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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 7:43:08 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 (19 articles)
EXPLOSION, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CREATE "VERY DANGEROUS" SCENE FOR RFD
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
KAPOLEI OIL REFINING FACILITIES FINED OVER CHEMICAL SAFETY, HAZARDOUS WASTE VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_HI, industrial, discovery, environmental, wastes, illegal
FALLING CFC-11 EMISSIONS OFFER A REPRIEVE FOR THE OZONE LAYER
Tags: China, public, discovery, environmental, hvac_chemicals, ozone
WORKFLOW DISRUPTIONS RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS
Tags: us_ID, laboratory, release, response, nitric_acid
VERSOVA FIRE: 4 INJURED; MUMBAI MAYOR WARNS OF ACTION AGAINST STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, injury, gas_cylinders
DECLINING FUNDS SLOW US HAZARDOUS WASTE CLEANUP
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, waste
RICHMOND: CHEVRON REFINERY OIL SPILL PROMPTS ALERT ‰?? MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, oils, petroleum
EMPLOYEES EVACUATED AFTER FIRE AT MOBILE PLASTIC MANUFACTURER
Tags: us_AL, industrial, fire, response, plastics
THANE: FIRE BREAKS OUT AT MODELA COMPOUND
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT THE FEDERAL FALLOUT OF THE 2013 EXPLOSION IN CITY OF WEST, TEXAS
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
EPA ALLEGES POLITICAL INTERFERENCE BY TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER TOXIC CHEMICAL
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
HACKER ATTEMPTED TO POISON WATER SUPPLY OF FLORIDA CITY, OFFICIALS SAY
Tags: us_FL, public, release, response, sodium_hydroxide, water_treatment
CHEMICAL LEAK STOPS TRAFFIC AROUND FORT WAYNE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
CDOT RELEASES STUDY ASSESSING RISKS OF HAZMAT VEHICLES IN EISENHOWER TUNNEL
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, environmental
AT LEAST 29 INJURED IN HAZMAT INCIDENT AT CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE PLANT
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical
LITTLE FALLS ARTIST CREATES JEWELRY WITH INTENTION
Tags: us_MN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, acids
WITNESSES DESCRIBE 'EXPLOSION' AS FIRE DESTROYED NORTH-EAST RIFLE RANGE
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
QUEENSLAND BUS DRIVER SUFFERS BURNS IN CHEMICAL ATTACK
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, injury, irritant
FEDS: FATAL ACCIDENT AT GEORGIA PLANT MAY BE LINKED TO CHICKEN PRODUCTION CONVEYOR
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, death, liquid_nitrogen
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EXPLOSION, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CREATE "VERY DANGEROUS" SCENE FOR RFD
https://13wham.com/news/local/crews-respond-to-fire-on-buffalo-road
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
Rochester, N.Y. - Rochester firefighters are at the scene of a second-alarm fire that they say may have been started by a chemical explosion.
Firefighters were called to a building on Buffalo Road, west of Mt. Read Boulevard, around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prior to their arrival, firefighters say, there were reports of some type of explosion. When crews got to the scene, they were met with heavy smoke and people running out of the building.
So far, there have been no reports of injuries, however the size of the building, the amount of smoke and the presence of several chemicals has made the incident challenging.
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KAPOLEI OIL REFINING FACILITIES FINED OVER CHEMICAL SAFETY, HAZARDOUS WASTE VIOLATIONS
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/kapolei-oil-refining-facilities-fined-over-chemical-safety-hazardous-waste-violations/
Tags: us_HI, industrial, discovery, environmental, wastes, illegal
HONOLULU (KHON2) ‰?? Par Hawaii Refining has been fined $219,638 over chemical safety and hazardous waste violations at its oil refining facilities in Kapolei.
On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced settlements with the company for violating the federal Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at its oil refining facilities on Malakole and Komohana Streets.
‰??We are acting to ensure that oil refining facilities reduce the risk of releases of toxic substances, and properly store, manage and dispose of hazardous wastes to protect local communities and the environment,‰?? Amy Miller, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Director of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, said in a news release.
As part of the settlement, Par Hawaii must carry out changes to reduce the risk of chemical accidents at its Malakole Street facility where EPA inspectors found violations of prevention requirements in 2019. These included process safety errors and operating procedures that were unclear and not current, such as an outdated emergency shutdown operating procedure in the control room.
