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Previous by Date: Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (14 articles) Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 6:37:56 AM Author: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG> |
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, May 6, 2022 at 6:46:03 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 (11 articles)
DEATH IN A CANNABIS LAB: ITALIAN PROSECUTORS INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION
Tags: Italy, public, follow-up, death, butane, clandestine_lab
1 HOSPITALIZED IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT MARTINEZ LAB: CON FIRE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, cyanide
ONE PERSON SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SITUATION IN TRYON
Tags: us_NC, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals
MASSIVE DEBRIS FIRE WEST OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX UNDER INVESTIGATION
Tags: us_AZ, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
SHED FIRE LEADS TO BURNED GARAGE IN LINCOLNVILLE
Tags: us_ME, public, explosion, response, propane
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECENT MESA GARBAGE TRUCK FIRES
Tags: us_AZ, transportation, fire, injury, batteries, hydrochloric_acid, waste
I-TEAM: HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FROM STATE BRIDGE PROJECT DUMPED NEAR CHELSEA HOMES ‰?? CBS BOSTON
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, asbestos
FIRE BREAKS OUT AT PRINTING UNIT
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
CHEMICAL SPILL: JAMES RUSE DRIVE NEAR M4
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, response, hydrochloric_acid
ONE KILLED IN FIRE ACCIDENT
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD CALLS FOR REGULATORY REFORM OF OSHA, EPA STANDARDS ON REACTIVE CHEMICALS
Tags: us_WA, public, follow-up, death, flammables, hydrogen
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DEATH IN A CANNABIS LAB: ITALIAN PROSECUTORS INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION
https://hightimes.com/news/death-in-a-cannabis-lab-italian-prosecutors-investigate-explosion/
Tags: Italy, public, follow-up, death, butane, clandestine_lab
Prosecutors in Perugia, Italy are now trying to decide how to charge both owners and managers in a horrific industrial accident that killed two people and seriously injured two others. The incident occurred when a ‰??laboratory,‰?? which was set up to create ‰??Cannabis Lite‰?? from high THC cannabis, exploded.
Beyond the strange specifics, this kind of incident is certainly an anomaly in Europe‰??and not just because of the existence of cannabinoids in this process, but also what the manufacturers were trying to do to it. Not to mention how.
If this case sounds like Colorado, circa 2014, you would be right. In the first summer of state legalization, the Denver Department of Environmental Health ordered a recall from a manufacturer who had made hash in their washing machine to be sold commercially and ‰??legally.‰?? Thankfully, nobody died, and the owners displayed an ignorance that what they were doing was against public health guidelines.
Beyond this incident however, the danger of BHO extractions are an increasing menace in U.S. states where recreational cannabis is now legal. Inexperienced operators are using butane to make hash oil‰??and horrific accidents and explosions are on the rise.
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1 HOSPITALIZED IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT MARTINEZ LAB: CON FIRE
https://patch.com/california/martinez/employee-hospitalized-chemical-spill-martinez-lab-con-fire
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, release, injury, cyanide
MARTINEZ, CA ‰?? A chemical spill Thursday at a Martinez business landed one person in the hospital.
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District responded to a hazardous materials incident shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday at a laboratory in the 100 block of Mococo Road, a spokesperson for the fire district confirmed.
"Appears one employee was exposed to a hazardous chemical," Con Fire Spokesman Steve Hill told Patch. "The one employee was transported to a hospital at 12:14 p.m."
The spill, which was initially reported as possible cyanide, was limited to a chemical hood in a lab, Hill said.
As for whether the chemical was confirmed to be cyanide, that was not yet known, Hill said.
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ONE PERSON SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL SITUATION IN TRYON
https://www.tryondailybulletin.com/2022/05/05/emergency-responders-are-currently-taking-on-hazardous-spill-in-tryon/
Tags: us_NC, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals
TRYON‰??‰??Thursday morning, emergency responders in Tryon responded to a hazardous chemical situation in the Godshaw Hill community. Officials transported a resident from their home in Godshaw Hill to Spartanburg Regional by ambulance.
According to officials at Tryon Fire Department, pool chemicals had been improperly mixed and resulted in a hazardous chemical reaction. By that afternoon, the situation was no longer a threat to the public, however there were still some units on scene to monitor conditions. North Carolina HAZMAT team arrived on scene.
The home where the improper mixture occurred and a neighboring house were evacuated.
Officials put out a request for residents on Second Street, Broadway Street, Broadway Extension, Whitney Avenue, Whitney Ave Extension and Locust Street in Tryon to shelter in place until officials were able clear the area. The shelter in place request was lifted at approximately 12:40 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
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MASSIVE DEBRIS FIRE WEST OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX UNDER INVESTIGATION
https://www.azfamily.com/2022/05/05/i-10-reopens-while-firefighters-battle-massive-debris-fire-west-downtown-phoenix/
Tags: us_AZ, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Investigators are trying to determine what caused a large debris fire that forced the temporary closure of Interstate 10 just west of downtown Phoenix. It happened Wednesday night at a railyard near 19th Avenue and Fillmore Street. Crews arrived at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to find a large pile of railroad ties burning. Firefighters immediately called for more resources and set up defensive positions to attack the flames.
