From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (15 articles)
Date: April 12, 2013 8:11:59 AM EDT
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: <A3E0EB33-F574-4C39-BD4B-2100F3954D83**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>

Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, April 12, 2013 8:11:35 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 (15 articles)

EUROPEAN AGENCY REPORTS ON WORKER RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH 'GREEN' EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Tags: Belgium, public, discovery, response

COLORADO COLLEGE RESUMES CLASSES, INVESTIGATES CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, follow-up, injury, titanium_tetrachloride

YMCA SHUT DOWN AFTER HAZARDOUS WASTE TEAM INVESTIGATES SUSPICIOUS CHEMICAL FOUND IN DUMPSTER
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, waste

HAZMAT INCIDENT AT PORT OF TAMPA CRITICALLY INJURES ONE WORKER; 4 OTHERS TRANSPORTED
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, injury, hydrogen_sulfide

HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO CHEMICAL LEAK AT OFFICE BUILDING
Tags: us_TX, public, release, injury, ammonia

ANHYDROUS AMMONIA TANK LEAKING AFTER CRASH
Tags: us_KY, transportation, release, response, ammonia

HAZMAT CREWS ON SCENE OF CHEMICAL SPILL OUTSIDE BEECH BOTTOM
Tags: us_WV, education, release, response, unknown_chemical

SHOCK AS STAFF MEMBER IS HURT IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT BOOTS STORE ON MANSFIELD ROAD
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, pharmaceutical, potassium_permanganate

ABILENE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO SEMI-TRAILER FIRE
Tags: us_TX, transportation, fire, response, pool_chemicals

OSHA, UTILITY PROBE GA. POWER PLANT EXPLOSION
Tags: us_GA, industrial, explosion, injury, coal

RIG EXPLOSION LEAVES 2 DEAD; 3 HURT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, death, petroleum

GAS WELL FIRE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Tags: us_WV, transportation, fire, response, fire_extinguisher

13 TREATED AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT AT COLORADO COLLEGE
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, release, injury, metals, titanium_tetrachloride

POSSIBLE METH COMPONENTS DISCOVERED INSIDE BOEING AFTER FIRE ALARM
Tags: us_MO, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

WORLD GOLF VILLAGE RESIDENTS WARNED ABOUT EXPLOSIVE CHEMICAL...
Tags: us_FL, public, follow-up, response, cleaners


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EUROPEAN AGENCY REPORTS ON WORKER RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH 'GREEN' EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
http://chemicalwatch.com/14464/european-agency-reports-on-worker-risks-associated-with-green-emerging-technologies
Tags: Belgium, public, discovery, response

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has published a report on a project which looked at new and emerging risks to occupational safety and health associated with new technologies in green jobs by 2020. The outcome of the exercise is a set of scenarios covering a range of new technologies in green jobs and the impact they could have on workers' health and safety.
The scenarios aim to inform EU policymakers, member states' governments, and trade unions and employers, so that they can take decisions to shape the future of occupational safety and health (OSH) in green jobs towards safer and healthier workplaces

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COLORADO COLLEGE RESUMES CLASSES, INVESTIGATES CHEMICAL SPILL
http://www.gazette.com/articles/hall-153389-olin-staff.html
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, follow-up, injury, titanium_tetrachloride

A custodian who helped a professor open a can of titanium tetrachloride in the basement of a Colorado College building suffered the most from exposure to the harmful chemical, Chemistry Professor Nathan Bower said Thursday.

Machinist Steve Burt remained hospitalized Thursday with breathing difficulties but was in stable condition at a Denver hospital, said Bower, who was not in the building during the incident.

The college is investigating what caused Wednesday's incident, Communications Director Jane Turnis said, adding that she was convinced all security measures were observed by staff and faculty.

Bower said the lid of the chemical container may have gathered moisture through its seal, which reacted with the titanium tetrachloride, making it extremely volatile.

"The problem was not how the chemical was stored, but rather how the container was opened," Bower said.