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FALLING CFC-11 EMISSIONS OFFER A REPRIEVE FOR THE OZONE LAYER
https://cen.acs.org/environment/atmospheric-chemistry/Falling-CFC-11-emissions-offer/99/web/2021/02
Tags: China, public, discovery, environmental, hvac_chemicals, ozone
Global emissions of a key contributor to the depletion of stratospheric ozone fell suddenly between 2018 and 2019, largely driven by reductions from within China, according to new analysis (Nature 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03260-5; Nature 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03277-w). These findings mark the reversal of a previously observed rise in the atmospheric concentrations of trichlorofluoromethane, known as CFC-11, a member of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) family of potent ozone-depleting molecules.
CFC-11 was commonly used as a propellant gas in aerosol cans, a refrigerant in air conditioners, and as an insulating agent in the construction industry. But after researchers realized, in the 1980s, that the growing hole in the stratospheric ozone layer was caused by CFCs, 197 countries ratified the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer‰??an international agreement that outlawed CFC production after 2010. Many hailed the treaty as a success that would heal the ozone layer, restoring its ability to absorb the sun‰??s harmful ultraviolet rays.
That‰??s why it came as a surprise when Stephen A. Montzka of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and colleagues reported in 2018 that annual emissions of CFC-11 actually increased after 2012. A 2019 study estimated that 40‰??60% of this global rise in CFC-11 emissions came from China.
‰??If the rise in emissions had been sustained, it would have delayed the recovery of the ozone layer,‰?? Montzka says. In the two new studies, Montzka and colleagues looked at global and Chinese CFC-11 emissions and now report that this outcome appears to have been avoided.
---------------------------------------------
WORKFLOW DISRUPTIONS RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS
https://doeopexshare.doe.gov/OPEXShareFiles/pdf/37224_LL%202021-0008%20Workflow%20Disruptions%20Result%20in%20Unanticipated%20Experimental%20Conditions.pdf
Tags: us_ID, laboratory, release, response, nitric_acid
On November 11, 2020 at the Materials and Fuels Complex Radiochemistry Laboratory (RCL), a researcher opened a small vial containing a concentrated solution of Americium (~0.5 mL of ~20 mM Am-243 in dilute nitric acid). As the cap was removed, the researcher heard a hissing noise and associated it with rapid depressurization of the vial. The researcher noticed droplets form on the index finger of the gloved left hand holding the vial, so quickly re-tightened the cap and placed the vial in a safe configuration. The researcher doffed PPE, performed a whole-body frisk using nearby hand friskers, then alerted the health physics technician (HPT) of the abnormal event. Under HPT direction, further surveys confirmed no personnel contamination. However, radiological surveys of the affected laboratory found alpha contamination on the fume hood ledge and on the floor in front of the fume hood.
---------------------------------------------
VERSOVA FIRE: 4 INJURED; MUMBAI MAYOR WARNS OF ACTION AGAINST STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/versova-fire-4-injured-mumbai-mayor-warns-of-action-against-storage-of-hazardous-materials-101612980430228.html
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, injury, gas_cylinders
As many as four persons sustained injuries after a massive fire broke out in a cylinder godown on Wednesday in Versova area. The incident was reported at 9.43am.
Mini blasts were heard across Versova. Nearby houses also reported cracks due to the vibrations caused by the blast.
According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, investigations will be undertaken to ascertain the legality of the structure. Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said the BMC had taken action twice in the past against the godown.
‰??I request the citizens to submit a written application about cylinders kept in the nearby areas. We‰??ll visit the spots next week and take action. Any business activity, where the storage of hazardous materials is involved, should not be carried out in residential areas. If authorities have given such licenses, l will have them cancelled,‰?? Pednekar said.
---------------------------------------------
DECLINING FUNDS SLOW US HAZARDOUS WASTE CLEANUP
https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/Declining-funds-slow-US-hazardous/99/web/2021/02
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, waste
The federal Superfund program for cleaning up toxic waste sites in the US has slowed over the past 20 years as its funding dwindled, an analysis finds.
In fiscal 2020, a budget shortfall in the Environmental Protection Agency‰??s Superfund program delayed the starts of 34 cleanup projects, the report by the US Public Interest Research Group Education Fund finds. This is the largest backup of pending work since 2005, says the analysis, which relied on EPA data.
The Superfund program draws from a trust fund filled by a former tax on feedstock chemicals, crude oil, and corporate income. That levy expired in 1995. The trust fund reached its peak of $4.7 billion in 1997 and fell to $225 million in 2020, according to the report.
