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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, August 3, 2018 at 7:16:53 AM
A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (13 articles)
THREE PEOPLE TREATED FOR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
Tags: us_WI, industrial, release, injury, cleaners
CHEMICAL HAZMAT SITUATION AT SILICON VALLEY COMPANY
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
CONTROLLED BURN AT AKRON CHEMICAL PLANT THAT EXPLODED LAST MONTH ENDED EARLY THURSDAY
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response
MILLER FIREWORKS RECALLS FIREWORKS DUE TO VIOLATION OF FEDERAL STANDARD; EXPLOSION AND BURN HAZARDS
Tags: us_DC, public, discovery, environmental, fireworks
SAN FRANCISCO MOVES TO BAN FOOD CONTAINERS MADE WITH FLUORINATED CHEMICALS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, discovery, environmental
CSB ISSUES VIDEO, FACTUAL UPDATE OF HUSKY SUPERIOR REFINERY EXPLOSION
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, injury, asphalt
NON-RECYCLABLE CAUSES FIRE AT CHITTENDEN COUNTY RECYCLING FACILITY
Tags: us_VT, industrial, fire, response, batteries, waste
OPD: 20 VEHICLES DAMAGED IN ODESSA EXPLOSION
Tags: us_CA, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
AKRON OH FIREFIGHTERS SUPERVISE CONTROLLED CHEMICAL BURN
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response, other_chemical
TWO INJURED IN CHEMICAL INCIDENT AT WATERFORD LABORATORY
Tags: Ireland, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
MERCURY SPILL INSIDE BOURNE CONDO PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, mercury
ONE WORKER SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER EXPLOSION, FIRE IN WAUSAU LABO
Tags: us_WI, laboratory, explosion, injury, magnesium
DUPONT TO PAY $3.1 MILLION PENALTY FOR TEXAS ACCIDENT•ČŔ
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, thiols
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THREE PEOPLE TREATED FOR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Three-people-treated-for-chemical-exposure-in-southwest-Wisconsin-489863981.html
Tags: us_WI, industrial, release, injury, cleaners
DARLINGTON, Wis. (KDTH) -- Three workers at a cheese factory in Darlington were treated at a local hospital after being exposed to a chemical at the plant.
The incident happened at around 7:15 a.m. August 1 at Wisconsin Whey Protein located in the 100 block of Christensen Drive.
The employees were exposed after two cleaning solutions were inadvertently mixed and inhaled by the workers.
They were taken to Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County where they were decontaminated.
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CHEMICAL HAZMAT SITUATION AT SILICON VALLEY COMPANY
https://patch.com/california/campbell/chemical-hazmat-situation-silicon-valley-company
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
SANTA CLARA VALLEY, CA ‰?? City of Santa Clara firefighters responded to a hazardous chemical incident at a circuit board manufacturing company this afternoon, according to fire officials. The incident was reported at 1:09 p.m. Thursday at TTM Technologies at 345 Mathew St., according to fire officials. The company is located next to Mineta San Jose International Airport.
Two incompatible chemicals reacted after being mixed during a chemical treatment process, prompting the emergency response, fire officials said.
The hazardous materials team entered the building to assess the situation, and affected employees are being evaluated as a precaution, fire officials said.
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CONTROLLED BURN AT AKRON CHEMICAL PLANT THAT EXPLODED LAST MONTH ENDED EARLY THURSDAY
https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/breaking-news-news/controlled-burn-at-akron-chemical-plant-that-exploded-last-month-ended-early-thurday
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response
Local and state agencies early Thursday morning finished intentionally burning off a chemical where a massive explosion and fire erupted last month at a South Akron chemical plant.
The Akron Fire Department supervised the process at the Emerald Performance Materials plant, which wrapped up about 1 a.m.
The controlled burn involved three tanks of butadiene and lasted about 10 hours, a couple of hours less than expected.
The fire department said the process did not require anyone to be evacuated because they expected no health risks.
Emergency personnel were there throughout the operation and officials monitored air quality.
---------------------------------------------
MILLER FIREWORKS RECALLS FIREWORKS DUE TO VIOLATION OF FEDERAL STANDARD; EXPLOSION AND BURN HAZARDS
http://www.indexjournal.com/news/national/miller-fireworks-recalls-fireworks-due-to-violation-of-federal-standard/article_f079fb68-b14d-5d4b-a0ac-464633ce66f3.html
Tags: us_DC, public, discovery, environmental, fireworks
Name of Product: Fireworks
Hazard: The recalled fireworks are overloaded with pyrotechnics intended to produce an audible effect, violating the federal regulatory requirements for this product. Overloaded fireworks can result in a greater than expected explosion, posing burn and explosion hazards to consumers. The fireworks are banned hazardous substances and are prohibited from being sold under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA).
