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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 6:39:10 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 (17 articles)
EXPLOSIVES FOUND AT HOME IN THURSTON COUNTY
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, response, explosives
WINSTON-SALEM FERTILIZER FIRE REVEALS REGULATORY LOOPHOLES, SPURS HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT BUILDING AND WORKPLACE SAFETY
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ag_chems, ammonium_nitrate
BRIDGETOWN BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS WAIT TO LEARN EXTENT OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION
Tags: Australia, public, fire, response, metals
LFR RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL SPILL AT FORMER GOODYEAR BUILDING
Tags: us_NE, industrial, release, response, flammables
CHEMICAL LEAK AT NORTHEAST LINCOLN MANUFACTURER FORCES EVACUATION, OFFICIALS SAY
Tags: us_OK, industrial, release, response, flammables, solvent
MUSCATINE TRANSFER STATION REOPENS AFTER MINOR CHEMICAL SPILL INCIDENT
Tags: us_IA, industrial, follow-up, response, bleach, waste
CHEMICAL SPILL CLOSED QCA TRANSFER STATION
Tags: us_IA, industrial, release, response, waste
HOUSTON SMOKE PLUME MAY BE TIED TO POST-STORM REFINERY START
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
PERFUMES SOLD IN BELGIUM CONTAIN HARMFUL SUBSTANCES, RESEARCH FINDS
Tags: Belgium, public, discovery, environmental, unknown_chemical, other_chemical
PROCESS SAFETY BEACON: PIPING DEAD LEGS: ANOTHER HAZARD IN PLAIN SIGHT
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
PROPER HANDLING OF TOXIC INHALATION HAZARD CHEMICALS
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, industrial, follow-up, death, hydrofluoric_acid
CHEMICAL SECURITY EXPERT SYEDA SULTANA RAZIA HIGHLIGHTS CYBERSECURITY AND DRONES AS KEY THREATS
Tags: Bangladesh, public, discovery, environmental
HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE FORCES EVACUATION OF HIGH-RISE BUILDING IN OVERBROOK
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, carbon_monoxide
MARYSVILLE OHIO HAZMAT: POSSIBLE CAUSE OF CO BUILDUP
Tags: us_OH, public, follow-up, environmental, carbon_monoxide
NSW POLICE PUBLIC SITE
Tags: Australia, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR AND WATER CONCERNS AFTER THE WINSTON-SALEM FERTILIZER PLANT FIRE
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
NEARLY 60,000 DIAPERS IN A NEARBY WAREHOUSE LIKELY DAMAGED IN THE FIRE AT THE WINSTON WEAVER CO.'S FERTILIZER PLANT
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
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EXPLOSIVES FOUND AT HOME IN THURSTON COUNTY
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/explosives-found-at-thurston-county-home/281-15efd720-020f-4234-9862-649727cb22c6
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, response, explosives
THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. ' Family members of a recently-deceased Thurston County resident discovered explosives and materials to make them on his property.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office received a call Tuesday afternoon as the family members were cleaning up the property in the 20000 block of Neat Road SE in Yelm.
The Washington State Patrol, FBI, and hazmat crew also responded.
Since then, a bomb squad has been conducting controlled detonations.
Law enforcement will likely be on scene through the night, into Wednesday, according to the sheriff's office.
It's currently unclear why there was a large amount of explosive-making materials.
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WINSTON-SALEM FERTILIZER FIRE REVEALS REGULATORY LOOPHOLES, SPURS HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT BUILDING AND WORKPLACE SAFETY
https://triad-city-beat.com/winston-salem-fire-reveals-loopholes/
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ag_chems, ammonium_nitrate
Owners of the Weaver Fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem failed to submit a required chemical inventory to the NC Department of Public Safety in 2020, a key piece of information for state and local emergency officials ' and a symptom of the lack of oversight of facilities nationwide that handle ammonium nitrate.