---------------------------------------------
RICHMOND: CHEVRON REFINERY OIL SPILL PROMPTS ALERT ‰?? MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
https://www.marinij.com/2021/02/09/richmond-chevron-refinery-oil-spill-prompts-county-alert/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, oils, petroleum
RICHMOND ‰?? An oil spill at the Chevron Refinery sent at least a hundred gallons of oil, if not more, into San Francisco Bay waters, authorities said.
In a public health advisory e-mailed to Richmond, North Richmond and San Pablo residents around 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, the spill from the refinery was described as having happened along the long wharf.
The advisory added that some residents could experience eye, skin, nose or throat irritation, and should go indoors and rinse affected areas with water. County officials lifted the advisory shortly after 8:40 p.m.
At the start, the refinery‰??s air-monitoring site showed southerly winds around 5 mph for three sites around and near its fenceline.
---------------------------------------------
EMPLOYEES EVACUATED AFTER FIRE AT MOBILE PLASTIC MANUFACTURER
https://mynbc15.com/news/local/employees-evacuated-after-fire-at-mobile-plastic-manufacturer
Tags: us_AL, industrial, fire, response, plastics
MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) ‰?? Employees have been evacuated out of RPS Composites, a plastic manufacturing company on Ziegler Boulevard in Mobile. There have been no reports of any injuries as workers return to work inside.
Fire-Rescue spokesperson Steven Milhouse tells NBC 15 heavy smoke and flames were showing upon arrival. The fire appeared to have started in a chemical locker, a large metal container used to store chemicals at the plastics company.
The danger to firefighters was that they were unsure what the chemicals were. They're working with the company to identify the chemicals and have allowed employees to return to work.
---------------------------------------------
THANE: FIRE BREAKS OUT AT MODELA COMPOUND
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/thane-fire-breaks-out-at-modela-compound/articleshow/80772130.cms
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
This is the third fire reported in Mumbai and surroundings today alone. Earlier, a blaze broke out in Versova, near the fish market. A massive fire was also reported at a chemical factory in Taloja industrial estate in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday morning.
---------------------------------------------
NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT THE FEDERAL FALLOUT OF THE 2013 EXPLOSION IN CITY OF WEST, TEXAS
https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2021-02-09/new-details-emerge-about-the-federal-fallout-of-the-2013-explosion-in-city-of-west-texas
Tags: us_TX, public, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
There was a separate investigation into the West explosion by the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) ‰?? an independent federal agency that investigates chemical disasters, and makes recommendations based on the agency‰??s findings. The recommendations are addressed to certain entities ‰?? regulatory agencies, governments, trade groups, unions, fire departments, etc. ‰?? groups that can make some key policy change to prevent a similar disaster. Nationwide, the recommendations are adopted at about an 80% rate.
The CSB issued 19 recommendations related to the West explosion. Thirteen have not been completed. The Chemical Safety Board is focused on two.
First, the agency wants the EPA to add ammonium nitrate to a list of chemicals that receive more oversight. Second, it recommends that OSHA mandate non-flammable storage bins and water sprinklers for facilities that handle ammonium nitrate.
‰??These same regulatory gaps that existed in 2013 for ammonium nitrate still exist today,‰?? said Katherine Lemos, the chair of the CSB. ‰??And it is disturbing to me that facilities can still use combustible wooden materials and storage bins to house ammonium nitrate. They're not required to use sprinklers in storage buildings.‰??
‰??These two (recommendations) are open, and I find them of critical importance,‰?? she said. ‰??And it keeps me awake at night.‰??
---------------------------------------------
EPA ALLEGES POLITICAL INTERFERENCE BY TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER TOXIC CHEMICAL
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/538102-biden-administration-alleges-political-interference-by-trump
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday asserted that political appointees from the Trump administration interfered with a safety assessment for a chemical linked to health issues.
The agency said in a statement that it was removing from its website a toxicity assessment for a compound known as PFBS due to the alleged interference.
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, a career agency scientist, told The Hill in an interview that the interference resulted in a range of values being given for PFBS‰??s toxicity, as opposed to just one value that was in an initial assessment from career scientists.
‰??We had a document that was, in our eyes final, it had gone through a pretty rigorous process of review,‰?? said Orme-Zavaleta, who serves as acting assistant administrator for the Office of Research and Development. ‰??All of that information had been incorporated into a document that we had been ready to go final with and then the document was modified.‰??
‰??What was posted provided different values that could be used by other parties rather than a clear conclusion, a clear assessment from the scientists‰?? perspective,‰?? she added.
