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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 (22 articles)
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:30:49 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 54909315-8D5A-47EE-855B-0AC025C62A69**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, July 10, 2017 at 7:30:37 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 (22 articles)
THREE TREATED AT SCENE AFTER YEOVIL CAR CRASH CAUSES 'SIGNIFICANT GAS LEAK' AND LARGE CORDON
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, natural_gas
FIRE CREWS STAMP OUT ‰??RARE‰?? SULPHUR BLAZE IN WYOMING
Tags: us_WY, industrial, fire, response, waste
CHEMICAL INCIDENT SPARKS EVACUATIONS IN NORTH ADELAIDE
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
SCIENTISTS ARE GOOD FOR MORE THAN R&D
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
LUBBOCK FORCED TO DROP LOCAL PETROLEUM GAS RULES, SPARKS FEAR FOR HAZARDOUS FIRES
Tags: us_TX, transportation, discovery, environmental, flammables
FIVE FACTORIES DESTROYED IN FIRE
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, fire, response, other_chemical
EXPLOSION, FIRE AT TOOTHPASTE INGREDIENT FACTORY IN FREETOWN
Tags: us_MA, industrial, explosion, response, other_chemical
VIMS: KEPONE COULD SOON BE HISTORY IN THE JAMES RIVER
Tags: us_VA, public, follow-up, environmental, illegal, pesticides
LCSO: CHEMICAL EXPOSURE CONTAINED AT THE LEWIS COUNTY JAIL
Tags: us_WA, industrial, release, injury, cleaners
SHELTER IN PLACE LIFTED IN IBERVILLE PARISH AFTER CHEMICAL RELEA
Tags: us_LA, industrial, release, injury, chlorine
BOMBA CLEANS UP MERCURY SPILL IN SCHOOL LABORATORY ‰?? BORNEOPOST ONLINE
Tags: Indonesia, laboratory, release, response, mercury
EMPLOYEES ALLOWED BACK INSIDE PLANT AFTER CHEMICAL LEAK, NEWBERRY COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY
Tags: us_SC, industrial, release, response, ammonia
STRUCTURE FIRE AT H-S PRECISION IN RAPID CITY
Tags: us_SD, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
SHERIFF'S MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT TEAM INVESTIGATES THC EXTRACTION LAB EXPLOSION INSIDE VICTORVILLE HOME
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, injury, clandestine_lab
10K GALLONS OF METHYLENE CHLORIDE RELEASED DURING EXPLOSION AT EGLIN AFB
Tags: us_FL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, methylene_chloride
TWO HOSPITALIZED AFTER AMMONIA EXPLOSION IN ELK GROVE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, injury, ammonia
1 SUFFERS FACIAL INJURIES IN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHEMISTRY LAB INCIDENT
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
ADVOCATES CONCERNED ABOUT CHEMICAL DRIFTS THAT SICKENED CENTRAL COAST FARMWORKERS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, injury, ag_chems, pesticides
WV METRONEWS ‰?? U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE REJECTS ELK RIVER CHEMICAL SPILL SETTLEMENT
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
MINE SAFETY AGENCY ISSUES SERIOUS ACCIDENT ALERT ON SAFE HANDLING OF CHEMICALS
Tags: industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrogen_sulfide
BILL TO DELAY OZONE LIMIT MOVES IN CONGRESS
Tags: industrial, discovery, response, ozone
COURT BLOCKS U.S. EPA FROM DELAYING METHANE LEAK RULES
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, methane
---------------------------------------------
THREE TREATED AT SCENE AFTER YEOVIL CAR CRASH CAUSES 'SIGNIFICANT GAS LEAK' AND LARGE CORDON
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, natural_gas
The fire service has described a gas leak in Yeovil as ‰??significant‰?? after a large area was cordoned off following a car crash on Sunday (July 9) evening.
A car crash on the mini-roundabout where Larkhill Road meets Thorne Lane at around 7.30pm led to a car hitting a gas pipe and filling the area with a strong smell of gas, and three people were treated at the scene.
Police closed Vagg Lane, and parts of Thorne Lane and Larkhill Road in the town, with fire crews, ambulance crews, Western Power, and a hazardous materials and environmental protection advisor in attendance.
---------------------------------------------
FIRE CREWS STAMP OUT ‰??RARE‰?? SULPHUR BLAZE IN WYOMING
Tags: us_WY, industrial, fire, response, waste
Fire and hazmat crews have donned protective suits to extinguish a rare and toxic sulphur fire in the western US state of Wyoming.
