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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: Fwd: [DCHAS-L] [New post] Health and Safety II? Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at 9:20:53 PM Author: Jeffrey Lewin <jclewin**At_Symbol_Here**MTU.EDU> |
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at 8:09:21 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 (15 articles)
STORES EVACUATED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL IN DOWNTOWN OCEAN CITY
Tags: us_NJ, transportation, release, response, cleaners
UPDATE: 15 PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSU
Tags: us_NE, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide
BELDING NO LONGER UNDER THREAT OF CHLORINE GAS CLOUD
Tags: us_MI, industrial, follow-up, environmental, chlorine
FIREFIGHTERS INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION AT ROCHESTER PRECISION OPTICS
Tags: us_NY, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
CHINA ISSUES DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INSPECTIONS
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental
NEUTROGENA RECALLS ACNE MASK OVER CONCERNS ABOUT BLUE LIGHT
Tags: public, discovery, injury, pharmaceutical
TOXIC SMOKE COVERS WESTERN SYDNEY FOLLOWING FACTORY FIRE IN YENNORA
Tags: Australia, industrial, fire, response, gas_cylinders
HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO CALL ABOUT ‰??CYANIDE‰?? IN SUISUN CITY. IT WAS A VAPING PRODUCT
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, cyanide
RESTAURANT CLEARED BY HAZMAT OFFICIALS AFTER CUSTOMER DIES
Tags: us_AL, public, discovery, response, radiation
HAZMAT CALLED IN AFTER ASBESTOS MATERIAL DUMPED AT ILLAWARRA LOOKOUT
Tags: Australia, public, discovery, response, asbestos
CHEMICAL BARRELS FOUND AT OIL PALM PLANTATION MOVED FOR DISPOSAL
Tags: Malaysia, public, discovery, response, cyanide, sodium_cyanide
32 YEARS AFTER POISONING, CLEANUP LAUNCHED AT ARSENIC SITE
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, injury, metals
TWO HAZMAT SITUATIONS CLOSE INTERSTATE 80
Tags: us_NV, transportation, release, injury, dust, sulfuric_acid
REMOVING HYDROFLUORIC ACID FROM DAMAGED REFINERY
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
FORT DETRICK LAB SHUT DOWN AFTER FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION; ALL RESEARCH HALTED INDEFINITELY
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, discovery, environmental, bioagent
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STORES EVACUATED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL SPILL IN DOWNTOWN OCEAN CITY
https://ocnjdaily.com/stores-evacuated-following-chemical-spill-in-downtown-ocean-city/
Tags: us_NJ, transportation, release, response, cleaners
Nearby stores were evacuated as a precaution Tuesday during the cleanup of a chemical spill on the 700 block of West and Asbury avenues in downtown Ocean City.
At about 11:45 a.m., a delivery driver reported that the chemicals sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite had spilled from the back of his truck, city spokesman Doug Bergen said. Those chemicals are caustic substances used as drain cleaners and water disinfectants.
Because of risks associated with direct contact with the chemicals and with breathing fumes from them, nearby businesses were evacuated while cleanup was done by the Cape May County Hazmat Unit, Bergen said.
---------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 15 PEOPLE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSU
https://www.klkntv.com/story/40885429/hazmat-response-near-nw-22nd-and-q-streets
Tags: us_NE, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide
Lincoln Fire and Rescue says 15 people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a carbon monoxide leak Tuesday night.
LFR said they were dispatched to NW 22nd and Q Streets.
Mercy Western Manor, which has housing for low-income families, was evacuated.
When emergency crews arrived they took CO readings.
Battalion Chief Jim Bopp said, "When we got here, we discovered they did have CO readings in the west half of this structure."
Everyone was evacuated from the west end of the structure, and relocated for the night.