---------------------------------------------
HACKER ATTEMPTED TO POISON WATER SUPPLY OF FLORIDA CITY, OFFICIALS SAY
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/08/hacker-water-supply-oldsmar-florida?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Tags: us_FL, public, release, response, sodium_hydroxide, water_treatment
Local and federal authorities are investigating how a hacker was able to remotely gain access to a Florida city‰??s water treatment plant in an unsuccessful attempt at what could have amounted to a mass poisoning.
A mysterious hacker infiltrated a computer for the water treatment system of the city of Oldsmar, near Tampa, and briefly increased the amount of sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, by a factor of more than 100, the Pinellas county sheriff, Bob Gualtieri, said on Monday.
The chemical is used in small amounts to control the acidity of water but it is also a corrosive compound commonly found in household cleaning supplies such as liquid drain cleaners. In large quantities it can cause irritation, burns and other complications.
A sharp-eyed supervisor noticed the measurements of the chemical suddenly changing wildly on his computer screen and promptly stepped in to reverse the action, leaving the city‰??s water supply unaffected, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL LEAK STOPS TRAFFIC AROUND FORT WAYNE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
https://www.wane.com/top-stories/hazmat-crews-called-to-area-near-the-fort-wayne-international-airport-for-a-chemical-leak/
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, other_chemical
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) ‰?? A small chemical leak at a plastics company tied up traffic entering and exiting Fort Wayne International Airport Monday afternoon.
Fire crews were called to Leepoxy Plastics, Inc. in the 3700 block of W. Ferguson Road, directly north of the airport, shortly before 2:00 p.m. According to an assistant fire chief, the 911 call was made after a minor amount of boron trichloride was released from a line as tanks were changed over.
Two people, the business‰??s owner and a chemist were able to contain the leak in the building and evacuated safely as the HVAC system cleared the smoke cloud.
The Fort Wayne Fire Department‰??s hazardous materials team responded and checked to make sure the situation was safe before clearing the area about 45 minutes after the initial response.
Two people were inside of the building at the time of the leak. They were able to get out of the building safely once the leak was contained.
No traffic was allowed to reach the airport from Bluffton Road during the investigation. Cars leaving the airport were not allowed to use Ardmore Avenue. Lanes were re-opened in all directions as fire trucks and police vehicles left the area.
---------------------------------------------
CDOT RELEASES STUDY ASSESSING RISKS OF HAZMAT VEHICLES IN EISENHOWER TUNNEL
https://www.summitdaily.com/news/crime/cdot-releases-study-assessing-risks-of-hazmat-vehicles-in-eisenhower-tunnel/
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, environmental
A study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation is providing new insights into the feasibility of allowing hazardous materials to be transported through the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial Tunnels.
In April 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law requiring CDOT to conduct a study to assess under what circumstances hazmat vehicles should be allowed inside the tunnels, weigh the potential benefits and risks of moving the vehicles off Loveland Pass and mitigate any risks identified.
‰??I think everybody brings their own viewpoints to the table, and the goal of this study was to try and look at the risks objectively and take some of the emotion out of it on both sides,‰?? CDOT Chief Engineer Steve Harelson said. ‰??Each of the interest groups have very convincing arguments as to the wisdom of their viewpoints. In the trucking industry, running trucks over Loveland Pass in the teeth of a winter storm is scary, and it‰??s risky for those drivers. There are some environmental risks that perhaps are undersold a little bit.
‰??On the other hand, running trucks through that tunnel, if one of those trucks had an incident, that tunnel would be out of commission for quite a while. That‰??s equally scary. You can‰??t really gauge how scary each of those is unless you can identify what the true risk is using the best statistical analysis available.‰??
The study was comprehensive. CDOT brought in an international team of expert risk analysts, tunnel specialists, and fire and life safety authorities to collect data on topics including routing, traffic and crashes, tunnel design and more. The group also used a pair of sophisticated modeling tools to help assess risk, including the Tunnel Risk Model, a simulation-based system that offers analysis using fire, toxic gas and propane scenarios; and the Dangerous Goods Quantitative Risk Assessment Model, which follows an event-tree approach to evaluate the probability of different scenarios and the expected consequences.
---------------------------------------------
AT LEAST 29 INJURED IN HAZMAT INCIDENT AT CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE PLANT
https://www.firefighternation.com/ems/at-least-29-injured-in-hazmat-incident-at-california-healthcare-plant/
Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Nine people were hospitalized Thursday due to a hazardous materials incident at a commercial building in Ontario, Calif., officials said.
The incident at a Philips North American facility that makes oral healthcare products affected at least 29 people total, the Ontario Fire Department said.