Remedy: Refund
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fireworks and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
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SAN FRANCISCO MOVES TO BAN FOOD CONTAINERS MADE WITH FLUORINATED CHEMICALS
https://cen.acs.org/policy/legislation-/San-Francisco-moves-ban-food/96/i32
Tags: us_CA, industrial, discovery, environmental
In what is perhaps a first-of-its-kind action, San Francisco is close to enacting a ban on single-use food containers, such as carryout boxes, that are made with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs).
Many paper-based containers designed for contact with food are coated with fluorochemicals that make them resistant to grease and liquids. San Francisco‰??s >pending ordinance cites concerns about the persistence of fluorinated substances and their ability to leach from containers into food.
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CSB ISSUES VIDEO, FACTUAL UPDATE OF HUSKY SUPERIOR REFINERY EXPLOSION
https://cen.acs.org/safety/industrial-safety/CSB-issues-video-factual-update/96/i32
Tags: us_WI, industrial, follow-up, injury, asphalt
The U.S. Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has released a factual update and video animation of an April 2018 explosion and fire at the Husky Superior refinery in Superior, Wis. The incident occurred in the refinery‰??s fluid catalytic cracking unit at the start of a maintenance shutdown. A mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygen was released and ignited, leading to an explosion that sent debris 61 meters. Some of the debris punctured a large storage tank containing about 8,000 m3 of asphalt, spilling the hot liquid into the refinery. The asphalt caught fire and burned for nine hours. The fire generated potentially toxic smoke and risked compromising other process equipment containing hazardous chemicals, including hydrofluoric acid, used in the alkylation unit. An evacuation notice was issued covering a 5-km radius around the refinery plus a rectangle extending 16 km south. Overall, 36 people sought medical attention, including 11 refinery and contract worke!
rs. In its update, CSB offers several scenarios for what might have caused the incident. The agency expects to issue its final causal determination within 18 months.
---------------------------------------------
NON-RECYCLABLE CAUSES FIRE AT CHITTENDEN COUNTY RECYCLING FACILITY
https://vtdigger.org/2018/08/01/non-recyclable-causes-fire-chittenden-county-recycling-facility/
Tags: us_VT, industrial, fire, response, batteries, waste
fire at Chittenden Solid Waste District‰??s recycling facility on Monday night highlights the dangers of improper recycling, officials say.
The fire started at around 5 p.m. in a pile of material on the tip floor ‰?? where recyclables are ‰??tipped‰?? out of trucks to be sorted ‰?? of the district‰??s material recovery facility (MRF) in Williston, said Jonny Finity, communications manager for the district. The MRF sorts most of northern Vermont‰??s single stream, or ‰??blue bin,‰?? recyclables.
Although no staff were present at the facility, the alarm system alerted the local fire department, which put out the fire by 6 p.m., said Finity. The fire damaged an exterior wall of the building, but did not create other noticeable damage, he said. The fire department turned off the power until noon Wednesday, when operations resumed.
Finity said the district cannot determine what in the pile of recyclables caused the fire, but said ‰??batteries are a likely suspect.‰?? He noted that lithium batteries have caused fires at the facility before. ‰??We cannot 100 percent control what people put in their recycling,‰?? he said.
There are two classes of people that create problems for the employees sorting recyclables at the MRF, said Finity. ‰??Some people don‰??t care at all, they‰??re just looking for a hole to toss their stuff in.‰??
---------------------------------------------
OPD: 20 VEHICLES DAMAGED IN ODESSA EXPLOSION
https://www.myplainview.com/news/local/article/OPD-20-vehicles-damaged-in-Odessa-explosion-13125134.php
Tags: us_CA, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
An explosion late Tuesday night rocked Catalyst Chemical, 12030 E. Highway 158 in Odessa, according to an email from the Odessa Police Department‰??s public information officer.
The investigation revealed that a fire caused damage to approximately 20 vehicles, including tractor trailers and rigs, said Cpl. Steve LeSueur in an email. About 40 totes of chemicals were destroyed, causing 13,000 to 14,000 gallons to spill.
The responding agencies were Odessa Fire Rescue, Ector County Sheriff‰??s Office, Ector County Environmental Enforcement, Midland Fire Department, Goldsmith Volunteer Fire Department and Gardendale Volunteer Fire Department.
The cause of the fire was unknown as of Wednesday afternoon. There were no injuries reported.
---------------------------------------------
AKRON OH FIREFIGHTERS SUPERVISE CONTROLLED CHEMICAL BURN
https://www.firehouse.com/operations-training/news/21016038/akron-oh-firefighters-supervise-controlled-chemical-burn
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response, other_chemical
Aug. 01 -- The Akron Fire Department will supervise the controlled burning of a chemical this afternoon at the site of last month‰??s explosion and fire at the Emerald Performance Materials plant on West Emerling Avenue.
The chemical, butadiene, which is used at the South Akron plant, will be removed and then burned in a process that will take 24 to 48 hours, the fire department said. Under a best-case scenario, the burn will last 12 hours.
The controlled burn is expected to start at 3 p.m. and will involve disposing of three tanks of the chemical. A fire department spokeswoman on Wednesday said she was unsure how much butadiene will be burned.