Investigators are trying to determine what caused a large debris fire that forced the temporary closure of Interstate 10 just west of downtown Phoenix.
The smoke was so thick that the Arizona Department of Transportation had to shut I-10 in both directions at 7th Avenue. Because railroad ties are treated with creosote and chemical preservatives to keep them from rotting, there were concerns about ‰??the hazardous materials component‰?? of the fire.
It took between 50 and 60 firefighters from several Valley fire departments about two hours to knock down the fire. Crews stayed on the scene all night to handle hotspots and flare-ups. Smoke was still billowing off the charred rubble Thursday morning.
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SHED FIRE LEADS TO BURNED GARAGE IN LINCOLNVILLE
https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/shed-fire-leads-burned-garage-lincolnville/160025
Tags: us_ME, public, explosion, response, propane
LINCOLNVILLE ‰?? Attempts by a passerby on Route 52 in Lincolnville to extinguish a fire with a garden hose proved no match for quickly spreading, chemical-driven flames. In the end, a small shed and its adjacent two-story garage burned black inside and out, though walls remained standing.
Following the approximate 1:15 p.m., May 5, 2022, call to 911, a Lincolnville firefighter who happened to live nearby was quick to the scene, according to Lincolnville Fire Chief Don Fullington. The shed was fully engulfed in flames despite garden hose water being pumped inside its door. Yet, when one of the homeowners spoke of oxyacetylene, propane, and welding supplies, and possibly some propane tanks in the back, the initial attempts with the garden hose ceased and relinquished to the interior-equipped firefighters still en route from Lincolnville Fire, with more personnel coming from Hope, Camden, and Searsmont.
‰??When I got here and started attacking the fire, there were several explosions going off,‰?? said Fullington.
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HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECENT MESA GARBAGE TRUCK FIRES
https://yourvalley.net/stories/hazardous-chemicals-responsible-for-recent-mesa-garbage-truck-fires,301113
Tags: us_AZ, transportation, fire, injury, batteries, hydrochloric_acid, waste
There has been a recent uptick in garbage truck related incidents in Mesa over the last 30 days caused by the placement of household hazardous materials in trash and recycle containers.
The first incident involved the placement of muriatic pool acid bottles in a load of trash. Hazardous fumes were released, and staff had to seek immediate medical attention, according to a release.
In a second incident, pool and paint chemicals ignited a garbage truck fire.
A second garbage truck fire was caused by rechargeable lithium batteries placed in a recycle barrel.
And most recently, a third garbage truck caught on fire on May 2. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, the release states.
Mesa residents are asked to keep hazardous materials out of their trash and recycle containers. The city of Mesa operates a Household Hazardous Materials Facility at 2412 N. Center St. Building No. 2 and encourages Mesa residents to bring their materials to this facility for safe disposal. There is no additional cost to Mesa residents to use this facility that is open 7 a.m.-noon Wednesday-Saturday. For information, email hhm.info**At_Symbol_Here**mesaaz.gov.
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I-TEAM: HAZARDOUS MATERIAL FROM STATE BRIDGE PROJECT DUMPED NEAR CHELSEA HOMES ‰?? CBS BOSTON
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2022/05/05/iteam-chelsea-asbestos-hazardous-material-houses/
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, asbestos
CHELSEA (CBS) ‰?? The sign on the uncovered pile of construction debris reads ‰??DANGER‰?? cancer causing asbestos. The hazardous material was dumped by the state Department of Transportation and or their contractors right next to a public housing development in Chelsea.
Roy Avellaneda is the City Council President in Chelsea. ‰??They didn‰??t even bother to put a cover on it,‰?? Avellaneda said. ‰??There‰??s gonna be hell to pay.‰??
The I-Team found the contaminated pile off of Route 1 north at the Route 16 exit. We went straight to Chelsea officials and community leaders who had no idea it was there.
Rosanne Bongiovanni is the executive director of Green Roots an environmental justice community group. ‰??I am infuriated by it, absolutely infuriated,‰?? Bongiovanni said. ‰??Folks always say what is environmental justice? what is environmental racism? Here it is. This is a prime example of it. The state is dumping contaminated material next to low-income communities and communities of color.‰??
The state Department of Environmental Protection says it gave the MassDOT the OK for what it calls a non-traditional plan to manage the contaminated materials, which was brought to Chelsea even though the debris came from a state bridge project on the Lynn-Saugus line.
