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From: Ralph Stuart <rstuartcih**At_Symbol_Here**me.com>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (15 articles)
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2018 07:27:34 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: F80A922C-CD53-48B6-B825-4A2160936241**At_Symbol_Here**me.com
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Table of Contents (15 articles)
WORKER ENTERS ROOM DURING LOW OXYGEN ALARM ACTIVATION
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, release, response, nitrogen
STRUCTURE FIRE LEADS TO METH LAB ARREST IN CORNING
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, illegal, clandestine_lab
TU INSTRUCTOR: SAFETY TOP PRIORITY IN DRILLING; WORK ON RIG 'SAFE AS LONG AS YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION'
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum
FIRE BREAKS OUT IN CHEMICAL COMPANY IN GUJARAT- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, petroleum
WALGREENS IN CLIVE EVACUATED AFTER PEOPLE INSIDE FALL ILL
Tags: us_IA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO CHEMICAL SPILL AT SLC AIRPORT
Tags: us_UT, industrial, release, response, adhesives
"THE WHOLE RIG"S ON FIRE," 911 CALLS RELEASED FOLLOWING DEADLY DRILLING RIG EXPLOSION
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, death
AMMONIA LEAK AT FISHERY PORT ROAD SEES 100 WORKERS EVACUATED, 3 DECONTAMINATED WITH WATER
Tags: Singapore, public, release, injury, ammonia
OFFICIALS WARN "DON"T MIX CHEMICALS" AFTER BUILDING EVACUATION IN KINGSTON
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, cleaners
TOXIC NIAGARA SANITATION LANDFILL STILL PLAGUES TOWN OF WHEATFIELD
Tags: us_NY, public, follow-up, environmental
OYSTER CREEK FIRE INJURES TWO BRASKEM EMPLOYEES
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, injury, petroleum
DRILLING COMPANY IN OKLAHOMA EXPLOSION HAS HISTORY OF FATAL ACCIDENTS
Tags: us_OK, public, follow-up, environmental
UWF NEWSROOMARGO ALERT: CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN BUILDING 58 UPDATE
Tags: us_FL, laboratory, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD LAUNCHES OKLAHOMA RIG EXPLOSION INVESTIGATION
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, death
NEW TOOLS IMPROVE LAB SAFETY AT UH M€?NOA " UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIćČI SYSTEM NEWS
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, follow-up, environmental
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WORKER ENTERS ROOM DURING LOW OXYGEN ALARM ACTIVATION
https://opexshare.doe.gov/lesson.cfm/2018/1/25/17109/Worker-Enters-Room-during-Low-Oxygen-Alarm-Activation
Tags: us_NM, laboratory, release, response, nitrogen
A worker responding to a low oxygen alarm found a pressure relief valve venting nitrogen into a room. He briefly entered the room, turned off the supply valve and then exited. The technical problem had been solved, however, the worker did not call Emergency Management and Response so personnel could ensure the safety of the area before entering. The primary purpose of the low oxygen alarm is to indicate that the atmosphere is likely oxygen deficient and that it may be unsafe for personnel to be in the area. Initial calculations after the incident indicate that the atmosphere did not pose the risk of a fatality; however, the employee did not know the exact conditions at the time he entered the room. When responding to alarms, it is important to pause and analyze the situation first. Mitigating the situation or condition in the heat of the moment without thoughtful consideration of hazards and work requirements can place workers at potential risk.
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STRUCTURE FIRE LEADS TO METH LAB ARREST IN CORNING
http://www.weny.com/story/37365777/structure-fire-leads-to-meth-lab-arrest-in-corning
Tags: us_NY, public, fire, response, illegal, clandestine_lab
CORNING, N.Y. (WENY) -- Corning Police say they have arrested Katrina L. Breon, 40, of 87 Lamphear Court for unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine in the 3rd degree, a class D felony.
Officials were called to the scene around 6PM on Saturday for a report of a structure fire.
While there, officers discovered materials and evidence of an existing methamphetamine laboratory.
Breon was arraigned ion Corning City Court and remanded to the Steuben County Jail in lieu of $4,000 cash or $8,000 property bond.