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BELDING NO LONGER UNDER THREAT OF CHLORINE GAS CLOUD
https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2019/08/belding-no-longer-under-threat-of-chlorine-gas-cloud.html
Tags: us_MI, industrial, follow-up, environmental, chlorine
BELDING, MI -- The slim chance of a deadly chlorine gas cloud spreading over a West Michigan city of nearly 6,000 residents is no longer a possible scenario for now.
Belding City Manager John Niemela said all remaining stocks of a volatile chemical that had been repeatedly mishandled and caused minor chlorine gas releases at Kassouni Manufacturing Inc. were removed from the facility on Monday, Aug. 5. The facility is located in a residential area.
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FIREFIGHTERS INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION AT ROCHESTER PRECISION OPTICS
https://www.whec.com/news/hazmat-teams-at-chemical-incident-in-henrietta-no-threat-to-public/5449691/?cat=565
Tags: us_NY, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
HENRIETTA, N.Y. (WHEC) ‰?? Firefighters are investigating an explosion at Rochester Precision Optics.
It happened at the manufacturing facility on John Street in Henrietta just before 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Multiple agencies including a HAZMAT team responded to the scene after an automatic fire alarm went off.
According to the Henrietta Fire District, about two dozen employees were there at the time of the explosion. They told firefighters they thought something went off inside the facility.
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CHINA ISSUES DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INSPECTIONS
https://chemicalwatch.com/80691/china-issues-draft-guidelines-for-hazardous-chemical-inspections
Tags: China, industrial, follow-up, environmental
China‰??s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) has completed its consultation on two mandatory guidelines for local authorities that explain how to investigate safety risks at chemical industry parks and hazardous chemical facilities.
On 19 July, the MEM published a review of its activities from January to June. It investigated facilities manufacturing or storing hazardous chemicals throughout the country and found more than 13,000 ‰??hidden dangers‰??, with more than 400 it considered ‰??major‰??.
Its next round of activities will focus on reviewing and resolving these.
A 24 July notice issued to all provincial governments and relevant authorities, which accompanied the consultation for the guidelines, says they come as part of "profound lessons learned from the major chemical explosion in March".
---------------------------------------------
NEUTROGENA RECALLS ACNE MASK OVER CONCERNS ABOUT BLUE LIGHT
https://cen.acs.org/safety/lab-safety/Neutrogena-recalls-acne-mask-over-concerns-about-blue-light/97/web/2019/08
Tags: public, discovery, injury, pharmaceutical
Last month, Neutrogena voluntarily recalled its popular Light Therapy Acne Mask, citing customer complaints of eye problems and ‰??an abundance of caution,‰?? according to the company. The mask targets acne-causing bacteria by irradiating skin with blue light, which sits on the more energetic end of the visible spectrum. Blue light can increasingly be found lighting up organic chemistry labs as a way to drive radical reactions. The ocular safety concerns that led to the Neutrogena recall are also inspiring chemists to find ways to protect themselves when using this popular color of light.
According to Neutrogena, adverse reactions reported by mask users included ‰??transient eye pain or irritation, tearing, blurry vision, seeing spots, or changes in color vision‰?? that resolved once people stopped using the mask. These reports were rare, with the company receiving complaints on about 0.02% of masks sold at the time of the recall. In a statement to C&EN, Neutrogena added that mask users with underlying eye conditions or people who are taking medications that make skin more sensitive to light, such as antibiotics like doxycycline, could theoretically be at risk for eye injuries.
Dermatologists think blue light treats acne by activating porphyrins that then produce reactive oxygen species to kill acne-causing bacteria (Drug Resist. Updat.2012, DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2012.07.001). Similarly, blue light could damage eye cells by exciting molecules that produce destructive oxygen species, says Michael R. Hamblin, an organic chemist at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
---------------------------------------------
TOXIC SMOKE COVERS WESTERN SYDNEY FOLLOWING FACTORY FIRE IN YENNORA
https://www.kiis1065.com.au/newsroom/toxic-smoke-covers-sydney-following-factory-fire-in-yennora/
Tags: Australia, industrial, fire, response, gas_cylinders
Residents in Sydney‰??s west have been told to stay inside and keep their windows closed after a factory fire left a covering of toxic smoke in the area.