Colorado Springs Fire Lt. Stacy Billapando said the container had been taken down to a custodian who assisted in opening it. Bower said the container was drilled open, apparently causing pressure to build as moisture reacted with the chemical.

Seven staff members and six students were rescued from Olin Hall and sent to the hospital, Turnis said. Twelve people were treated Wednesday and released.

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YMCA SHUT DOWN AFTER HAZARDOUS WASTE TEAM INVESTIGATES SUSPICIOUS CHEMICAL FOUND IN DUMPSTER
http://globalnews.ca/news/473767/ymca-shut-down-after-hazardous-waste-team-investigates-suspicious-chemical-found-in-dumpster/
Tags: Canada, public, release, response, waste

The Lethridge Fire Departments hazardous waste team evacuated everyone from the YMCA and the civic ice arena after a suspicious chemical was found in a nearby dumpster."There was an unconfirmed leakage and the hazmat team had to respond. For safety sake they closed the YMCA and are not allowing anyone on the property,"says Tabitha Jensen an employee of the YMCA.

The call was made by a city of Lethbridge employee after doing a routine garbage pick -up. The employee told 9-11 that he was experiencing symptoms of burning eyes and was dizzy."It looks like there was something disposed off in the dumpster behind the YMCA and when the dump. when the solid waste guy came to unload dumpster there was some vapor that omitted that caused the driver to be dizzy,"says Jesse Kurtz the deputy fire chief.

---------------------------------------------

HAZMAT INCIDENT AT PORT OF TAMPA CRITICALLY INJURES ONE WORKER; 4 OTHERS TRANSPORTED
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_tampa/hazmat-incident-at-port-of-tampa-critically-injures-one-worker-4-others-transported
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, injury, hydrogen_sulfide

TAMPA - A hazmat incident at the Port of Tampa injured five workers Thursday night, one critically.

Officials say the workers were replacing pipes at a wastewater treatment plant when hydrogen sulfide began to leak from one of the pipes.

One of the workers was taken to a local hospital with critical injuries. Four other workers were also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

---------------------------------------------

HAZMAT CREWS RESPOND TO CHEMICAL LEAK AT OFFICE BUILDING
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/04/11/hazmat-crews-respons-to-chemical-leak-at-office-building/
Tags: us_TX, public, release, injury, ammonia

HOUSTON (CBS Houston) HazMat and EMS crews were called to a building in west Houston for a chemical leak. The call for help came in Thursday, just before 2:00 p.m.

Officials quickly responded to a commercial building located on Rogerdale at Westpark on Houston's west side. Upon a thorough investigation, authorities found that a piece of machinery was leaking ammonia. As a result, the building was evacuated.

Several emergency response sectors arrived at the building, including HFD Hazardous Materials, Rescue and several medical units. A decontamination site was also set up and the assistance of the American Red Cross also came in.

---------------------------------------------

ANHYDROUS AMMONIA TANK LEAKING AFTER CRASH
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/home/ticker/Anhydrous-Ammonia-tank-leaking-after-crash-202587391.html
Tags: us_KY, transportation, release, response, ammonia

MCCRACKEN COUNTY, Ky. - A collision between a flat-bed truck and a farm truck carrying chemicals caused traffic issues Thursday.
It happened on Cairo Road near Ogden Landing Road in McCracken County.
McCracken EMS Director Paul Carter says the farm truck was carrying two anhydrous ammonia tanks. During the collision, one of the tanks ruptured. The other fell off the truck and into a ditch. Fortunately, it didn't rupture.
A HAZMAT team responded to the scene in an attempt to seal the leaking tank. At this time, team members haven't sealed it. If that can't be done, the tank will continue to leak and crews will clean up the mess after it stops.
The collision closed Cairo Road from Maxon Road to Mayfield-Metropolis Road. No word on ho long the closure will last.

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HAZMAT CREWS ON SCENE OF CHEMICAL SPILL OUTSIDE BEECH BOTTOM
http://www.wtrf.com/story/21942741/hazmat-crews-on-scene-of-chemical-spill-outside
Tags: us_WV, education, release, response, unknown_chemical

A clean-up crew from Pittsburgh was on the scene early Thursday responding to a chemical spill outside Beech Bottom Primary School. The school janitor noticed the spill and called 911 who called the Emergency Management Agency and the Beech Bottom Fire Dept.

