coordinating the medical response.
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STORMONT VAIL EMERGENCY ROOM REOPENS AFTER MERCURY SPILL
Tags: us_KS, public, release, response, mercury
The emergency room of a Topeka hospital reopened mid-morning Tuesday after it was shut down for several hours because of a hazardous materials spill, officials said.
Stormont Vail Hospital spokeswoman Niki Maloney said the emergency department had reopened shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Authorities said the Topeka Fire Department responded about 10:30 p.m. Monday to a report of a liquid mercury spill in the emergency department‰??s waiting room, located on the northeast corner of the hospital near S.W. 8th and Washburn Avenue.
The fire department‰??s hazardous materials unit worked nearly four hours late Monday into early Tuesday cleaning up the spill.
Stormont Vail officials said the hospital‰??s staff acted ‰??quickly, effectively and in accordance with our Hazardous Spill Response Procedure‰?? in responding to the incident.
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VIDEO: HAZMAT CREWS STILL WORKING TO FIND CAUSE OF MERCURY SPILL IN ANTIOCH NEIGHBORHOOD
Tags: us_CA, public, follow-up, environmental, mercury
ANTIOCH (KRON) ‰?? Hazmat crews are still working to determine what caused a mercury spill in an Antioch neighborhood.
When the liquid metal was discovered on Manzanita Way near Sycamore Drive in Antioch, reports say this is the third time crews have had to respond to a mercury spill in this neighborhood in only four months.
Some of the areas are roped off with yellow tape.
The Environmental Protection Agency says they‰??ve narrowed the spill down to six locations on this street.
Scientists and hazmat crews were out here until 3 a.m. Tuesday and back out again using special air sensors to test for mercury on the ground and vacuuming up the liquid metal, which often looks very similar to broken glass.
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ANTIOCH: COUNTY HAZMAT TO WORK THROUGHOUT NIGHT TO CLEAN UP MERCURY CONTAMINATION
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, response, mercury
Contra Costa County Hazmat will be working through the night to clean up as many as 8-mercury contamination spills reported in the 2200 block of Manzanita Way in Antioch.
According to Seth Heller, a hazardous materials specialist with Contra Costa Hazmat, the mercury spill was first reported by a resident who was going to work on a trailer vehicle around 10:15 am. Upon arrival of County Hazmat, they noticed additional spills.
‰??We noticed there were 6 or 7 areas up and down the street. We used up our resources pretty quickly so we had to call our state and federal partners to assist,‰?? said Heller. ‰??We are currently waiting on resources and will be working through the night.‰??
Heller explained that the spills range from 1-vehicel length to the largest spill being 8-vehicle lengths long, however, there is no need for a shelter in place.
Heller says right now the road is closed at Manzanita Way between Sycamore and Mahogany Way because they do not want vehicles driving over it, but cars can park and walk to their homes as the sidewalks are open. There is also no health threat to humans.
As for what caused the contamination, Heller says they have theories but cannot confirm anything as of 5:30 pm.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO HUMANE SOCIETY AFTER URINE-BASED AMMONIA HOSPITALIZES WORKER
Tags: us_SC, public, release, injury, ammonia, bleach, cleaners
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) ‰?? A mix of urine-based ammonia and bleach sent one person to the hospital Monday morning after a hazardous material call at the Humane Society.
Lt. Jonathan Evans with Myrtle Beach Fire Department says they responded to the call around 11:10 a.m. Monday after a mix of urine-based ammonia and bleach were mixed in a washing machine at the Humane Society and the emission of the noxious gasses affected the person doing the laundry.
‰??We‰??re going to be disposing of many of the blankets and things that were in the laundry area to be washed,‰?? says Grand Strand Humane Society Executive Director Suzanne Roman. ‰??And if anyone could donate blankets to us right now, we really really need them, because we will have to throw all of those out. And we are flushing the area out and really making sure that it is safe for the animals and for people to go back in.‰??
Multiple engines, heavy rescue, and the MBFD hazardous material truck responded to the call. HazMat techs are working to clear the materials, but crews are not expecting any other injuries from the hazardous material, adds Lt. Evans.
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HAZMAT RESPONDS TO BUTANOL LEAK, ONE INJURED
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, injury, butyl_alcohol, ethanol
MUNCIE, Ind. ‰?? The Delaware County Hazmat Team was dispatched to a property on the south side of Muncie on Monday after an excavator crew damaged a barrel containing an unknown substance, which hospitalized the operator.
The operator of the excavator was taken to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital for what turned out to be exposure to butanol at the demolition site that was being cleaned up by the crew. The site, at 2101 E. Willard St., is a former warehouse that has since been torn down.
Jason Rogers, the county's emergency management director, had the Viper Hazmat team evaluate the substance on site. It had been in an old 55-gallon steel drum, one of dozens on the property. There was no immediate threat to surrounding homes, according to officials.
Butanol, which has similarities to ethanol, is a commonly used solvent and fuel source with a wide variety of industrial applications. The operator had breathing difficulty from the fumes produced by the substance. According to EMS personnel, the operator was in good condition before being transported. Originally the incident had been called into EMS as a poisoning.
After determining the substance was butanol, the Hazmat team waited for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to conduct a survey of the site.
---------------------------------------------
GIRL'S DEATH BLAMED ON HOVERBOARD FIRE
Tags: us_PA, public, fire, death, batteries
The death of a three year-old girl in Harrisburg, Pa., over the weekend is being blamed on a hoverboard.