Nearly 600 tons of ammonium nitrate caught fire at the Weaver plant on Jan. 31 and burned for four days. The risk of explosion was so great that Winston-Salem officials asked people to evacuate within a mile radius, temporarily displacing 6,000 residents. Residents are now allowed back into their homes, although on Feb. 6, the ruins were still smoldering.
Whether Weaver Fertilizer is also required to file an emergency response plan hinges on that inventory, according to Keith Acree, public information officer with the NC Department of Public Safety. Without the chemical inventory, 'it's unknown if an emergency response plan is required,' Acree wrote in an email.
Plant owners have yet to file an inventory for 2021, Acree said. The deadline is March 1.
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BRIDGETOWN BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS WAIT TO LEARN EXTENT OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-08/bridgetown-bushfire-sparks-chemical-contamination-fears/100813344
Tags: Australia, public, fire, response, metals
Residents near Bridgetown in Western Australia are anxiously waiting to learn the extent of toxic heavy metal contamination in the area after a devastating bushfire on Saturday.
The damage from four emergency level bushfires in communities across the South West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt is still being assessed, but at least five houses have been lost.
Fire authorities said they were still gauging the extent of heavy metal contamination in Hester after a bushfire burnt through 600 tonnes of chemically treated pine logs at the Timber Treaters plant.
The logs were treated with the preservative copper chromium arsenate.
At a meeting this afternoon community members were told the HAZMAT zone could be "contained" tomorrow and were again advised not to drink from water tanks.
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LFR RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL SPILL AT FORMER GOODYEAR BUILDING
https://klin.com/2022/02/08/lfr-responds-to-chemical-spill-at-former-goodyear-building/
Tags: us_NE, industrial, release, response, flammables
Lincoln Fire and Rescue responded to a hazardous materials spill at the former Goodyear building near 56th and Seward just before noon Tuesday afternoon.
LFR's Nancy Crist tells KLIN News several hundred gallons of a flammable liquid spilled in a holding area inside the plant, which has been owned by Continental for many years. LFR arrived and immediately evacuated the employees. They also shut down any potential ignition sources within the building.
Crist tells KLIN there was no threat to the public and the spill was contained to the building. Crews were working to mitigate the spill and get it cleaned up. There were no reports of any employees needing medical assistance.
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CHEMICAL LEAK AT NORTHEAST LINCOLN MANUFACTURER FORCES EVACUATION, OFFICIALS SAY
https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/chemical-leak-at-northeast-lincoln-manufacturer-forces-evacuation-officials-say/article_7c40e0aa-1b43-5d8a-abca-589cebf97f73.html
Tags: us_OK, industrial, release, response, flammables, solvent
chemical solvent leak at ContiTech forced the evacuation of employees Tuesday afternoon and prompted a hazmat response from the city's fire department.
The department had encouraged caution in the area surrounding the former Goodyear plant at 4021 N. 56th St., but Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Nancy Crist said there's was no ongoing threat to the public.
Crist said the spill of an unspecified flammable gas affected only the plant's interior and the company shut down all potential points of ignition.
The plant was immediately evacuated when the solvent spilled at around noon Tuesday, according to the company. No injuries were reported.
---------------------------------------------
MUSCATINE TRANSFER STATION REOPENS AFTER MINOR CHEMICAL SPILL INCIDENT
https://muscatinejournal.com/muscatine/news/local/muscatine-transfer-station-reopens-after-minor-chemical-spill-incident/article_1eff46a6-d911-5422-9e5a-4cace2049676.html
Tags: us_IA, industrial, follow-up, response, bleach, waste
MUSCATINE ' The staff at the Muscatine Transfer Station returned to work and reopened for normal hours Tuesday following a small chemical spill Monday afternoon.
According to reports, the Muscatine Fire Department responded at 12:30 p.m. following the incident, which occurred on the Transfer Station's tipping floor, where some material had been dumped from a refuse hauler's load. This material then interacted with another chemical that was also on the floor, creating a toxic gas.