The chemical, called polyflux, was reportedly spilled last week by a company and cleaned up. However, last night's rain caused it to seep out onto the road again. Officials say the chemical is not hazardous and the only harm it can cause is moderate skin irritation if someone comes in direct contact with it.

The road in front of the Beech Bottom Primary School was blocked off while the situation was addressed, and parents with children who walked to school Thursday were asked to bring another pair of shoes so the children would not track the chemical around the school.

---------------------------------------------

SHOCK AS STAFF MEMBER IS HURT IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT BOOTS STORE ON MANSFIELD ROAD
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Shock-staff-member-hurt-chemical-spill-Boots/story-18663768-detail/story.html#axzz2QCFZobHb
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, pharmaceutical, potassium_permanganate

A WOMAN was taken to hospital suffering burns on her neck from a chemical spill at a branch of Boots.

Emergency crews were called to the Boots store in Mansfield Road, Sherwood at around 1.15pm yesterday.

The woman, who was an employee, also got some of the chemical fluid in her eye which had to be flushed out at the scene.

A second person was treated for burns on her hands, but did not need to go to hospital.

The chemical spill forced the store to close and its customers were evacuated.

The immediate area taped off to pedestrians, while fire crews from Stockhill Fire Station contained the spillage.

Three fire engines parked up outside the shop - including one vehicle from the environmental protection unit - and police also arrived to block off one lane of Mansfield Road while work was carried out.

The 999 call for help was made by a member of staff at the pharmacy, after two chemicals had been mixed together and subsequently reacted.

Those chemicals were potassium permanganate - a strong oxidizing agent - and Temazepam - which is an anti-anxiety drug.

When the Post contacted Boots the pharmaceutical giant could not offer any explanation as to why those two chemicals would have been mixed together.

Station manager Kev Cleary, of Notts Fire and Rescue Service, said: "There's been a chemical reaction. They were mixing two chemicals in the pharmacy when it got out of control."

---------------------------------------------

ABILENE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO SEMI-TRAILER FIRE
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2013/apr/11/abilene-fire-department-respond-semi-trailer-fire/
Tags: us_TX, transportation, fire, response, pool_chemicals

At 7:20 a.m. today, units of the Abilene Fire Department were dispatched to a fire involving a semi-tractor/trailer located on Interstate 20, approximately 1.5 miles west of Tye, near mile marker 276.

The driver of the vehicle reported that he had been transporting swimming pool chemicals and that the trailer was heavily involved in fire. He had managed to disconnect the tractor from the trailer, moving it a short distance away. Due to the involvement of chemicals, the Abilene Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Team responded, as well.

Preliminary indications are that the fire began near the axle at the rear of the trailer and was, quite possibly, the result of a mechanical malfunction. There were no injuries reported and there is no cost estimate of the loss.

Due to the intensity of the fire and the chemical involvement, west-bound traffic was detoured around the incident scene for approximately one hour.

---------------------------------------------

OSHA, UTILITY PROBE GA. POWER PLANT EXPLOSION
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=260173
Tags: us_GA, industrial, explosion, injury, coal

ATLANTA - Investigators were trying to determine Friday the cause of a power plant explosion in northwest Georgia that injured several people.

The explosion happened around 4 p.m. Thursday at Plant Bowen, a coal-fired plant in Euharlee about 50 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. Utility crews and other investigators were still examining the damaged facility Friday. The cause of the blast was not immediately clear.

``We're starting the investigation but we don't know how long it will be,'' said Georgia Power spokesman Brian Green

---------------------------------------------

RIG EXPLOSION LEAVES 2 DEAD; 3 HURT
http://www.isssource.com/rig-explosion-leaves-2-dead-3-hurt/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, explosion, death, petroleum

Two men died and another three suffered injuries when an explosion blew the oil crew off a wellhead Friday morning just east of Barstow in Ward County, TX, the Ward County Sheriff's Office said.
The explosion happened at 9 a.m. as the crew operating a pulling unit belonging to Basic Energy Services was servicing an Anadarko Petroleum oil and natural gas well, the sheriff's office said.