The blaze erupted when a sulphur mound caught fire at a recycling plant in the city of Worland on Friday.
Hypnotic video uploaded by Worland Volunteer Fire Department shows mini ‰??firenadoes‰?? swirling through the air as crews worked to safely stamp out the flames.
‰??This is a type of fire that is not common but needs to be addressed and dealt with safely and quickly,‰?? Worland Volunteer Fire Department said.
Burning sulphur creates sulphur dioxide, a hazardous gas with a strong odour, which can turn into a sulphurous acid with the addition of water.
Local fire crews said the fire was burning in a ‰??bowl shape‰??, allowing all runoff to be collected in the fire area.
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CHEMICAL INCIDENT SPARKS EVACUATIONS IN NORTH ADELAIDE
Tags: Australia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
A chemical incident has caused chaos in north Adelaide, evacuating three businesses and sending home dozens of staff.
Fire crews were called to Cavan Road at Dry Creek about 1:30 today after an alarm was activated at Redox supply company.
After noticing a strong smell coming from a chemical storage area, subsequent testing confirmed a crate containing 850kg of Xanthate was overheating.
"This is quite a nasty chemical ...The toxic gasses that were released would have been fatal," Metropolitan Fire Service Commander Stuart Dawes said.
The temperature of the crate continued to rise as firefighters in hazmat suits rushed to remove it from the warehouse before it burst into flames.
"Obviously it could have been quite catastrophic had the palette caught fire inside the factory," Mr. Dawes said.
The company is working with authorities to determine what caused the chemical to overheat.
---------------------------------------------
SCIENTISTS ARE GOOD FOR MORE THAN R&D
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
Companies need scientists for R&D, of course, but a new study finds that U.S. manufacturing companies seeking high productivity and earnings should consider hiring scientists for jobs other than R&D as well.
The study, to appear in the forthcoming book ‰??U.S. Engineering in a Global Economy‰?? from the University of Chicago Press, concludes that productivity is higher in manufacturing establishments with high levels of scientists and engineers than in companies with low levels of technical people. A one percentage point higher share of scientists and engineers in a company‰??s workforce is associated with productivity that is almost half a percentage point higher, according to Andrew J. Wang, an economist with Harvard University and the National Bureau of Economic Research who coauthored the study.
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LUBBOCK FORCED TO DROP LOCAL PETROLEUM GAS RULES, SPARKS FEAR FOR HAZARDOUS FIRES
Tags: us_TX, transportation, discovery, environmental, flammables
The city of Lubbock recently threw out its local regulations on the use of petroleum gas, and the city‰??s fire marshal fears it may take a tragedy to get them back on the books.
Like with several topics of late, at the heart of the issue is the balance between state and local control.
Several sessions ago, the Texas Legislature approved a bill saying the rules and standards related to any aspect of the liquefied petroleum gas industry fall under the Railroad Commission of Texas, not local municipalities. Liquefied petroleum gas is defined as flammable hydrocarbon gases including propane, butane or a mixture of these gases. It‰??s used mainly for heating and cooking, and can be stored in tanks as little as five gallons - like the ones people use to fuel their grills - to containers larger than 1,000 gallons.
The legislation, approved in 2011, means local municipalities do not have authority to adopt their own rules to regulate petroleum gas inside city limits. Lubbock Fire Marshal Garett Nelson said this state law passed with no feedback from the state fire marshals. But it wasn‰??t until May when, threatened with a lawsuit, the Lubbock City Council voted to amend the city‰??s petroleum gas ordinance. The amendment stripped the city-adopted regulations and it now reads, ‰??the city hereby adopts the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Rules previously adopted by the Texas Railroad Commission.‰??
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FIVE FACTORIES DESTROYED IN FIRE
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, fire, response, other_chemical
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Dozens of firemen fought for almost six hours as they tried to contain one of the biggest fires in the state which gutted five adjoining factories here.
Thick smoke could be seen billowing from as far as 10km at the height of the blaze in Taman Pelangi, Juru, near here.
More than 60 firemen from all over the state rushed to assist after getting a distress call at 10.58am yesterday.
The task was so great that even the Fire and Rescue Services Department‰??s Hazmat (hazardous material) squad and 16 voluntary fire fighting squads were summoned to help out.
Fortunately, there were no casualties as the factories were closed due to the state public holiday.
Fire department spokesman Azman Hussin said the blaze started from a plastic factory before spreading to the adjoining four factories.