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TU INSTRUCTOR: SAFETY TOP PRIORITY IN DRILLING; WORK ON RIG 'SAFE AS LONG AS YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION'
http://www.citizentribune.com/tu-instructor-safety-top-priority-in-drilling-work-on-rig/article_facef61a-ac25-5fd3-b6ac-2647e32c07a4.html
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, environmental, petroleum
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission"s initial report states simply that an employee attempted to close the "blind rams" " a type of blowout preventer " to shut off the well and contain the escaping gas. OCC spokesman Matt Skinner confirmed last week that the worker was among the 17 who survived the explosive fire, which was how regulators were able to report the worker attempted the shut-in.
Mike Stafford, a drilling and production engineering instructor at TU, said the energy industry has evolved to become much safer. The industry is a family and hurts when a tragedy such as Quinton happens, Stafford said, with safety regarded as the top priority.
"The big thing is to learn from it so it doesn"t happen again," Stafford said.
Peter Dooley, a workplace safety expert with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said work in oil and gas fields is inherently dangerous.
Investigators will look to see if there were any events foreshadowing the calamity, which Dooley said typically is the case. He said this level of disaster more commonly has multiple factors contributing to it rather than just one fault that can be blamed.
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FIRE BREAKS OUT IN CHEMICAL COMPANY IN GUJARAT- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/jan/28/fire-breaks-out-in-chemical-company-in-gujarat-1764534.html
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, petroleum
VALSAD: In yet another relapse of safety, a fire broke out at a chemical company in Gujarat"s Valsad district that was doused after eight hours.
The incident came to light on Saturday night when the fire department was informed about the blaze in Sytech Petroleum Company.
No casualty has been reported in the incident till now.
"We got a call at about 8 p.m. informing us that a fire has broken out in a private limited chemical company. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained," said a firefighter present at the site.
It is believed that the company did not have safety measures in place, which is why the fire went on for eight hours.
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WALGREENS IN CLIVE EVACUATED AFTER PEOPLE INSIDE FALL ILL
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Walgreens-in-Clive-evacuated-after-people-inside-fall-ill-471361164.html
Tags: us_IA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) - A suburban Des Moines Walgreens has been forced to evacuate after several people inside became ill.
The incident happened Friday afternoon. Hazmat crews were called to a Walgreens on University Avenue in Clive after several people became ill in the pharmacy area of the store.
The Des Moines Register reports that six people in the store were taken to a hospital.
Television station KCCI reports that Walgreens employees posted a sign outside the drive-thru pharmacy reading, "GAS LEAK. Sorry for the inconvenience. Will be back later."
People in the store were reportedly vomiting and suffered headaches and dizziness. Investigators found no carbon monoxide or natural gas in the store.
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HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO CHEMICAL SPILL AT SLC AIRPORT
http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/hazmat-crews-respond-to-chemical-spill-at-slc-airport/941185446
Tags: us_UT, industrial, release, response, adhesives
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (News4Utah) Fire units and hazmat crews are responding to Salt Lake City International on chemical spill.
Airport officials say 130 gallons of a roofing adhesive was spilled in a contained area by a contractor working on site.
Crews are working to clean up the spill. Officials say the spill is away from the terminals and it is not impacting airport operations.
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"THE WHOLE RIG"S ON FIRE," 911 CALLS RELEASED FOLLOWING DEADLY DRILLING RIG EXPLOSION
http://kfor.com/2018/01/26/the-whole-rigs-on-fire-911-calls-released-following-deadly-drilling-rig-explosion/
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, death
QUINTON, Okla. " Dispatchers were flooded with 911 calls earlier this week after a drilling rig exploded in Pittsburg County.
Around 9 a.m. Monday, emergency crews were called to an explosion at a well site about four miles southwest of Quinton.
"We have an oil rig that is on fire. It just exploded,. We are west of Quinton, Oklahoma" one man told a 911 dispatcher in a call obtained by KJRH.
Dispatcher: "OK. What"s the name of the rig?"
Caller: "It is Patterson 219."
Dispatcher: "Patterson 219. Is anybody hurt?"
Caller: "Yes, ma"am. There"s multiple people hurt. There was a full crew on the rig when it exploded."