All employees were immediately evacuated from the building as they waited for first responders to arrive. The facility was closed to the public for the rest of the day as a safety precaution, although there was no hazard to anyone outside of the initial spill area and no need for an evacuation outside of the building, as it did not present a danger to the surrounding areas.
The Muscatine Fire Department and Hazmat Response Team arrived at the facility within 10 minutes and quickly confirmed that a gas had been created, detecting a 'bleach-like' smell. Looking at the incident report, Assistant Chief Mike Hartman said the likely chemicals involved in the spill were calcium hypochlorite and linen oil.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL SPILL CLOSED QCA TRANSFER STATION
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/chemical-spill-closed-qca-transfer-station/
Tags: us_IA, industrial, release, response, waste
The City of Muscatine announced the closure of the Transfer Station for the remainder of Monday, due to a chemical spill.
Officials with the city reported that a reaction caused by the chemical spill on the tipping floor at the Muscatine Transfer Station created an unsafe condition for both the public and for employees at the facility on Monday, February 7. The tipping floor is the area where trash is dumped before being transferred to semi-trucks to be hauled to the Muscatine County Landfill.
Employees were evacuated prior to the arrival of emergency personnel from the Muscatine Fire Department, and the facility was immediately closed to the public as a safety precaution.
Investigation is being conducted into the cause of the spill. More details will be released once the investigation is complete. Pending cleanup and investigation, the station may reopen as early as Tuesday.
---------------------------------------------
HOUSTON SMOKE PLUME MAY BE TIED TO POST-STORM REFINERY START
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-07/fire-near-houston-ship-channel-spews-black-smoke-across-houston
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical
Black smoke spewed across Houston's industrial suburbs on Monday, just days after a winter storm knocked out power at several of the nation's largest oil refineries.
The plume appeared to be from Valero Energy Corp.'s plant east of downtown, according to a Coast Guard official. The refinery had been completely shut down as of Monday morning, according to Wood Mackenzie Ltd.
Valero was in the process of restarting some units over the weekend and notified emergency management officials of plans to flare 'excess material.' In a later notice the company said the problems stemmed from a third-party power outage.
A Valero spokesperson declined to comment further when asked if the smoke was from its operations. The area is home to a host of chemical plants, plastic factories and other industrial producers.
---------------------------------------------
PERFUMES SOLD IN BELGIUM CONTAIN HARMFUL SUBSTANCES, RESEARCH FINDS
https://www.brusselstimes.com/health/205176/perfumes-sold-in-belgium-contain-harmful-substances-research-finds
Tags: Belgium, public, discovery, environmental, unknown_chemical, other_chemical
Recent research found that many perfumes sold in Belgium contain harmful chemical substances, highlighting that current legislation does not sufficiently protect consumers.
The research by Belgium's Kom op Tegen Kanker (Fight against cancer), the Dutch Stichting Tegengif and the Danish Consumer Association found dangerous chemical substances, associated with hormone imbalance (endocrine disruptors), reduced fertility, allergies and environmental damage, in several perfumes.
'Long-term exposure to endocrine disruptors, even in low doses, may contribute to the development of some breast cancers,' Ann Gils, director of prevention and early detection, Kom op Tegen Kanker, said.
The organisations selected 20 perfumes from well-known brands such as Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss and Lanc̀«me and compared the ingredients with lists of substances of concern from the Danish government, the European Commission and other authorities.
---------------------------------------------
PROCESS SAFETY BEACON: PIPING DEAD LEGS: ANOTHER HAZARD IN PLAIN SIGHT
https://www.aiche.org/resources/publications/cep/2022/february/process-safety-beacon-piping-dead-legs-another-hazard-plain-sight
Tags: industrial, discovery, environmental
During a dead leg inspection, an X-ray examination was performed on a 2-in. drain line connected to a 12-in. crude line at a refining facility. The X-ray showed deep pits beneath deposits of process material in a horizontal section of the drain line. Further inspection of other locations identified more areas with significant internal corrosion.
