Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, October 14, 2011 8:17:35 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 (14 articles)

HAZMAT SITUATION AT HOSPITAL OFFICE BUILDING IN HARTFORD
Tags: us_CT, public, release, injury, cleaners

NBC29 WVIR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA NEWS, SPORTS AND WEATHER
Tags: us_VA, education, explosion, response, batteries

CONTROLLED EXPLOSION CARRIED OUT IN MAPPERLEY TOP
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, discovery, response, bomb

OPERATOR ERROR CAUSED 3,000-GALLON DIESEL FUEL SPILL
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, environmental, diesel

UPDATE: HAZMAT THREAT DETERMINED TO BE MINOR
Tags: us_CO, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical

TWO BAYONNE WORKERS REPORTED FINE AFTER BEING SICKENED BY CHLORINE FUMES IN POOL GARAGE AT 16TH STREET PARK
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

LOCAL NEWS STORY
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, injury, acetone, waste

BEAUMONT PD, SWAT BUST SUSPECTED METH LAB
Tags: us_TX, public, fire, response, meth_lab

EXPLOSION, VAPOR RELEASE SPUR ANDOVER HAZMAT SCARE
Tags: us_MA, industrial, explosion, response, boron_trichloride

PESTICIDE SICKENS BATAVIA RESIDENTS
Tags: us_NY, industrial, release, response, pesticides

HAZMAT TEAM UNABLE TO IDENTIFY CHEMICAL IN FALMOUTH
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO ALARM ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS
Tags: us_GA, laboratory, discovery, response, nanotech

CHEMICAL FIRE CLOSES I-65 SOUTH OF COLUMBIA
Tags: us_TN, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical, ferrous_chloride

RUBBERTOWN PLANT FACES RECORD AIR-POLLUTION, EXPLOSION FINES
Tags: us_KY, industrial, explosion, injury, follow-up
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HAZMAT SITUATION AT HOSPITAL OFFICE BUILDING IN HARTFORD
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartford_cty/hazmat-situation-at-hospital-office-building
Tags: us_CT, public, release, injury, cleaners

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - There was a Hazmat situation near the Hartford Hospital this morning.

A spokesperson for the hospital explained that a worker was cleaning a bathroom on the sixth floor at the Medical Office Building of the Hartford Hospital when the worker inhaled drain cleaner. The worker felt ill, but it now alright.

As a precaution, the floor was evacuated. There were only 2 patients on the floor at the time.

Everyone was been allowed to return.

No other injuries were reported in the incident.

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NBC29 WVIR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA NEWS, SPORTS AND WEATHER
http://www.nbc29.com/story/15686560/hazmat-situation-in-fontaine-research-park
Tags: us_VA, education, explosion, response, batteries

A strange odor caused a scare in Charlottesville Thursday afternoon.  Firefighters had to evacuate a building inside the Fontaine Research Park for several hours.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday, a pair of batteries overheated and exploded in the basement.  That sent battery acid spilling onto the floor.

A Charlottesville hazmat crew was on scene cleaning up the spill.  No one was injured.

"You obviously don't want to be in the area when the battery acid is dispersed.  It's a caustic agent.  It's an acidic, so it can burn you," said Chief Charles Werner with the Charlottesville Fire Department.

Those batteries were a part of the building's backup electricity system.  The explosion caused minimal damage.  After clean up, hazmat crews remained on scene to ventilate the building before allowing workers back in.

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CONTROLLED EXPLOSION CARRIED OUT IN MAPPERLEY TOP
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-15299069
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, discovery, response, bomb

Bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled explosion after police found "a small quantity of unknown chemical" in a Nottinghamshire house.

A 320ft (100m) cordon was placed around the property on Central Avenue in Mapperley Top as a precaution on Thursday morning.

Police were carrying out a search at the house near Nottingham when they found the substance.

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OPERATOR ERROR CAUSED 3,000-GALLON DIESEL FUEL SPILL
http://www.app.com/article/20111013/NJNEWS/310130078/Operator-error-caused-3-000-gallon-diesel-fuel-spill
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, environmental, diesel

WALL ˜ The police department said operator error caused a fuel spill that occurred on Oct. 7 at Muccio LLC, located at 5300 Asbury Road, leaking approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel.
...
Police say the cause of the incident appears to be operator error. An employee reported that at approximately 7:30 p.m. Oct, 6, he failed to release the trigger on the diesel fuel nozzle, which at the time appeared not to be working properly. Approximately 3,332.8 gallons of diesel fuel leaked overnight into a safety holding tank that surrounds the actual diesel fuel tank. The holding tank was not properly secured, therefore, fuel leaked from the holding tank onto the ground.

