From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (7 articles)
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2018 03:47:36 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 364033C5-2D70-44AD-8604-8486A1A999C6**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


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Table of Contents (7 articles)

HAZMAT CREW INSPECTS JACKSONVILLE STATE BUILDING
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

CHEMICAL REACTION IN LAB RESULTS IN MAJOR EVACUATION IN NEW HAVEN
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

10 WAYS TO STAY SAFE IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

FEDERAL AGENCY TO SET UP FACTORY SAFETY ALERT SYSTEM
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

CHEMICAL LEAK AT HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR CONTAINED ON SITE WITH NO INJURIES
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, injury, silicon_tetrachloride

FIRE AT EXPLODED HOOD COUNTY CHEMICAL PLANT BEING ALLOWED TO BURN
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, response, acids

OKLAHOMA CITY VA HOSPITAL PARTIALLY EVACUATED DUE TO CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, cleaner


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HAZMAT CREW INSPECTS JACKSONVILLE STATE BUILDING
http://www.wbrc.com/story/37771216/hazmat-crew-inspects-jacksonville-state-building
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

JACKSONVILLE, AL (WBRC) -
A hazmat crew was called into part of the Jacksonville State University campus after an EF-3 tornado hit the area.

On Tuesday morning, a team went into McGee Hall, which houses chemistry classes, after a professor alerted first responders that there was a possibility some chemicals might have been damaged in the storm.

The teams suited up and went through the decontamination process. Luckily, it was determined that there was no danger to the public.

"Just from looking at the structure we felt like it was OK. But from a precautionary standpoint, we went level A, cleared all the rooms. Make sure everything is good and it is. There was nothing leaking. There were no fractured vessels anywhere. The compressed gas cylinders were all in tact, everything was good,‰?? said Anniston Fire Chief Chris Collins.

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CHEMICAL REACTION IN LAB RESULTS IN MAJOR EVACUATION IN NEW HAVEN
http://fox61.com/2018/03/20/chemical-reaction-in-lab-results-in-major-evacuation-in-new-haven/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

Roughly 1,000 people were evacuated from their downtown New Haven businesses Tuesday morning following the report of a strong smell of gas.

Workers inside 300 George Street, which houses employees from both Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital, said the smell was unmistakable

"As we walked down the stairwells the smell of the gas got really strong," said Dave Batza. "From the fifth floor, all the way down the stairs and out outside, it was a strong smell."

However, even with metering, neither Southern Connecticut Gas nor the New Haven Fire Department could find a source.

"We blocked off the area, stopped road traffic and evacuated the buildings that were affected," said Assistant Chief Mark Vendetto of the New Haven Fire Department.

In addition to 300 George Street, the Alexion Pharmaceuticals building, right next-door, at 100 College Street, was also evacuated for a couple of hours. Finally, after several hours, the smell was determined to be coming from a third-floor laboratory.

"There‰??s absolutely no reason to be fearful," said Vendetto. "There‰??s no harm to the public at this time or anybody that was in the building. What was being used was in small amounts. These buildings are designed for that. The room is under negative pressure."

"At this point, we are working with the chemists on site to determine what chemicals they were using and then the resultant by products of that reaction," said Jeff Chandler of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

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10 WAYS TO STAY SAFE IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
https://www.chem.info/article/2018/03/10-ways-stay-safe-chemical-industry
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

Don't risk devastating effects from a chemical accident. Proper planning could save countless lives and lost work hours. Check out these 10 safety tips for the chemical industry to see if your company's chemical hygiene plan requires changes or additions.

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FEDERAL AGENCY TO SET UP FACTORY SAFETY ALERT SYSTEM
http://www.recordonline.com/news/20180320/federal-agency-to-set-up-factory-safety-alert-system
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, injury, metals, toxics

The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration has agreed to establish a system for notifying local officials and fire departments when it cites factories for serious violations involving flammable and combustible materials, and to share the facilities‰?? lists of chemicals.

The OSHA decision came at the request of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who announced the change Tuesday.