Various piping configurations can form dead legs, which are susceptible to corrosion. Fortunately, the dead leg inspection prevented a potential loss-of-containment incident in this case.
---------------------------------------------
PROPER HANDLING OF TOXIC INHALATION HAZARD CHEMICALS
https://www.aiche.org/resources/publications/cep/2022/february/proper-handling-toxic-inhalation-hazard-chemicals
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, industrial, follow-up, death, hydrofluoric_acid
Toxic inhalation hazard (TIH) chemicals are widely used in the chemical process industries (CPI) and transported through communities. Fatalities can occur if these chemicals are not managed properly.
The workers within chemical plants and oil refineries, as well as the general population in surrounding communities, are at risk of exposure to toxic chemicals. Transportation of these chemicals by road, rail, marine vessel, and pipeline also poses risks to operators and the public, particularly when traveling through densely populated areas. As a result, it is paramount that hazards are properly managed.
Toxic inhalation hazard (TIH) chemicals are a class of toxic chemicals that act on the respiratory tract and can cause pulmonary injury. Many industrial TIH chemicals are regularly handled in process units and transported. Some of these chemicals, such as chlorine bleach and ammonia, are common in households. Certain TIH chemicals can be particularly hazardous, as they cannot be detected through sight or smell upon release. Case Study 1 (sidebar) describes a fatal incident in South Korea that involved the release of hydrofluoric acid, a colorless, volatile TIH chemical (1).
This article provides guidance for handling TIH chemicals, as well as a quantitative method for evaluating the risks associated with transporting TIH chemicals and selecting appropriate mitigative measures. It also describes how to use a risk-based process safety (RBPS) approach (2) for auditing TIH risks at chemical plants.
---------------------------------------------
CHEMICAL SECURITY EXPERT SYEDA SULTANA RAZIA HIGHLIGHTS CYBERSECURITY AND DRONES AS KEY THREATS
https://cen.acs.org/policy/chemical-weapons/Chemical-security-expert-Syeda-Sultana/100/i5
Tags: Bangladesh, public, discovery, environmental
Chemical safety and chemical security are both parts of risk management, but they're not quite the same thing. While chemical safety might be characterized by storing, handling, and disposing of chemicals to avoid harming human health and the environment, chemical security aims to thwart deliberate chemical attacks by terrorists or hostile nations.
Related: Process safety specialist Ming Yang wants industry to design for resilience and incident recovery as well as safe operations
Weaponized chemicals represent a serious threat to national security, as evidenced by the 2018 attempted assassination of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, in the UK. Although they survived poisoning by a Novichok nerve agent, one British citizen died and two others were injured after being exposed to the chemical.
Novichok is not easily synthesized because very few chemists outside Russia know how to do it. However, a number of fairly standard chemicals that are not especially toxic can be easily modified into potential weapons. Ensuring these materials are properly protected requires supply chains and chemical plants to obey best practices and security protocols.
---------------------------------------------
HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE FORCES EVACUATION OF HIGH-RISE BUILDING IN OVERBROOK
https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-news/high-levels-of-carbon-monoxide-forces-evacuation-of-high-rise-building-in-overbrook-5033566
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, carbon_monoxide
A high-rise building in Overbrook was evacuated due to high levels of carbon monoxide on Sunday, February 6, because the building's furnace heater on the roof was blocked with snow.
Ottawa fire crews were called to the 22-storey building on Donald Street, between Quill Street & Beaudry Street Sunday morning.
The high levels of carbon monoxide were detected on multiple floors, Ottawa Fire Services said in a series of tweets.
The entire building proceeded to be evacuated. Several residents needed assistance.