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UPDATE: HAZMAT THREAT DETERMINED TO BE MINOR
http://www.krdo.com/news/29479234/detail.html
Tags: us_CO, industrial, release, response, unknown_chemical

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A hazmat incident at a Colorado Springs industrial park Thursday turned out to be a minor case of chemical exposure, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
The call came in early Thursday evening at the Quantum Corporation on 10125 Federal Drive.
It started when some employees who were cleaning and processing a piece of equipment developed a skin rash.
Turns out they had been exposed to a weak acid that caused some irritation, but there was no long-term risk to workers.
The exposed employees were treated and sent home.
The building was evacuated as crews investigated the scene, but has been deemed safe.

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TWO BAYONNE WORKERS REPORTED FINE AFTER BEING SICKENED BY CHLORINE FUMES IN POOL GARAGE AT 16TH STREET PARK
http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/10/two_bayonne_workers_reported_f.html
Tags: us_NJ, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

Two Bayonne city workers were taken to the hospital yesterday morning after being sickened when they inhaled chlorine, officials said.
About 11:30 a.m., the two Department of Public Works maintenance workers at the DiDomenico Municipal Pool at 16th Street Park went into a garage where pool chlorine is kept in containers and got hit by a „strong and quick‰ smell of the noxious gas, officials said.
The men, who were closing the outdoor pool for winter, walked to the 16th Street Fire Station, complaining of eye and throat irritation, officials said.
The Bayonne Fire Department Hazmat Team went to the garage and tested the air, but did not receive any elevated readings, fire officials said.
An open 5-gallon container of pool chlorine was found, and Hazmat members resealed the container and left the doors open to vent the garage, officials said. Bayonne Public Works Director Gary Chmielewski said moisture in the building had created the fumes.

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LOCAL NEWS STORY
http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1555045
Tags: Canada, industrial, release, injury, acetone, waste

Four people taken to emergency following a haz-mat incident in Abbotsford were not seriously injured.

It happened shortly after ten this morning at a recycling plant on Peardonville Road.

Deputy Fire Chief Mike Helmer says the cause is believed to be exposure to some form of acetone.

Those taken to hospital had symptoms including burning throats and dizziness.

Helmer says twelve more people --who came into contact with the others-- have also been taken to the Abbotsford Hospital for observation.

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BEAUMONT PD, SWAT BUST SUSPECTED METH LAB
http://www.kcentv.com/story/15679883/beaumont-pd-on-scene-of-meth-lab-bust
Tags: us_TX, public, fire, response, meth_lab

The Beaumont Police Department has confirmed it has made a "meth lab bust" at the Howard Johnson Inn and Suite off Interstate 10 near 11th Street.

Beaumont Police Lt. Bryan Skinner tells 12 News HD police and SWAT monitored the room since Wednesday afternoon.

Lt. Skinner says they got a Crimestopper tip from someone in a nearby room complaining about smelling a strong odor.

As police were monitoring the room, a man and woman, who have been identified as 25 year old Timothy Truax and 22 year old Tia Meshell, came out and got into a truck.

That's when authorities followed Meshell and Truax and pulled them over outside of Vidor.

Once pulled over, police saw there was a chemical fire in the cab of the truck, that's when they knew the two were in involved in the meth lab at the hotel and made the arrest.

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EXPLOSION, VAPOR RELEASE SPUR ANDOVER HAZMAT SCARE
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x1372393659/Explosion-vapor-release-spur-Andover-hazmat-scare
Tags: us_MA, industrial, explosion, response, boron_trichloride

ANDOVER ˜ A small explosion and leak of a potentially toxic gas forced the evacuation of a building housing a military and civilian contractor and brought a response by a hazmat team yesterday. There were no reported casualties.

"We didn't know exactly what we were dealing with," Andover Fire Chief Michael Mansfield said.

The explosion and leak occurred around 11:30 a.m. in a room on the north side of the building at 20 New England Business Center Drive, occupied by Physical Sciences Inc.
...
Mansfield identified the gas as boron trichloride, which he described as being colorless, toxic, nonflammable and corrosive.

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PESTICIDE SICKENS BATAVIA RESIDENTS
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/genesee/Strange-odor-in-Town-of-Batavia
Tags: us_NY, industrial, release, response, pesticides

BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) - Wednesday morning some Genesee County residents had to stay inside because of noxious fumes outside. Pesticide is blamed for making some people sick in Batavia.