Dispatcher: "Do you know how many?"
Caller: "I believe six people."
Dispatcher: "Six? OK, I"m going to get you fire trucks and ambulances headed that way, sir."
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AMMONIA LEAK AT FISHERY PORT ROAD SEES 100 WORKERS EVACUATED, 3 DECONTAMINATED WITH WATER
https://coconuts.co/singapore/news/ammonia-leak-fishery-port-road-sees-100-workers-evacuated-3-decontaminated-water/
Tags: Singapore, public, release, injury, ammonia
This morning, an ammonia leak was reported at 1 Fishery Port Road around 11:40am. Located in a first floor chiller room, the leak was shut off by the company, and about 100 workers in the building were evacuated before the arrival of Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel.
Photo: Singapore Civil Defence Force/Facebook
Officers decontaminated three people by washing them down with water, and they were brought to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in a conscious and stable condition.
SCDF HazMat Specialists picked up low levels of ammonia in the vicinity outside the building and detected the leak within the ceiling of the chiller room. As of writing, they are currently working to access the concealed ammonia piping.
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OFFICIALS WARN "DON"T MIX CHEMICALS" AFTER BUILDING EVACUATION IN KINGSTON
https://globalnews.ca/news/3988118/officials-warn-dont-mix-chemicals-after-building-evacuation-in-kingston/
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, cleaners
A large office building at the Royal Block in downtown Kingston was evacuated on Wednesday afternoon after a chemical mix-up spread noxious fumes throughout the building.
The Royal Block is home to the Royal Bank and a number of smaller businesses, and all had to abandon the building. Fire officials say they got the call shortly before 2 p.m. in the afternoon.
Ted Posadowski, the city"s chief fire prevention officer said they received a hazmat call downtown.
"Crews responded " on arrival, the first floor was being evacuated. Crews went inside and it was determined that an individual was trying to make some corrections within the facility and used two chemicals that unfortunately reacted.
Property owner Braebury Properties confirmed that there was a chemical reaction inside. It happened when two cleaning agents were used to unclog a sink. Tom Beardall is an occupational and environmental health consultant with Phoenix OHC, Inc. in Kingston, and warns against mixing chemicals.
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TOXIC NIAGARA SANITATION LANDFILL STILL PLAGUES TOWN OF WHEATFIELD
http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/toxic-niagara-sanitation-landfill-still-plagues-town-wheatfield/
Tags: us_NY, public, follow-up, environmental
Foot-dragging over decades by the Town of Wheatfield and the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in their efforts at testing and remediation of the former Niagara Sanitation toxic landfill in the town has some residents of Nash Road frustrated to the extent that they are suing the government for action.
It was way back in 1983 that the DEC first conducted a "Phase I Investigation," which consisted of "historical records review and site walk over." Then two years later the state agency commenced Phase II, on-site data collection. It took another four years before that Phase II investigation was "expanded" in 1989.
So altogether, it was approximately six years before the powers-at-be even got to the point of admitting that "Houston, we"ve got a problem." Since the disaster of Love Canal, which in fact had been partially removed to the Nash Road dump as part of the excavation and construction of the Lasalle Expressway, was fresh in everyone"s memory, it didn"t come as news to the nervous residents of Nash Road and surrounding area.
Then another two years elapsed before the New York State Department of Health got into the act, sampling surface soil to further evaluate "potential exposure risks" in 1991.
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OYSTER CREEK FIRE INJURES TWO BRASKEM EMPLOYEES
http://thefacts.com/free_share/article_b09976ca-8e2d-50bb-a0ef-41030e744da2.html
Tags: us_TX, industrial, fire, injury, petroleum
OYSTER CREEK " A fire erupted at Dow Chemical Co."s Oyster Creek site Thursday morning, injuring two Braskem employees who were taken by helicopter and ambulance to nearby hospitals.
The fire occurred around 10 a.m. at a facility shared by Dow and Braskem when the co-catalyst trimethlyaluminum ignited after it came into contact with moisture in the air, said Braskem spokeswoman Stacey Torpey.
Braskem"s on-site emergency response team was activated and extinguished the fire, Torpey said.
"There are no threats to the surrounding community," she said.