---------------------------------------------
MARYSVILLE OHIO HAZMAT: POSSIBLE CAUSE OF CO BUILDUP
https://fox8.com/news/blocked-intake-may-have-led-to-hotel-co-emergency-in-marysville-ohio/
Tags: us_OH, public, follow-up, environmental, carbon_monoxide
MARYSVILLE, Ohio (AP) ' Authorities say a blocked fresh-air intake at a hotel pool equipment room may have been to blame for a carbon monoxide buildup that sent more than a dozen people to hospitals more than a week ago.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that an Ohio state fire marshal's office report cited a plastic bag found over the intake at the Hampton Inn in Marysville during an inspection two days after the Jan. 29 emergency.
Inspector Bradley Merillat also noted that a carbon monoxide detector wasn't functioning.
---------------------------------------------
NSW POLICE PUBLIC SITE
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGOTk5NzUuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D
Tags: Australia, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
Police are investigating the cause of an industrial fire in Sydney's west overnight.
About 12.45am today (Monday 7 February 2022), emergency services responded to reports of a chemical fire at an industrial complex in Rayben Street, Glendenning.
Stored at the facility are aerosol cans and gas bottles which exploded during the fire.
NSW Fire & Rescue extinguished the fire about 2.15am.
A moderate amount of damage was sustained to a building in the complex.
No evacuations were implemented and there are no reports of injuries.
There is no ongoing risk to the community.
---------------------------------------------
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR AND WATER CONCERNS AFTER THE WINSTON-SALEM FERTILIZER PLANT FIRE
https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/winston-salem/what-you-need-to-know-about-air-and-water-concerns-after-the-winston-salem-fertilizer-plant-fire/
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) ' The Winston Weaver Company has set up a toxicology hotline to help anyone who may face chemical exposure or health impacts connected to the fertilizer plant fire.
On Sunday, the City of Winston-Salem announced the new hotline courtesy of CTEH, an environmental consulting firm retained by the Winston Weaver Company.
According to the city, the hotline'(866) 412-7768'is staffed by toxicologists who know about the potential hazards connected to the fire. Callers can reach out from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. any day of the week.
The fire started on Jan. 31, prompting an evacuation of a 1-mile radius around the plant over concerns that the facility, which contained about 600 tons of ammonium nitrate, could explode.
On Thursday, officials reduced the evacuation zone around the plant to 660 feet, allowing many families to return home, and, by Saturday, the Forsyth County Environmental Assistance and Protection Board said the air quality in Winston-Salem was in good, breathable condition.
Since the fire, Winston-Salem city leaders raised concerns about possible chemical contamination in three local creeks after finding fish dead. The plant is also facing a lawsuit over property losses and negative health effects.
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NEARLY 60,000 DIAPERS IN A NEARBY WAREHOUSE LIKELY DAMAGED IN THE FIRE AT THE WINSTON WEAVER CO.'S FERTILIZER PLANT
https://journalnow.com/nearly-60-000-diapers-in-a-nearby-warehouse-likely-damaged-in-the-fire-at-the/article_53f3d3ce-8606-11ec-a7e3-071edd92953f.html
Tags: us_NC, industrial, follow-up, environmental, ammonium_nitrate
Nearly 60,000 diapers in a nearby warehouse were likely damaged in the fire that destroyed the Winston Weaver Co.'s fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem, an official with the Diaper Bank of North Carolina says.
'The fumes and chemicals in the air more than likely make our diapers unsafe to distribute,' said Michelle Old, of Durham, the founder and executive director of the Diaper Bank of North Carolina. 'We are still analyzing it.'
The fire last Monday night quickly spread at the fertilizer plant on 4440 N. Cherry St. As the fire burned, it poured smoke and pollutants into the air, raising concerns about the air quality over much of Winston-Salem and western Forsyth County.
The Winston-Salem Fire Department initially withdrew its firefighters because of the danger that about 500 tons of ammonium nitrate could cause a massive explosion. The fire department allowed the fire to burn throughout last week in order to eliminate the fuel from the ammonium nitrate.
Those chemicals are used in fertilizer.
A hazardous materials team from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency informed Diaper Bank officials that the fumes and chemicals generated by the fire could have harmed its supply of diapers and related projects inside its warehouse at 4500 Indiana Ave., Old said.
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