---------------------------------------------
EXPLOSION, FIRE AT TOOTHPASTE INGREDIENT FACTORY IN FREETOWN
Tags: us_MA, industrial, explosion, response, other_chemical
An explosion at a chemical plant in Freetown that makes an ingredient for whitening toothpaste forced an evacuation of the facility Friday afternoon, officials said.
The Freetown Fire Department responded around 2 p.m. to Ashland Specialty Ingredients on South Main Street, Lieutenant Paul Ashley said.
The explosion occurred inside a 30-foot-tall dryer involved in the processing of peroxydone, which is used as a whitening agent in toothpaste, according to Gary Rhodes, an Ashland spokesman.
Three employees were evacuated from the building. At least 50 people working in an adjacent building were allowed to remain on site, he said.
The explosion caused a small blaze that was contained to the inside of the dryer, he said.
There were no injuries. The company will conduct an investigation, Rhodes said.
‰??We don‰??t know the cause just yet,‰?? he said.
---------------------------------------------
VIMS: KEPONE COULD SOON BE HISTORY IN THE JAMES RIVER
Tags: us_VA, public, follow-up, environmental, illegal, pesticides
In 1966, workers at a chemical plant in Hopewell began secretly and illegally dumping a toxic pesticide into the James River.
That pesticide, Kepone, began drifting downstream, concentrating mostly in an especially turbid stretch from the mouth of the Chickahominy River to Fort Eustis. It inundated the surface sediment and the flesh of popular food fish and the valuable oysters that filter-feed on the river bottom.
Allied Chemical Corp. continued to poison the James for years, until Life Sciences Products took over production in 1974, operating out of an abandoned gas station. Production stopped only after factory workers began showing serious neurological damage, or what workers called the "Kepone Shakes."
In July 1975, the state ordered the factory to shut down. In time, Kepone production was banned worldwide.
But the damage to the James River and its ecosystem was already done.
The governor closed the entire river and its tributaries to fishing to protect public health. It was an economic disaster for watermen; some fishing bans lasted nearly 14 years.
Estimates were that it could take as little as 10 years or as much as 100 for nature to purge Kepone from the James.
Turns out, it's closer to 45.
A new analysis by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science found that Kepone levels in fish samples have dropped "exponentially." So much so that the pesticide could be undetectable, or nearly so, in all samples by 2020 or 2025.
Not that Kepone isn't still in fish ‰?? nearly two-thirds of the striped bass and white perch that researchers analyzed still had traces in their tissues. But none were above the federal "action level" for human food.
---------------------------------------------
LCSO: CHEMICAL EXPOSURE CONTAINED AT THE LEWIS COUNTY JAIL
Tags: us_WA, industrial, release, injury, cleaners
The Lewis County Sheriff's Office posted this press release this afternoon on their Facebook page:
A chemical exposure at the Lewis County Jail has been contained to the Kitchen area. Shortly after 3:30 pm this afternoon, an inmate working in the kitchen area of the jail inadvertently mixed household cleaning chemicals, causing an instant chemical reaction. The kitchen area was evacuated, and approximately eight inmates and two kitchen staff members present have been removed from the area and evaluated by jail medical personnel. The Chehalis Fire Department responded and began to ventilate the area, as well as contain the mixed chemicals to a single container. Hazardous material response personnel are also en route to dispose of the chemical mixture.
The main jail population remains unaffected, and the inmate kitchen workers exposed continue to be monitored and evaluated. Due to this disruption we are asking the public to help us in limiting phone calls to the jail at this time while clean-up operations are underway.
---------------------------------------------
SHELTER IN PLACE LIFTED IN IBERVILLE PARISH AFTER CHEMICAL RELEA
Tags: us_LA, industrial, release, injury, chlorine
ST. GABRIEL, LA (WAFB) -
Officials say an all clear has been issued for chlorine release at Olin Chemical and the shelter in place has been lifted for areas of St. Gabriel in Iberville.
On the morning of Saturday, July 8 an emergency message was sent from the Iberville Parish Council's Office of Emergency Preparedness. There was been a chemical release of Chlorine at Olin Chemical 4205 Hwy 75.
As of noon on the same day, officials from the parish say an all clear for the area has been issued. Conditions are now safe and normal activities can resume.
....
During the chemical release, Iberville Sheriff Office was asked by Olin Chemical to block off 2 miles of road around the plant.
Officials say five people received medical attention at the facility, while Acadian ambulance confirms there were no injuries requiring transportation to a hospital.