The child wasn't using the device. Authorities say it was plugged in and charging when it apparently overheated and triggered a fire that eventually engulfed the house, taking the child's life. Three other members of the family were critically injured.
The city's fire chief told reporters that family members heard the hoverboard making "sizzling and cracking" sounds shortly before it burst into flames. The fire chief told ABC News that hoverboards are "notorious for starting fires."
Hoverboards are self-balancing scooters that are powered by batteries. From the get-go, it seems these batteries have been a problem.
---------------------------------------------
BATTLEMENT MESA FIRE HAD POTENTIAL FOR ‰??HIGHLY TOXIC‰?? FUMES
Tags: us_CO, industrial, fire, response, natural_gas
A detailed report from the Grand Valley Fire Protection Department regarding a small fire at a Battlement Mesa natural gas site last week shows that while the incident was effectively contained, the smoking substance is "highly toxic" when on fire.
According to the report, the spontaneous combustion and chemical reaction was in part the result of improper container or storage procedure.
In response, Summit Midstream Construction Manager Cameron Bingham said Monday that was the "fire department's opinion" as Summit had inspectors from chemical companies RockSolid and JennChem supervising the site from start to finish.
"I think the incident was handled well by Summit," said Don Simpson, vice president of business development for Ursa Resources. Ursa will use the site for natural gas drilling once the pipeline is finished being installed by Summit Midstream.
"They had experts from the chemical company there to oversee the operations until late at night," Simpson said. "Summit could have put it out themselves, but they called the fire department because that's their expertise."
---------------------------------------------
SWEETENER CAN TRACK PEE IN THE POOL
Tags: Canada, laboratory, discovery, environmental, pool_chemicals
Researchers estimate that swimming pools contain 30 to 80 mL of urine for each person who‰??s jumped in. The problem, aside from the ick factor, is that urine reacts with chemical disinfectants in the water to form potentially harmful by-products. To track the safety of pools and hot tubs, scientists would like to find a chemical marker of how much urine is actually in the water. Xing-Fang Li and coworkers at the University of Alberta propose that the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium‰??used in products such as beverages and baked goods, often in combination with other sweeteners‰??could be that marker. Humans don‰??t metabolize the sweetener, so it‰??s excreted intact in urine. Li and coworkers used liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to measure acesulfame in 250 samples from 31 pools and hot tubs in two Canadian cities. They also sampled the corresponding input tap water for comparison (Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2017, DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.7b00!
043). The team found the sweetener in all pool and hot-tub samples at concentrations from 30 to 7,110 ng/L, compared with 15 ng/L or less in the tap water samples. Using the average amount of acesulfame in a human urine sample, the researchers then estimated that urine can account for up to 30 L of the volume in a standard 420,000-L community pool. The ubiquity of acesulfame suggests that it could indeed be used as a urinary marker for tracking water quality, the researchers note.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CREWS CALLED TO LANSFORD
Tags: us_PA, public, release, response, suicide
LANSFORD, Pa. - Hazmat crews were called out to a home in Lansford, Carbon County Saturday night after a suicide involving chemicals, police said.
Around 5:30 p.m., police tape was set up around a home in the 300 block of Bertsch Street.
Police say the victim used a gas to take his own life inside the home.
Crews at the scene said the Lehigh County HazMat unit responded. Lansford police said the HazMat unit determined the only person affected by the hazard was the victim and the scene was safe.
An spokesperson for the Allentown Fire Department said the bomb squad was also called in as a precaution.
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CORPORATION MOVES TO RELOCATE OLD DHAKA'S CHEMICAL FACTORIES
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, follow-up, environmental, illegal
A mobile court started the drive at Lalbagh's Shahidnagar in presence of Dhaka South City Mayor Sayeed Khokon on Sunday.
One factory was fined Tk 200,000 and two others were asked to immediately relocate at the start of the drive around 12 in the afternoon.
Officials of the Fire Services, Environment and district administration participated in the drive.
Mayor Khokon said that there were many illegal chemical factories and warehouses in Old Dhaka.
"Many people have died in fires that erupted in these factories and warehouses. So these have to be closed down."
Khokon said that no factory that threatens public safety will be allowed to continue in such a highly populated area.
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NO MORE LICENCE TO CHEMICAL SHOPS IN OLD DHAKA
Tags: Bangladesh, industrial, follow-up, environmental, flammables
From now on, the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will not issue any licence to chemical factories in Old Dhaka that use flammable materials.
"We will also not allow any godown [warehouse] to store flammable materials in Old Dhaka for the safety of innocent neighbours," said DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon yesterday.
He made the announcement while inaugurating a joint drive in Lalbagh area against the chemical factories that did not relocate outside Old Dhaka within the March 1 deadline.
The drive is being run by the DSCC, deputy commissioner's office, fire service and civil defence and the Department of Environment.
In 2010, a devastating inferno in Nimtoli was caused by flammable chemicals stored on the ground floor of a residential building. It killed 123 people and injured 200 others.
But that seems to have been a less than stern warning against such chemical storage as many buildings at Nabab Katra, Bangshal, Siddique Bazar, Sat Rowza, Babu Bazar, Lalbagh, Agamasi Lane and Armanitola still have factories with flammable materials.
Asking to move the factories elsewhere from Old Dhaka, Khokon on January this year declared that a joint drive would be conducted against them.
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