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FIRE BREAKS OUT AT PRINTING UNIT
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/fire-breaks-out-at-printing-unit/articleshow/91328849.cms
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical
Kanpur: A major fire broke out in the printing unit located in Dada Nagar Industrial Area on Wednesday. The incident came to light after the workers came across smoke followed by leaping flames. Later, back-to-back explosions in the chemical drums forced them to run outside the factory. They raised an alarm and alerted the locals of the area. A huge crowd of people thronged the site. Four fire tenders were pressed into service. Firefighters brought the fire under control after several hours of effort.
Sanchit Sahjani, a resident of Moti Vihar, Kakadev, owns a Printing factory in the name of SR Flexi Pack in Dada Nagar.
About 20 workers were working in the factory at the time of the incident. Later, a machine caught fire after a short circuit in the power line. As soon as the fire broke out, the workers initially tried to douse it, but in vain. Later, they ran outside and alerted other locals, who in turn informed the factory owner and the police control room. However, the fire spread rapidly and then panic spread due to back to back explosions which happened probably in the chemical drums. Fire tenders from Fazalganj fire station and from Kidwai Nagar and the personnel with the help of people removed the drums kept in the factory and started extinguishing the fire. The fire was brought under control after about two hours of effort. Fire officer Udaybhan Singh said that the fire occurred due to short circuit, investigation is being done. ‰??Damage is yet to be assessed,‰?? he added.
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CHEMICAL SPILL: JAMES RUSE DRIVE NEAR M4
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/motoring/on-the-road/chemical-spill-closes-all-lanes-on-james-ruse-drive/news-story/a668f7b67a5453c25f68155950527d07
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, response, hydrochloric_acid
Traffic on James Ruse Drive in Sydney‰??s west has been cleared after a toxic acid spill dissolved part of the road, sending a cloud of vapour into the air.
Three-twenty litre drums of hydrochloric acid fell from the back of a truck travelling along the busy Rosehill road around 7.15am, causing acid to gush onto the ground.
Fire and Rescue specialised chemical recovery crews are on the scene at James Ruse Drive between Parramatta Rd and Hassle St.
All lanes were closed following the incident that caused major delays on the busy road but reopened about 10.30am.
Hydrochloric acid has dissolved part of a busy Sydney road after chemical drums fell off a truck on Thursday. Picture: 9 News
Specialised chemical response fire crews dressed in hazmat suits to clean up the chemical spill. Picture: 9 News
Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry told radio station 2GB that the spill was causing ‰??off-gassing‰?? and creating a cloud of vapour above the road.
He said the highly corrosive acid was beginning to eat away at parts of the road.
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ONE KILLED IN FIRE ACCIDENT
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/one-killed-in-fire-accident/article65381491.ece
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, fireworks
One worker was killed in a fire accident at SPT fireworks unit near here on Wednesday.
The police identified the deceased as G. Solai Vignesh, 26, of Sundarakumbanpatti. The accident was reported in the chemical mixing room of the unit at Kathalampatti at around 8.15 a.m. in which the lone worker was killed following an explosion. In the impact of the blast, the body of the victim was blown into pieces. The unit got licence from the District Revenue Officer.
The working shed was razed down.
The police suspect that left-over chemical mixture of the previous day could have been stocked in the mixing room which could have triggered the accident in the unit where ground chakkars were being made. Ammapatti police have registered a case and are investigating.
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CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD CALLS FOR REGULATORY REFORM OF OSHA, EPA STANDARDS ON REACTIVE CHEMICALS
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/22548-chemical-safety-board-calls-for-regulatory-reform-of-osha-epa-standards-on-reactive-chemicals
Tags: us_WA, public, follow-up, death, flammables, hydrogen
Washington ‰?? ‰??It is past time for regulators to fully recognize the hazards presented by reactive chemicals,‰?? Chemical Safety Board Chair and CEO Katherine Lemos said in a video that calls on OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen their standards on these substances.
The 15-minute video, released on April 28, details the agency‰??s investigation of a fatal May 2019 incident at AB Specialty Silicones in Waukegan, IL. An explosion and fire at the manufacturing plant killed four workers. CSB determined that two incompatible chemicals were mixed during production of an emulsion product, producing flammable hydrogen gas that triggered the explosion.
In the video, lead investigator Vonzella Vincent says AB Specialty Silicones lacked a process safety management program at the time of the incident.
‰??In processes that rely on operators to gather and mix chemicals, it is critical that companies reduce the risk of human error by making it easy to do the job right and hard to do the job wrong,‰?? Vincent says. ‰??In this case, that could have been as simple as having written procedures that specify storing incompatible chemicals in separate areas and in different-colored containers.‰??
CSB offers multiple recommendations.
To OSHA:
Amend the standard on process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals (1910.119) to achieve more comprehensive control of reactive hazards that could have catastrophic consequences.
Augment the process hazard analysis element of the standard to explicitly require an evaluation of reactive hazards.
To EPA:
Revise the accidental release prevention requirements to explicitly cover catastrophic reactive hazards that have the potential to seriously impact the public, including those resulting from self-reactive chemicals and combinations of chemicals and process-specific conditions.
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