As of 11 a.m., Sheriff said the release was contained but the shelter in place remained and roads continued to be shut down.
This morning we experienced a chlorine release at our St. Gabriel plant. The release has been contained. Our team immediately addressed the situation, while our employees and the community were asked to shelter in place as a precaution. We immediately coordinated with emergency officials and roads near the plant were closed to ensure safety for the community. Four plant employees received some precautionary first aid treatment. Others on site were evaluated, but required no treatment. No one required hospitalization.
We are investigating what led to this release. The safety of our employees, the community and our environment is always our top priority.
---------------------------------------------
BOMBA CLEANS UP MERCURY SPILL IN SCHOOL LABORATORY ‰?? BORNEOPOST ONLINE
Tags: Indonesia, laboratory, release, response, mercury
MIRI: The Department of Fire Services and Rescue (Bomba) cleaned up a mercury spill in the science lab of SMK St Joseph here on Thursday morning.
Zone 6 Bomba head Supt Law Poh Kiong said six members led by senior fire officer II Roslan along with a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) machinery and Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) vehicle rushed to the school after receiving a call at 8.03am.
‰??Personnel from Bomba equipped with breathing apparatus started by sprinkling sulphur powder on the surface of the mercury. Then tapestry tape is used to clean remnants of mercury on the floor and it is stored in closed containers,‰?? he said in a statement to the media.
Law said the personnel then washed the floor surface with bleach to ensure no traces of chemicals were left behind.
The operation ended at 8.48am and the science lab was reopened and operated as usual.
---------------------------------------------
EMPLOYEES ALLOWED BACK INSIDE PLANT AFTER CHEMICAL LEAK, NEWBERRY COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY
Tags: us_SC, industrial, release, response, ammonia
NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. ‰??
Louis Rich Plant employees in Newberry County are now allowed back inside their workplace after an ammonia leak.
Deputies said Louis Rich maintenance and HazMat identified and contained the leak and worked to reduce the levels.
Deputies said around 200 employees were evacuated because of an ammonia leak early Saturday morning. Deputies confirmed no leakage was detected outside the plant.
There was no danger to the public, but precautions were taken in the interest of safety.
Originally, deputies asked anyone within 1/10 of a mile of the plant to shelter in place. However, deputies later lifted the shelter in place order at 4:00 a.m. Around 6:00 a.m., deputies allowed employees to return to work inside the plant.
---------------------------------------------
STRUCTURE FIRE AT H-S PRECISION IN RAPID CITY
Tags: us_SD, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
RAPID CITY S.D. (KOTA TV) - Employees making their way into work for their routine weekly night shift were in for an unpleasant surprise Friday.
Flames were visible from the side of the H-S Precision building on Turbine Drive in Rapid City.
According to firefighter, Paco Ciocarlan a chemical fire broke out inside the industrial warehouse.
"We're still looking into the extent of the damages. So obviously there's a lot of chemicals in this warehouse so that‰??s our big concern right now,‰?? said Ciocarlan.
The buildings suppression system was enough to keep the fire contained until crews arrived.
Crews from station seven were the first on scene, and were able to put the fire out fairly quickly.
They are still looking to determine the cause of the fire.
H-S Precision Vice President, Tim Houghton said employees where inside when the fire broke out.
"They grabbed the fire extinguisher first, once they realized it was too big for that, they evacuated the building,‰?? said Houghton. ‰??They basically did exactly what they are trained to do, which is good.‰??
---------------------------------------------
SHERIFF'S MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT TEAM INVESTIGATES THC EXTRACTION LAB EXPLOSION INSIDE VICTORVILLE HOME
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, injury, clandestine_lab
Deputies from the Victorville Police Department and personnel from the fire department were dispatched to 11584 Topaz Drive, Victorville for an explosion and fire. Upon their arrival, they located items that were consistent with a THC extraction lab.
Christian Nathaniel Aguila, 20, of Victorville was seen running from the location and later found by deputies. He was badly burned from the explosion and fire and taken to a local hospital. He was later transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for treatment. Aguila has 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his face, head and body.
Richard Li, 42, the homeowner, remained at the scene until deputies arrived.
Personnel from the Sheriff‰??s Department Gangs/Narcotics Division were requested to respond to assist with the investigation. The Sheriff‰??s Marijuana Enforcement Team served a search warrant at the residence and assumed the investigation. Investigators from the Sheriff‰??s Arson/Bomb Detail also responded to the scene. Investigators found evidence of a THC extraction operation at the location.