Though it is something that farmers have done for years, when certain weather conditions exist, it can affect on people like it did on Wednesday.

Genesee County Emergency Manager Timothy Yaeger said, "New York State DEC, State Police, Sheriff's Office, Genesee County HazMat Team, East Pembroke Fire Department are all on the scene."

Charlie Woodruff, who co-owns Woodruff Overhead Door, started his day like any other on Route 5 in Batavia.

"I came to work about 7, back the truck out started unloading some product and the next thing you know my eyes were just watering pretty heavily and I didn't know what it was," recounted Woodruff. "A couple of my guys showed up and their eyes started watering immediately and I said 'just leave.'"

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HAZMAT TEAM UNABLE TO IDENTIFY CHEMICAL IN FALMOUTH
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111012/NEWS/110120314
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical

FALMOUTH ˜ The chemical contents inside a soda bottle that burned a 10-year-old boy Monday evening remained unknown to investigators on Tuesday.

A hazardous materials team was unable to identify the substance after testing it, said Falmouth Deputy Fire Chief Glen Rogers.

Rogers said a 14-year-old boy and the victim gave officials multiple accounts of how the substance caused the injuries, "making the investigation very difficult."

"The kids involved were less than forthcoming with a lot of information," he said.

Authorities were alerted Monday evening when an official from Falmouth Hospital called to report that a boy came in suffering burns from an unknown substance.

Falmouth police and a 14-year-old friend and a hospital staff member drove to a location off Sandwich Road in East Falmouth to locate the boy's discarded clothing on which some of the substance was spilled, Falmouth police said. The clothing as well as a soda bottle containing liquid suspected of causing the burn were found, and the clothing was taken to Falmouth Hospital for examination.

The boy's burns did not appear to come from fire, leading Rogers to believe the substance may be a strong acid, base, or petroleum product, he said.

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HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO ALARM ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/hazmat-crews-respond-to-1199287.html?cxntlid=brkng_nws_bnr
Tags: us_GA, laboratory, discovery, response, nanotech

Atlanta Fire Department crews  responded Wednesday morning to an alarm and possible chemical leak on the Georgia Tech campus.

The incident took place at the Nanotechnology Research Center, 791 Atlantic Drive near Ferst Drive.

„We put an initial entry team in there to see if there was a leak that was detected in the sensors,‰ Atlanta fire Assistant Chief Ken Byers told the AJC.

„Our monitors did not pick up any chemical whatsoever and we returned the building back to Georgia Tech engineers,‰ he said. „When the detectors go off, we treat it as a hazmat incident and we respond.‰

Three students were treated on the scene as a precaution. The building was not evacuated.

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CHEMICAL FIRE CLOSES I-65 SOUTH OF COLUMBIA
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/WILLIAMSON01/111012011/Chemical-fire-closes-I-65-south-of-Columbia
Tags: us_TN, transportation, fire, response, unknown_chemical, ferrous_chloride

Interstate 65 is closed in both directions south of Columbia while a multi-agency effort continues to work at the scene of a hazardous chemical fire early this morning at mile marker 37.

Motorists headed south on Interstate 65 should seek an alternate route until lanes are reopened.

The fire happened around 5 a.m. in the northbound lane when the tires of a tanker truck carrying ferrous chloride caught on fire. Maury County Fire Department and Hazmat responded immediately and closed off both sides of the interstate.

Crews from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency also responded to help set up a half-mile perimeter around the truck, said TEMA spokesman Dean Flener.

The liquid in the tanker is an 8 percent solution, meaning that it is mostly water, but precautions are being taken because it is considered a dangerous inhalant, Flener said.

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RUBBERTOWN PLANT FACES RECORD AIR-POLLUTION, EXPLOSION FINES
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111012/GREEN/310120080/1001/Rubbertown-plant-faces-record-air-pollution-explosion-fines?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CHome%7Cp
Tags: us_KY, industrial, explosion, injury, follow-up

A Rubbertown pigment-manufacturing plant that was ordered to pay $7,700 for a May explosion that injured workers is now facing a record $668,250 fine and corrective action for sloppy air-quality practices.

Eckart America, 4101 Campground Road, has agreed to pay the six-figure fine to settle alleged violations of local air-quality regulations, Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District officials said Wednesday.

The agreement also calls for unspecified additional fines, pending the completion of an engineering evaluation to determine how much money the plant may have saved by not complying with the regulations.

The air-quality fines are unrelated to the May 9 aluminum-dust explosion in the plant‚s dust-collection system that injured two workers, said Terri Phelps, the district‚s enforcement manager.

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