From: Secretary ACS DCHAS <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 06:58:57 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines
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Table of Contents (11 articles)

UPDATE WITH VIDEO: PUBLIC ALLOWED BACK INTO TOWER PARK AFTER CHEMICAL SCARE SPARKS EVACUATION (FROM BOURNEMOUTH ECHO)
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, chlorine

HAZMAT CREWS ON SCENE OF AMMONIA LEAK
Tags: us_MO, public, release, response, ammonia

HALIFAX FIRE CREWS CLEAN-UP ACID SPILL AT QEII
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, response, acids, waste

SEVERAL PEOPLE INJURED IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT ROLLS-ROYCE PLANT
Tags: us_IN, industrial, explosion, injury, nitric_acid

WV METRONEWS ? TAP STUDY: CHEMICAL FOUND AT ALL SAMPLE HOMES
Tags: us_WV, public, release, environmental, other_chemical

CHEMICAL FROM LYNAS SPILL ONTO ROAD
Tags: Malaysia, transportation, release, environmental, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL SPILL CLEANED UP AT THE CENTRE OF ELGIN
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, hydrochloric_acid, pool_chemicals

CHEMICAL LEAK FORCES EVACUATION OF BUILDING AT WINNIPEG HOSPITAL
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, injury, formaldehyde

LANDSLIDE DEBRIS FIELD HAS TO BE APPROACHED AS HAZMAT SCENE
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, response, other_chemical

HAZMAT SITUATION AT UC SAN DIEGO, 3 HOSPITALIZED
Tags: us_CA, education, release, injury, unknown_chemical

COBB MAN INDICTED FOR MANUFACTURING PCP LEADING TO EXPLOSION
Tags: us_GA, public, follow-up, response, dust, meth_lab


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UPDATE WITH VIDEO: PUBLIC ALLOWED BACK INTO TOWER PARK AFTER CHEMICAL SCARE SPARKS EVACUATION (FROM BOURNEMOUTH ECHO)
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11112514.UPDATE__Public_evacuated_from_Tower_Park___fire_crews_at_the_scene/?ref=var_0
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, response, chlorine

Dorset Police said that units were called at 2.21pm to a report of a chemical spill from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service.

A spokesman said that the injector had burst in a chlorine pump at Splashdown.

Those who were using the swimming pool at the time were given foil blankets to keep them warm and were being looked after at LA Fitness.

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

HAZMAT CREWS ON SCENE OF AMMONIA LEAK
http://www.kmbz.com/Hazmat-crews-on-scene-of-ammonia-leak/18690871
Tags: us_MO, public, release, response, ammonia

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. - HAZMAT crews were called to an ammonia leak in Platte County Friday.

South Platte Fire Protection District Chief Rick Carizzio says an 800 gallon anhydrous ammonia tank was leaking in a field near Farley and Humphrey's Roads.

Crews closed the valve and stopped the leak shortly after 2 pm. No injuries have been reported.

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HALIFAX FIRE CREWS CLEAN-UP ACID SPILL AT QEII
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-fire-crews-clean-up-acid-spill-at-qeii-1.2589873
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, response, acids, waste

Fire officials rushed to the QEII Health Sciences Centre Friday morning for reports of an acid spill.

Crews from four firetrucks responded to the call at about 8:30 a.m.

About two tablespoons of peracetic acid, a sterilizing agent, spilled inside a sterilizing machine in the urology department.

Bryson Wilson, is a division commander with the Halifax Fire and Emergency Service, said getting rid of the chemical was quite easy.

"We talked to Canna Tec and asked them for disposal. We looked at the [Material Safety Data Sheets] that said simply with this quantity of spill that we had was to wipe it up with a cloth and then dilute it 20 to one with water," he said.

John GIllis, speaking for the Capital District Health Authority, said he does not believe anyone has been hurt and there is no widespread risk to others.