---------------------------------------------
10K GALLONS OF METHYLENE CHLORIDE RELEASED DURING EXPLOSION AT EGLIN AFB
Tags: us_FL, industrial, follow-up, environmental, methylene_chloride
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (WKRG) ‰?? A new report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is shedding new light on the explosion that occurred on Eglin Air Force Base Wednesday.
The explosion happened at the McKinley Climatic Lab, which simulates all weather conditions inside the facility.
According to the new report, the fire occurred in an air handling unit that caused major damage to the facility and its cooling system.
As a result of the damage to the cooling system, it is estimated that 10,000 gallons of methylene chloride were released during the fire. Methylene Chloride is used as a refrigerant and is a colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor.
---------------------------------------------
TWO HOSPITALIZED AFTER AMMONIA EXPLOSION IN ELK GROVE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, injury, ammonia
An ammonia explosion extensively damaged an Elk Grove Village food processing plant Friday morning, injuring two people, fire department officials say.
The blast occurred about 7 a.m. at Grecian Delight Foods at 1201 Tonne Road and blew out parts of the north and west outer walls, Fire Chief Richard Mikel said. Hazmat workers stopped the leaking chemical several hours later, but investigators have not determined what cause a significant amount of ammonia to build up and explode.
"There's a tremendous amount of damage in the building," Mikel said.
A female employee was taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village with burns, Mikel said. She is not considered to have life-threatening injuries. A hazmat worker was later transported to the hospital with injuries also not considered life-threatening.
Although about 100 employees were in the building, no one was near the explosion because that section of the building is under construction, Mikel said.
"The location probably did help us, and the time of day helped us," he said. "We are very fortunate that we only have two injuries."
---------------------------------------------
1 SUFFERS FACIAL INJURIES IN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHEMISTRY LAB INCIDENT
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A person suffered facial injuries after a chemical reaction in a chemistry lab at the University of Maryland on Thursday.
The Prince George‰??s County Fire Department said it responded to the University of Maryland Chemistry Building before 2:25 p.m.
The fire department said one person suffered facial injuries after a small chemical reaction. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. Officials didn‰??t disclose the extent of the person‰??s injuries.
The chemical reaction was contained to a safety hood, according to the fire department. A hazmat team was assisting at the scene.
The University of Maryland Police Department closed Regents Drive between Field House and Stadium drives as crews responded to the scene.
---------------------------------------------
ADVOCATES CONCERNED ABOUT CHEMICAL DRIFTS THAT SICKENED CENTRAL COAST FARMWORKERS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, follow-up, injury, ag_chems, pesticides
Advocates for farmworkers on both coasts and labor experts are expressing concern about the two dozen agricultural employees who were hospitalized last month in Salinas and Watsonville in a span of one week after fungicides and insecticides apparently drifted on to the fields where they were working.
Six raspberry pickers working near State Route 152 got sick and were rushed to Watsonville Community Hospital on June 29. A week earlier 18 celery workers were taken to the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System‰??s emergency room after some of them became ill.
Those cases came less than two months after more than 50 farmworkers were reportedly exposed to a pesticide drift southwest of Bakersfield that made some of them sick.
‰??Farmworkers in so many ways have become invisible. They put our food on the table, yet their well-being is often below the radar,‰?? said UC Berkeley professor Harley Shaiken, who specializes in labor issues. ‰??To have these kinds of incidents, where they are affected by potentially carcinogenic chemicals in the field, is disturbing.‰??
---------------------------------------------
WV METRONEWS ‰?? U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE REJECTS ELK RIVER CHEMICAL SPILL SETTLEMENT
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
CHARLESTON, W.Va. ‰?? A federal district judge declined Thursday to grant preliminary approval for a settlement related to the January 2014 Elk River chemical spill.
U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. said in a 93-page order he wanted changes to be made to the $151 million deal, citing concerns over tiered payments to different businesses and the resolution of appeals made on claims filed by spill victims.
The settlement would have been between plaintiffs and West Virginia American Water and Eastman Chemical Company, and would have compensated residents and businesses across nine counties affected by the spill of MCHM in the river.
Lawyers have argued West Virginia American Water did not properly prepare for the spill and Eastman did not warn Freedom Industries ‰?? who operated the facility 1.5 miles upstream from the regional water intake ‰?? of the dangers of the chemicals.