Schumer said he pushed OSHA to create the transparency rules because of a Times Herald-Record investigation of the deadly Nov. 20 fire at the Verla International, LLC cosmetics factory in New Windsor.

A preventable static electric spark from a flammable liquid transfer ‰?? an issue for which OSHA had previously cited the factory ‰?? caused the tragic incident, in which a man was killed and several local firefighters were hurt.

The Record‰??s reporting revealed the communication gaps between emergency agencies, New Windsor and the privately owned factory.

Vails Gate Fire Department Chief Chris Sweeney said his firefighters were somewhat familiar with the factory‰??s chemicals thanks to New Windsor officials‰?? building inspections. The Vails Gate department knew, for example, that Verla stores large quantities of acetone and isopropyl alcohol.

But the firefighters and town officials didn‰??t have a full chemical list, Sweeney added, partly because some of the factory‰??s chemicals were kept in such small quantities that they didn‰??t meet a state reporting threshold.

As for safety violations, although the OSHA website allows people to search for them, ‰??As a volunteer agency, our fire department doesn‰??t have the time to compile our own database, and this (Schumer-led initiative) will help us do our job better,‰?? Sweeney said.

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CHEMICAL LEAK AT HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR CONTAINED ON SITE WITH NO INJURIES
http://www.abc12.com/content/news/Chemical-leak-at-Hemlock-Semiconductor-contained-on-site-with-no-injuries-477318843.html
Tags: us_MI, industrial, release, injury, silicon_tetrachloride

HEMLOCK (WJRT) (3/19/2018) - Two employees at Hemlock Semiconductor were quarantined for a while after a chemical leak brought emergency responders to the plant Monday.


Neither of the affected employees was hospitalized. Thomas Township Fire Chief Mike Cousins described the leak as small thanks to the company's emergency plan for such an incident.

"Hemlock Semiconductor was conducting a normal, routine maintenance check that they do as proactive measures, and during that process a small leak had occurred, and it was silicon tetrachloride," he said.

Silicon tetrachloride is a byproduct of Hemlock Semiconductor's manufacturing process to make polycrystalline silicon metal for the semiconductor and solar cell industries.

It's a colorless liquid that can form a visible, fog-like cloud when released. If inhaled, it cause upper respiratory health problems and other hazards.

"We do have two people that they are looking at, just to make sure they are monitoring them -- maybe a higher blood pressure that they want to look at the person a little more," Cousins said.

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FIRE AT EXPLODED HOOD COUNTY CHEMICAL PLANT BEING ALLOWED TO BURN
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2018/03/19/fire-explosion-hood-county-chemical-plant/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, response, acids

CRESSON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) ‰?? A fire at a North Texas chemical plant following an explosion last week is being allowed to burn itself out before authorities search for a missing worker who‰??s presumed dead.

Cresson Mayor and Assistant Fire Chief Bob Cornett said Sunday that conditions at the 15,000-square-foot Tri-Chem Industries plant are ‰??just too hot‰?? and ‰??just too dangerous.‰?? He says rains Saturday night aggravated chemicals and acids at the site about 25 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Cornett says the plant is being guarded to ensure no one enters and that state and federal environmental and workplace officials are standing by to assist local authorities.

According to the Hood County Fire Marshal, rescuers have performed a number of searches looking for 27-year-old Dylan Mitchell, but they had to be abandoned because of toxic smoke and fumes.

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OKLAHOMA CITY VA HOSPITAL PARTIALLY EVACUATED DUE TO CHEMICAL SPILL
http://kfor.com/2018/03/18/oklahoma-city-va-hospital-partially-evacuated-due-to-chemical-spill/
Tags: us_OK, public, release, response, cleaner

OKLAHOMA CITY ‰?? The local veterans affairs hospital has been partially evacuated due to a chemical spill.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded around 4:45 p.m. on Sunday at the hospital in the 900 block of N.E. 13th Street.

The fire department said a chemical used for cleaning and disinfecting was spilled on the sixth floor of the building, forcing the partial evacuation.

A hazardous materials team was also on scene.

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