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SEVERAL PEOPLE INJURED IN CHEMICAL SPILL AT ROLLS-ROYCE PLANT
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/28/chemical-spill-rolls-royce-plant/7032703/
Tags: us_IN, industrial, explosion, injury, nitric_acid

Wayne Township fire crews say eight people were injured this afternoon after an explosion involving a 250-gallon tank of nitric acid at the Rolls-Royce plant at 2355 S. Tibbs Ave.

The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. The circumstances surrounding the explosion are unclear.

By 2:15 p.m., fire and medical crews had treated nine Rolls-Royce employees for exposure to the acid. Seven were taken to IU Methodist Hospitals and one to Eskenzi Hospital.

It was unclear how serious their injuries are, but all were reported to be stable, said Wayne Township Fire Department spokesman Mike Pruitt. Nitric acid is a corrosive substance that can cause severe burns.

Fire crews also reported that they had seen a "chemical cloud" inside of the plant. By about 2:40 p.m., Wayne Township fire officials said the incident was under control.

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WV METRONEWS ? TAP STUDY: CHEMICAL FOUND AT ALL SAMPLE HOMES
http://wvmetronews.com/2014/03/28/wv-tap-study-mchm-found-in-all-sample-homes/
Tags: us_WV, public, release, environmental, other_chemical

INSTITUTE, W.Va. ? The independent group charged with investigating the Jan. 9 chemical spill in the Elk River released its initial report Friday, concluding that problems remain and more testing is needed.

Only a smattering of seats at West Virginia State University?s Ferrell Hall were filled as the scientists revealed what they learned through testing 10 homes in the impacted nine counties around Charleston. That water sampling took place between Feb. 11-18, a month after the initial spill was reported.

Dr. Andrew Whelton, who is leading the West Virginia Testing Assessment Project, said more testing needs to be done.

?Our conclusions are: problem remains, more work is needed to truly understand what?s going on in the system.?

Though it was not the answer many people were seeking. Whelton stressed they did find out some important information.

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CHEMICAL FROM LYNAS SPILL ONTO ROAD
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1025893
Tags: Malaysia, transportation, release, environmental, unknown_chemical

TEMERLOH, March 28 (Bernama) -- A lorry carrying a trailer load of NdPr chloride solution from the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng skidded at kilometer 149, Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur road near Kampung Sungai Kepong this morning, causing some of the containers to fall and spill their contents on the road.

District police chief ACP Abdul Aziz Salleh said the incident happened around 9 am while the lorry was transporting 15 barrels of the chemical to Port Klang.

"The accident caused 13 of the 15 barrels on the trailer to fall onto the road. Four of the barrels began leaking, forcing us to close the road for a few hours," he told a media conference here today.

He said the fire and rescue department, police, environmental department and a team from Lynas acted quickly to contain the spillage and clean up the area.

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CHEMICAL SPILL CLEANED UP AT THE CENTRE OF ELGIN
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140328/news/140328422/
Tags: us_IL, public, release, response, hydrochloric_acid, pool_chemicals

The Elgin Fire Department responded to the spill at the city facility at 100 Symphony Way at 12:14 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Dave Schmidt said.

Fire officials were informed by staff members about an extensive leak from a 250-gallon hydrochloric acid tank in the pool filter room.

The Elgin police and fire departments evacuated the building.

Teams from Elgin and South Elgin fire departments donned level B, or moderate level, protective suits and went into the pool filter room, but couldn?t locate the source of the leak, Schmidt said.

Testing of the leak showed the mixture contained 31 percent hydrochloric acid, he said.