---------------------------------------------
MINE SAFETY AGENCY ISSUES SERIOUS ACCIDENT ALERT ON SAFE HANDLING OF CHEMICALS
Tags: industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrogen_sulfide
MSHA highlighted a November 3, 2017, accident in which an explosion occurred when incompatible chemicals were mixed in a tank. A miner had unloaded a truckload of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) solution into a chemical storage tank that contained calcium polysulfide (CaPS) solution. NaHS and CaPS are hazardous chemicals that give off hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a flammable and toxic gas that produces a ‰??rotten-egg‰?? odor. MSHA said the operator had installed a charcoal filter on the tank‰??s vent line to control the odors. ‰??When these chemicals came into contact in the tank, an explosive concentration of H2S gas was liberated,‰?? the agency noted. According to the agency, ‰??The concentration of H2S exceeded the filter‰??s capacity, resulting in a chemical reaction generating enough heat to ignite the filter. H2S vapors in the tank ignited, causing a violent explosion damaging the tank, surrounding area, and building. This accident occurred because the operator changed its proc!
esses, which resulted in the mixing of incompatible chemicals.‰??
To avoid similar accidents, MSHA issued specific ‰??best practices‰?? for operators to implement. These include:
Prior to implementing a process change, such as the introduction of a new chemical, thoroughly evaluate hazards, including chemical compatibility and reactivity.
Establish procedures for the safe handling and storage of chemicals, ensuring chemical compatibility with the process and equipment.
Equip chemical storage tanks with properly designed pressure relief devices that are safely vented.
Ensure that chemical filters and scrubbers are properly designed and rated for the intended application.
Conduct continuous H2S monitoring in areas where it may be liberated.
Do not use pressurized air to off-load NaHS solution.
Train miners on chemical hazards and emergency response procedures.
Use proper personal protective equipment during chemical handling.
For additional safe practices and precautions when handling NaHS, refer to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board‰??s Safety Bulletin No. 2003-03-B (November 2004).
In 2004, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, an independent federal agency investigating chemical accidents, issued a report on ‰??preventing harm‰?? when using sodium hydrosulfide. It noted, ‰??Despite its pungent rotten egg odor, H2S can deaden the nerves that detect odors, thereby preventing those exposed from being able to smell life-threatening airborne concentrations. This condition is referred to as ‰??olfactory fatigue‰?? and must be considered when designing NaHS safety systems.‰??
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BILL TO DELAY OZONE LIMIT MOVES IN CONGRESS
Tags: industrial, discovery, response, ozone
A U.S. House of Representatives committee has approved a bill (H.R. 806) that would push back the deadline for states to meet a more stringent, health-based air quality limit for ground-level ozone to 2025, a delay of eight years. The legislation has the backing of a major chemical industry group, the American Chemistry Council, which is urging Congress to pass it quickly. ACC says the bill would make it easier for companies to get air pollution permits required to construct or expand industrial plants. EPA established the new standard of 70 ppb in 2015. The legislation would put that limit on ice and maintain a weaker standard of 75 ppb that the agency set in 2008. The legislation also would require EPA to review health-based air quality standards every 10 years instead of every five years, as the Clean Air Act now specifies. The House Energy & Commerce Committee approved the bill in a 29-24 party-line vote on June 28, sending it to the full House for consideration. The!
Senate is considering a similar bill (S. 263).
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COURT BLOCKS U.S. EPA FROM DELAYING METHANE LEAK RULES
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, methane
A federal appeals court has nixed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‰??s attempt to delay implementation of regulations to reduce methane leaks from oil and natural gas drilling and production.
Those Obama Administration regulations were years in preparation and apply only to new and modified oil and gas facilities. When they went into effect in August 2016, they were the first-ever federal regulations to reduce methane from this sector. They would capture some 460,000 metric tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, by 2025, EPA said last year. They do not apply to existing facilities, which number in the hundreds of thousands.
The Trump Administration in March called for a reexamination of these and other energy-related regulations. In April, after complaints from oil and gas producers, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt granted a 90-day delay to reconsider specific provisions of the methane rules. In June, Pruitt extended the delay for two years while EPA reconsiders the regulations in their entirety.
The court, agreeing with environmental groups that challenged EPA‰??s move, voided the delay on July 3, calling it ‰??arbitrary, capricious, [and] in excess of statutory ‰?| authority.‰?? The administrative record makes clear that EPA provided ample opportunities for the public to comment while the agency crafted the regulations, the court found. Putting them on hold during reconsideration is unnecessary, it said.
The court stressed that nothing in its opinion limits EPA‰??s authority to reconsider the rules and proceed with formal development of new methane leak regulations.
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