The incident caused breathing issues for victims, but none of the injuries were considered life-threatening, The Press-Enterprise said in a report that cited Ontario Fire Department Battalion Chief Scot Roeber.
Video from ABC7 showed ambulances and first responders attending to victims at an impromptu triage area outside the plant at 1700 S. Baker Ave.
---------------------------------------------
LITTLE FALLS ARTIST CREATES JEWELRY WITH INTENTION
https://www.hometownsource.com/morrison_county_record/little-falls-artist-creates-jewelry-with-intention/article_0eb55c80-6738-11eb-8bb1-bfa09f35ab24.html
Tags: us_MN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, acids
Marquart continued to make jewelry and other artwork after she graduated from college. Little did she know at the time that she would one day walk away from it.
Doing hot work in her studio in the late 1980s, Marquart said the studio accidentally caught on fire while she was welding.
‰??I was there, barefooted and welding on carpet. Back then, they didn‰??t teach you safety in college,‰?? she said.
After the studio burned down, having no insurance coverage to rebuild, Marquart decided to change careers. She chose the field of environmental sciences, working with hazardous materials, sick buildings and teaching Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety. Part of the job was also to clean up after acid spills and methamphetamine laboratory explosions, she said.
Looking back, Marquart believes it was the fire at her studio that led her to ultimately choose a career in environmental sciences. That combined with the fact that safety wasn‰??t widely taught.
---------------------------------------------
WITNESSES DESCRIBE 'EXPLOSION' AS FIRE DESTROYED NORTH-EAST RIFLE RANGE
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeenshire/2880016/witnesses-describe-explosion-as-fire-destroyed-north-east-rifle-range/
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
A champion north-east shooting club has been left counting the costs after firebugs torched outbuildings and equipment in what is thought to have been a deliberate attack.
Two sheds and a shelter were set ablaze at Kemnay Small Bore Rifle Club, ‰??100% destroying‰?? everything inside.
Witnesses reported an ‰??unbelievably sized‰?? explosion caused by burning gas canisters, with 18 fire-fighters needed to extinguish the flames.
A crew from Kintore was called to the scene at around 6.30pm on Friday, with a further two arriving as back-up from Inverurie shortly after.
At the weekend the remnants of maintenance equipment, targets and a chemical toilet could be seen among the charred and more unidentifiable items left strewn across the historic facility.
---------------------------------------------
QUEENSLAND BUS DRIVER SUFFERS BURNS IN CHEMICAL ATTACK
https://www.973fm.com.au/local/queensland-bus-driver-suffers-burns-in-chemical-attack/
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, injury, irritant
A bus driver has suffered burns to his eyes and face after an an unknown substance believed to be chemicals was thrown on him south of Brisbane.
The liquid was thrown at the man through the driver‰??s side window of the bus on Drews Rd, Loganholme, about 9.30am on Monday.
The driver was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The Queensland Ambulance Service said the substance was a ‰??chemical irritant‰??.
Police say no passengers were on the bus and no one else was injured in the attack.
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FEDS: FATAL ACCIDENT AT GEORGIA PLANT MAY BE LINKED TO CHICKEN PRODUCTION CONVEYOR
https://www.ajc.com/news/feds-give-update-on-probe-in-deadly-gainesville-poultry-plant-incident/JW3IIVJF5RFFXIDEVDS6KJZ42Q/
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, death, liquid_nitrogen
The federal investigative board looking into last month‰??s incident at a poultry processing plant in Gainesville has found that issues on a conveyor appear linked to the deadly chemical leak.
Six workers were killed at the Foundation Food Group on Jan. 28. The plant uses liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze chicken, and an ‰??inadvertent release‰?? happened on one of the plant‰??s five production lines. About a dozen people were injured and taken to a hospital, and 130 people were evacuated.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released the following new details Sunday about the incident:
‰?? The plant had been experiencing unresolved operational issues on the chicken conveyor that appear to have resulted in the accidental release of liquid nitrogen in the flash-freezing bath.
‰?? The Chemical Safety Board has information that Line No. 4 was shut down the morning of the incident. The shutdown was due to operational issues on the conveyor line.
‰?? Foundation Food Group maintenance personnel reported the computerized measuring system indicated a low liquid level in the immersion bath used to flash-freeze the chicken products.
‰?? The liquid nitrogen units were manufactured and installed by Messer and are leased to the Foundation Food Group.
‰?? The Foundation Food Group performs routine maintenance on the Messer-owned equipment.
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