The fire broke out at a bottling factory on Norrie Street in Yennora at about 6:45pm on Monday evening (August 5).
The factory is reportedly filled with 10 tonnes of cooking oil, nine kilogram gas cylinders, plastic and wooden crates, which all went up in the blaze causing the toxic fumes.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO CALL ABOUT ‰??CYANIDE‰?? IN SUISUN CITY. IT WAS A VAPING PRODUCT
https://fox40.com/2019/08/05/hazmat-team-responds-to-call-about-cyanide-in-suisun-city-it-was-a-vaping-product/
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, cyanide
SUISUN CITY ‰?? A hazmat crew responded to a call regarding ‰??cyanide‰?? Monday morning near Lawler Ranch Parkway and Hillborn Way.
The caller had reported seeing broken glass bottles labeled as cyanide with an image of a skull and crossbones.
Investigating further, officials say the bottles were actually for vape juice called Cyanide.
The Suisun City Fire Department shared photos of the bottles on Facebook.
---------------------------------------------
RESTAURANT CLEARED BY HAZMAT OFFICIALS AFTER CUSTOMER DIES
http://www.shoalsinsider.com/muscle-shoals-news/restaurant-cleared-by-hazmat-officials-after-customer-dies/
Tags: us_AL, public, discovery, response, radiation
MUSCLE SHOALS‰??Hazmat and EMA officials were on the scene at Garden Gate Cafe on Avalon Avenue late Monday afternoon after one of its customers died in the restaurant.
According to Colbert County EMA Director Michael Smith, the deceased had just undergone some radioactive medical testing and out of an abundance of caution, the building and people were checked for any radioactive contamination with geiger counter equipment.
Officials say the building and all of the people the deceased came into contact with were cleared.
The firefighters and EMT‰??s are to be commended for their hard work and tenacity in keeping people safe.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CALLED IN AFTER ASBESTOS MATERIAL DUMPED AT ILLAWARRA LOOKOUT
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6312465/hazmat-called-in-after-asbestos-material-dumped-at-illawarra-lookout/
Tags: Australia, public, discovery, response, asbestos
A specialised Fire & Rescue crew were called in to clean up suspected asbestos material dumped at an Illawarra lookout over the weekend.
Gerringong Rural Fire Brigade and Kiama Fire & Rescue crews were called to Mount Pleasant lookout near Gerringong after reports hazardous materials had been dumped about noon on Sunday.
Two large plastic tubs and two plastic bags were found with what appeared to be asbestos material inside.
Shellharbour Fire and Rescue Hazmat crews, wearing protective clothing and breathing apparatus, wrapped the material in plastic to render it safe.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL BARRELS FOUND AT OIL PALM PLANTATION MOVED FOR DISPOSAL
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/chemical-barrels-found-at-oil-palm-plantation-moved-for-disposal-YI1219809
Tags: Malaysia, public, discovery, response, cyanide, sodium_cyanide
KUANTAN: All 15 barrels containing solid sodium cyanide found at an oil palm plantation in Karak, Bentong here on Thursday, have been moved to a safe location before being disposed of properly.
Pahang Tourism, Environment, Plantations and Biotechnology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin said the transfer operation was carried out on Sunday by a contractor with expertise in the field.
The transfer process, according to Mohd Sharkar, was closely supervised by the Pahang Department of Environment (DoE), police, firefighters and representatives from the Bentong District and Land Office to avoid untoward incidents.
‰??There were no spills or leakages of the chemical during the transfer. All the barrels were closed and kept neatly covered from the day they were found until being moved.
---------------------------------------------
32 YEARS AFTER POISONING, CLEANUP LAUNCHED AT ARSENIC SITE
https://www.khq.com/national/years-after-poisoning-cleanup-launched-at-arsenic-site/article_7b3b8a40-5cb8-5bb3-a9e7-85beed2d3d6e.html
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, injury, metals
KENT, N.Y. (AP) ‰?? In the weeks after they moved from New York City to their dream home in the leafy countryside, Norman and Alicia Berns grew ill with nausea, numbness and crushing fatigue.