No evacuations in the surrounding area will be necessary today, the Akron Fire Department said in a news release.
‰??No one is confined to their home,‰?? fire department spokeswoman Sierjie Lash said.
While no evacuations are needed, the public will be prevented from getting close to the burn site, Lash said.
---------------------------------------------
TWO INJURED IN CHEMICAL INCIDENT AT WATERFORD LABORATORY
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/two-injured-in-chemical-incident-at-waterford-laboratory-1.3583256
Tags: Ireland, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Two female employees have been injured in a chemical incident at Sanofi laboratory in Waterford, that occurred on Wednesday afternoon.
At approximately 11.20am a chemical incident occurred at the laboratory, and the emergency services were called to the site.
‰??Two members of the Waterford site team were injured and brought by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford,‰?? a spokesman for Sanofi labs said.
One of the staff members was admitted for treatment, and the other employee was discharged after a precautionary examination.
It is understood the employee still in hospital was in a serious condition, and may need to be transferred to another hospital in the coming days.
‰??The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have also been informed in line with established protocols and a thorough investigation will be conducted,‰?? the spokesman said.
Sanofi are a pharmaceutical manufacturing lab, who also have an office based in Dublin.
---------------------------------------------
MERCURY SPILL INSIDE BOURNE CONDO PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
https://www.boston25news.com/news/mercury-spill-inside-bourne-condo-prompts-hazmat-response/803072220
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, mercury
BOURNE, Mass. - Bourne firefighters and a hazardous materials team are on the scene of a mercury spill at a condo complex Tuesday night.
First responders were called around 6 p.m. to 9 Ships Way after a vial of mercury spilled.
The unit was immediately evacuated and secured.
Bourne Fire requested a Tier 1 hazmat response. Bourne Fire is part of Department of Fire Services Hazmat District #1, which consists of 110 cities and towns. Each department has firefighters who are trained hazmat technicians. A Tier 1 response calls for 5 firefighters from surrounding cities and towns to respond to the scene. Bourne Fire Chief Norman Sylvester, a hazmat technician, is the incident commander.
The hazmat team is trying to collect as much of the mercury as possible.
When spilled, mercury breaks apart in beads instead of clumping in a puddle. These beads can be very tiny, making them hard to find. Mercury also evaporates at room temperature and its fumes do not have a smell, which makes it difficult to detect without sensors or other specialized instruments.
Bourne Fire Deputy Joseph Carrara told Boston 25 News the mercury spilled on a hardwood floor, which is harder to clean up than a tile or linoleum surface. The spaces in the hardwood floors make it harder to remove all of the mercury.
Mercury can turn into poisonous vapors that can have dangerous health effects, especially for children and pregnant women.
---------------------------------------------
ONE WORKER SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER EXPLOSION, FIRE IN WAUSAU LABO
http://www.waow.com/story/38777697/2018/07/31/crews-on-scene-of-incident-at-wausau-lab
Tags: us_WI, laboratory, explosion, injury, magnesium
WAUSAU (WAOW) - An explosion and fire in a Wausau lab Tuesday sent one worker to the hospital and fire investigators identified magnesium as one of the chemicals involved.
The small explosion and fire happened about 11 a.m. during a chemical process being done in a laboratory at Dietary Pros Inc., a company on Wausau's west side that makes dietary supplements, according to the Wausau Fire Department.
Battalion Chief Alan Antolik said smoke was coming from the side of the building when crews arrived. All workers were evacuated.
Fire officials and Wausau police remained on the scene for hours, monitoring air quality, removing some of the products and chemicals and talking to workers.
Investigators say they don't know exactly what went wrong in the laboratory. Magnesium, an abundant mineral in the body, is naturally present in many foods, added to other food products, available as a dietary supplement and present in some medicines, such as antacids and laxatives.
---------------------------------------------
DUPONT TO PAY $3.1 MILLION PENALTY FOR TEXAS ACCIDENT•ČŔ
https://cen.acs.org/safety/industrial-safety/DuPont-pay-3-1-million-penalty-for-Texas-accident/96/web/2018/07
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, thiols
DuPont will pay a $3.1 million civil penalty under an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice for violations of EPA‰??s risk management program (RMP) provisions. The violations led to an accident that killed four workers in Texas in late 2014.
The accident occurred when nearly 11,000 kg of methyl mercaptan were released at a pesticide manufacturing unit at DuPont‰??s La Porte plant. Because of a series of maintenance errors, a jerry-rigged piping system transferred the flammable and toxic compound to plant areas where it should not have been. Two unsuspecting workers died when they attempted to clear a vent that they didn‰??t realize contained methyl mercaptan; two others died when coming to their aid.
According to EPA‰??s complaint, DuPont‰??s actions violated 22 separate provisions of the Clean Air Act‰??s RMP. The alleged violations include failing to develop and implement written operating procedures, adequately implement management of change procedures, and implement safe work practices. The citations also include alleged violations of mechanical integrity regulations.
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