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CHEMICAL LEAK FORCES EVACUATION OF BUILDING AT WINNIPEG HOSPITAL
http://www.mysask.com/portal/site/main/template.MAXIMIZE/?javax.portlet.tpst=59fea5a22cbb130bab9e3c1070315ae8_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_59fea5a22cbb130bab9e3c1070315ae8_viewID=story&javax.portlet.prp_59fea5a22cbb130bab9e3c1070315ae8_topic_display_name=Health%20News&javax.portlet.prp_59fea5a22cbb130bab9e3c1070315ae8_topic_name=Health&javax.portlet.prp_59fea5a22cbb130bab9e3c1070315ae8_news_item_id_key=27762891&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken
Tags: Canada, laboratory, release, injury, formaldehyde

WINNIPEG - About 500 people had to be evacuated from a Winnipeg hospital due to a chemical spill.

Officials at the Health Sciences Centre say 50 gallons of formalin, a liquid similar to formaldehyde, spilled on the fourth floor of the Thorlakson building on Thursday.

The entire building was evacuated as a Hazmat team and other emergency crews arrived to contain the situation.

A construction worker accidentally broke a feeder pipe, which caused the leak.

He was the only person directly exposed to the formalin. He was treated, decontaminated and allowed to go home.

Several surgeries were cancelled although officials expect to have them rescheduled soon.

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

LANDSLIDE DEBRIS FIELD HAS TO BE APPROACHED AS HAZMAT SCENE
http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-landslide-debris-field-has-to-be-approached-as-hazmat-scene/
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, response, other_chemical

In a clearing on a hillside above one side of the mudflow, searchers in all sorts of uniforms and bright safety vests are picking through the crushed and barely recognizable remains of homes.

Even from a distance, you know it is dirty work.

But that?s not all. Battalion chief Steve Mason says the debris field is considered a hazmat scene. Searchers thoroughly hose off at the end of each day.

?Of course, because everybody?s septic system and other personal items are strewn throughout, we make sure they are well-cleaned. We don?t want them to take anything away with them.?

Something else Mason points out are big ?tinfoil? reflectors strung in some trees above where the landslide started. The battalion chief says searchers down below periodically look up to see if the shiny foil is in the same spot.

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HAZMAT SITUATION AT UC SAN DIEGO, 3 HOSPITALIZED
http://www.cbs8.com/story/25091971/hazmat-situation-on-uc-san-diego-campus-3-hospitalized
Tags: us_CA, education, release, injury, unknown_chemical

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - The Jacobs School of Engineering building at UC San Diego was evacuated Thursday morning after a contractor cut into a duct containing a gas line.

The contractor was updating the ventilation system when the incident happened at about 10:30 a.m.

The man was transported to Scripps La Jolla for treatment. Two other workers were also taken to the hospital to be monitored after reporting they felt light-headed.

Although sensors were not triggered, the building, which consists of labs and classrooms, was immediately evacuated. There was limited occupancy at this time because UC San Diego is on spring break.

Fire crews say the leak has been contained and crews have restarted the clean air ventilation system in the building.

As of early Thursday afternoon, a hazmat crew was planning to enter the building to take readings, but they did not expect to find anything harmful.

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

COBB MAN INDICTED FOR MANUFACTURING PCP LEADING TO EXPLOSION
http://acworth.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/cobb-man-indicted-for-manufacturing-pcp-leading-to-explosion
Tags: us_GA, public, follow-up, response, dust, meth_lab

An Atlanta man has been arraigned on federal charges relating to the manufacture of PCP that led to a dangerous south Fulton county house fire when the clandestine laboratory exploded in July 2013.
....
According to United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: On July 6, 2013, Fulton County Fire/Rescue responded to a citizen?s call about a house fire in a Fairburn neighborhood.

The house was destroyed after burning for almost two days. Further investigation revealed the presence of numerous barrels and canisters of chemicals suggesting the presence of a large, clandestine, PCP lab in the residence. No one other than the individuals involved in the manufacture of PCP was harmed in the fire.

?An entire neighborhood was put at risk by the explosion of this PCP lab,? said Yates in a news release. ?This type of drug also puts our entire community at risk. Thankfully, this lab is out of business and our citizens in that neighborhood are safe.?

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