She tried to restore her health by drinking plenty of water, but that turned out to be the worst thing she could do.
"We were just getting progressively sicker, and the doctors couldn't figure out why," said Norman Berns.
Tests eventually revealed the Bernses had arsenic poisoning. They were hospitalized and endured weeks of therapy to purge the toxic metal from their bodies. County and state health investigators found arsenic had leached into their well from a long-abandoned mountainside mine, and the Environmental Protection Agency installed a tank for trucked-in water at their home.
That was in 1987. This spring, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry warned that arsenic in the soil surrounding 10 homes in the neighborhood where the Bernses once lived poses a "significant threat to human health."
Hazmat-suited crews from the EPA blanketed yards with wood chips and gravel to prevent contact with the toxic soil. The state posted warning signs for hikers and mountain bikers in adjacent parkland.
Some residents are surprised to see such urgent action three decades after the Bernses were sickened.
---------------------------------------------
TWO HAZMAT SITUATIONS CLOSE INTERSTATE 80
http://www.kkoh.com/2019/08/05/two-hazmat-situations-close-interstate-80/
Tags: us_NV, transportation, release, injury, dust, sulfuric_acid
There were two hazmat situations Sunday on Interstate 80 in eastern Nevada. The first was near Emigrant Pass in Eureka County about 20 miles west of Carlin involving two tractor-trailer rigs. One rig hit the back of tractor-trailer with sulfuric acid and breached the tank, causing a spill on the road. Both drivers were taken for medical treatment as a precautionary measure. Then, at about 12:13 p.m. on Sunday, a trailer lost lime powder about 20 miles east of the Elko County border. Only the exit was closed as the lime was washed off the road and the ramp was reopened by 3 p.m.
---------------------------------------------
REMOVING HYDROFLUORIC ACID FROM DAMAGED REFINERY
https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/removing-hydrofluoric-acid-from-damaged-refinery/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid
WORK has begun on removing 30,000 bbl of modified hydrofluoric acid at the damaged Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery.
A fire on 21 June caused substantial damage at the refinery, and PES later announced that it would permanently close the oil refinery and file for bankruptcy. The fire destroyed a 30,000 bbl/d unit that used hydrofluoric acid (HF) to process refined products. The acid can burn though skin and bone and exposure can be fatal. HF can form a fog at room temperature that can travel for kilometres, and according to Reuters, workers activated an emergency system that emptied the acid into a protective vessel to prevent this from happening.
It is still not clear what method will be used to remove the acid in the emergency vessel. Engineer and activist Sally Hayati told Reuters that due the volume of the reserves, it would be difficult to neutralise the HF on site, and will likely have to be moved before it can be neutralised. The emergency container can only hold the amount of acid that was dumped into it and does not have additional room for neutralising chemicals.
Reuters also reported that PES was expected to report to government officials that some HF might have been released, but sources told Reuters that it was unclear how much HF may have been released and if the report would become available to the public.
---------------------------------------------
FORT DETRICK LAB SHUT DOWN AFTER FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION; ALL RESEARCH HALTED INDEFINITELY
https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/health/military-institute-s-research-halted-at-fort-detrick-after-failed/article_767f3459-59c2-510f-9067-bb215db4396d.html
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, discovery, environmental, bioagent
All research at a Fort Detrick laboratory that handles high-level disease-causing material, such as Ebola, is on hold indefinitely after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the organization failed to meet biosafety standards.
No infectious pathogens, or disease-causing material, have been found outside authorized areas at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.
The CDC inspected the military research institute in June and inspectors found several areas of concern in standard operating procedures, which are in place to protect workers in biosafety level 3 and 4 laboratories, spokeswoman Caree Vander Linden confirmed in an email Friday.
The CDC sent a cease and desist order in July.
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