Torpey said she could not disclose the medical condition of the two injured employees because of privacy concerns.
Dow spokeswoman Gabriella Cone said there was no impact to Dow employees or operations.
Braskem, a multi-national petrochemical company headquarters in Philadelphia, operates four petrochemical plants in Texas.
Braskem"s plant at the Oyster Creek site manufactures polypropylene, Torpey said.
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DRILLING COMPANY IN OKLAHOMA EXPLOSION HAS HISTORY OF FATAL ACCIDENTS
http://kfor.com/2018/01/25/driller-in-oklahoma-explosion-has-history-of-fatal-accidents/
Tags: us_OK, public, follow-up, environmental
OKLAHOMA CITY - Federal safety records show 10 workers have died over the past decade at well sites linked to drilling contractor Patterson-UTI, the same driller involved in this week's rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers.
An analysis of Occupational Safety and Health Administration data shows the previous accidents happened at drilling sites in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The company also was fined nearly $367,000 over the past 10 years for more than 140 safety violations.
Houston-based Patterson-UTI said in a statement it has embraced safety improvements and spent millions of dollars in recent years on worker training and protective equipment.
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UWF NEWSROOMARGO ALERT: CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IN BUILDING 58 UPDATE
http://news.uwf.edu/argo-alert-chemical-explosion-in-building-58-update/
Tags: us_FL, laboratory, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
A small chemical explosion resulted in a contained fire in a chemistry lab in Building 58 on the UWF Pensacola campus today, Jan. 25, 2018 at approximately 12:15 p.m. Firefighters are on-scene clearing smoke from the fire. There are no reported injuries and the building was safely evacuated. No students were in the lab at the time of the incident.
Building 58 is closed and classes and labs in the building are cancelled until 4:30 p.m. Please avoid Building 58 and surrounding areas until further notice. All other University operations remain operational.
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CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD LAUNCHES OKLAHOMA RIG EXPLOSION INVESTIGATION
https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Chemical-Safety-Board-launches-Oklahoma-rig-12525773.php
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, death
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said Thursday it will launch a full investigation into the Oklahoma rig explosion that killed five people this week as Oklahoma authorities suggested that an equipment failure might have contributed to the tragedy.
The Chemical Safety Board, an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents, typically only gets involved in the largest, deadliest industrial disasters. The board averages about six investigations a year.
RELATED: Oklahoma rig explosion deadliest in years
The well fire, which swept through a drilling rig owned by the Houston company Patterson-UTI, was the deadliest U.S. accident in the oil and gas industry since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 people. Oklahoma regulators said their initial findings suggest that the failure of the blowout preventer -- the same type of equipment that failed in the Deepwater Horizon accident -- may have led to the explosion at a drilling site near Quinton, Okla., about 100 miles southeast of Tulsa.
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NEW TOOLS IMPROVE LAB SAFETY AT UH M€?NOA " UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIćČI SYSTEM NEWS
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2018/01/25/new-tools-improve-lab-safety/
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, follow-up, environmental
Several online tools designed to improve safety and facilitate regulatory compliance in laboratories across the University of HawaićČi at M€?noa campus are being adopted in an effort led by the UH M€?noa Environmental Health and Safety Office. The software was developed at the University of California and has been used extensively throughout UC"s 10 campuses and 5 medical centers.
The software, HoćČoponopono, includes three integrated modules or tools that can be used on smartphones, tablets and desktops:
Assessment: A tool that assists principal investigators with identifying hazards related to their research and shares this and other critical safety information with members of their lab.
Chemicals: A chemical inventory management tool that includes a library of chemicals that are referenced to populate chemical details, such as hazards and first aid information.
Inspect: A flexible, customizable tool that manages the scheduling, completion and long-term tracking of safety inspections.
"This is the latest step we have taken at M€?noa to strengthen laboratory safety," said UH M€?noa Vice Chancellor of Research Michael Bruno. "It is important to utilize the latest technology as we continue to foster a culture of safety so that hazard recognition and risk assessment are ingrained in the minds of all of our researchers."
Other steps the university has taken in recent years include establishing a Chemical and Physical Hazards Committee to promote a greater awareness and commitment to health and safety in research and teaching laboratories.
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