"It appears that the pressure from the well caused the explosion at the wellhead," said Alan Krenek, chief financial officer at Basic Energy, which relocated its headquarters last year to Fort Worth from Midland.

---------------------------------------------

GAS WELL FIRE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
http://www.hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/id/585182/Gas-well-fire-investigation-continues.html
Tags: us_WV, transportation, fire, response, fire_extinguisher

WELLSBURG - An official with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said the cause of the fire Monday at a gas well site near Genteel Ridge Road hasn't been verified, but is believed to have originated from a break in a hydraulic line from a pump.

Kathy Kosco, spokesman for the state DEP, said it appears, upon initial review, that a break in the hose caused a spark that resulted in a fire destroying multiple pumper trucks at the site.

Twelve Brooke County and Western Pennsylvania fire departments were called at about 5 p.m. to extinguish the blaze, which occurred on property leased by Chesapeake Energy from Russell Hervey.

Franklin Community Fire Chief Larry Palmer said staff with FTS International, a subcontractor for Chesapeake, attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. When that failed, they quickly evacuated the area and called for help and no one was hurt, he said.

---------------------------------------------

13 TREATED AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT AT COLORADO COLLEGE
http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/Possible-Hazmat-Exposure--202400751.html#.UWafJaIce5I
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, release, injury, metals, titanium_tetrachloride

13 patients were taken to area hospitals for treatment after chemical exposure at Colorado College. One of them, a college employee, remained hospitalized Wednesday evening.

The chemical released was titanium tetrachloride, which can cause eye irritation, congestion, and respiratory problems.

A spokesperson for Colorado College tells 11 News that all buildings will be open for normal operations on Thursday.

Two people on scene had to be pulled out because they could not walk on their own.

There were classes in progress in the building at the time of the incident and the building had to be evacuated.

Titanium tetrachloride is a colorless pale-yellow liquid that has fumes with strong odor. It is made from minerals that contain titanium and is used to make titanium metal and other compounds.

Students tell 11 News the chemical is only used in upper level chemistry classes.

---------------------------------------------

POSSIBLE METH COMPONENTS DISCOVERED INSIDE BOEING AFTER FIRE ALARM
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/374465/3/Fire-alarm-at-Boeing-leads-to-discovery-of-meth-components-
Tags: us_MO, public, discovery, response, meth_lab

BERKELEY, Mo. (KSDK) - Firefighters and police in Berkeley responded to a fire alarm at Boeing Co. Wednesday only to discover chemicals that could be used to make methamphetamine.

According to Col. Frank McCall Jr., Berkeley Chief of Police, the fire alarm went off around 10 a.m. Firefighters found chemicals inside the building tied to the making of meth.

The police department was contacted and later removed those chemicals. This was not thought to be a working meth lab.

A Boeing employee was taken into police custody, police said.

Experts from St. Charles County were called in to examine the chemical components.

McCall did not specify which chemicals were found and why authorities think they could be connected to brewing meth. He said the matter is a Boeing personnel issue.

---------------------------------------------

WORLD GOLF VILLAGE RESIDENTS WARNED ABOUT EXPLOSIVE CHEMICAL...
http://www.wokv.com/news/news/local/world-golf-village-residents-warned-about-explosiv/nXHtw/
Tags: us_FL, public, follow-up, response, cleaners

St. Johns County, FL Ñ We've got an alert for anyone living in the World Golf Village area.
St. Johns County detectives are investigating three "chemical reaction devices" left in three separate locations over the past six months. The devices are bottles or containers filled with household cleaners which explode because of pressure in the bottle.
"It can cause significant property damage or harm to an individual," says St. Johns County Sergeant Catherine Payne.

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Ralph Stuart
secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Secretary
Division of Chemical Health and Safety
American Chemical Society

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