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From: Secretary ACS DCHAS <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CHAS Tweets and Chemical Safety headlines (15 articles)
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 07:52:49 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 5F5A1494-68CD-4FBC-A629-86BE885C2080**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
**At_Symbol_Here**ACSDCHAS and **At_Symbol_Here**LabSustain tweets and Chemical Safety Headlines
Links to the headlines below can be found at the http://www.dchas.org/newsflash
Table of Contents (15 articles)
ORICA FINED $768,000 OVER CHEMICAL SPILLS AND SAFETY BREACHES IN NSW
Tags: Australia, industrial, follow-up, injury, ammonia, toxics
LIQUID ASPHALT SPILL IN AUBURN HILLS CONTAINED AFTER ACCIDENT
Tags: us_MI, transportation, release, environmental, asphalt
FERTILIZER MAKERS BLAME WEST FOR NOT PREPARING RESPONDERS FOR FIRE AT PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, ag_chems
TWISTS, CURVEBALLS CONTINUE IN FEDERAL RESPONSE TO WEST VIRGINIA CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
THREE KANSAS CITY OFFICERS CHECKED FOR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AFTER RESCUING MAN FROM SUSPICIOUS HOUSE EXPLOSION
Tags: us_MO, public, explosion, injury, drugs
SAVANNAH HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL FIRE
Tags: us_GA, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
CHEMICAL LEAK LEADS TO BRIEF SHIP CHANNEL CLOSURE
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, injury, ammonia
HAZMAT RESPONSE IN RAPID CITY
Tags: us_SD, transportation, release, environmental, diesel
INDUSTRIAL SITE CLEANUP DOES NOT SATISFY NEIGHBORS
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response, waste
TRAIN CARRYING ETHANOL DERAILS IN SPARTANBURG
Tags: us_SC, transportation, discovery, response, ethanol
INDUSTRIAL FIRE PUT OUT WITH NO INJURIES, CREWS MONITORING HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
Tags: us_OH, industrial, fire, response, oils, solvent
TATA CHEMICAL FILES LAWSUIT FOR FIRE
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, response, petroleum
INVESTIGATION INTO MFG CHEMICAL ACCIDENT CONTINUES
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, injury, maleic_anhydride
NORTH DAKOTA INDUSTRIAL FIRE CLEANUP TO TAKE WEEKS
Tags: us_ND, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
GRETNA CHEMICAL COMPANY?S LICENSE MAY BE REVOKED
Tags: us_LA, public, discovery, environmental
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ORICA FINED $768,000 OVER CHEMICAL SPILLS AND SAFETY BREACHES IN NSW
Tags: Australia, industrial, follow-up, injury, ammonia, toxics
The chemical company Orica has been fined $768,000 over a series of chemical spills and safety breaches at two of its sites in New South Wales.
The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) took the company to the Land and Environment Court for breaching its licence conditions.
Orica pleaded guilty to nine charges.
In the most serious incident homes at Stockton near Newcastle were showered with the toxic chemical hexavalent chromium in 2011.
The Environmental Protection Authority says Orica was too slow to notify it about the leak.
In another incident a few months later emissions of ammonia, also from the Kooragang Island facility, resulted in two workers on a neighbouring industrial site being taken to hospital.
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LIQUID ASPHALT SPILL IN AUBURN HILLS CONTAINED AFTER ACCIDENT
Tags: us_MI, transportation, release, environmental, asphalt
Auburn Hills Fire Department officials say a chemical spill has been contained after liquid asphalt was spilled following an accident on Opdyke Road, near Hempstead Road, this morning.
According to a fire department news release, officials were called to the area around noon for a chemical spill in the area. Officials said a vehicle involved in an accident on Opdyke was towing an asphalt trailer. Approximately 100 gallons of liquid asphalt leaked from the container and into a nearby drainage ditch.
An investigation and testing by the Oakland County Hazardous Material Team, Department of Environmental Quality and the Auburn Hills Fire Department revealed that the spill had been contained within Oakland County drainage. Restraints were placed to prevent further chemical spreading.
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FERTILIZER MAKERS BLAME WEST FOR NOT PREPARING RESPONDERS FOR FIRE AT PLANT
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, ag_chems
WACO ? Two fertilizer companies sued following a deadly Texas explosion are claiming the small town deserves blame for failing to properly train volunteer firefighters and first responders, who made up most of the 15 people killed by the blast.
El Dorado Chemical Co. and CF Industries argued in a state district court in Waco that the city of West, which has about 2,800 people, had insufficient protocols in place to battle the April 2013 blaze at West Fertilizer Co. that triggered the explosion.
The fertilizer suppliers are now seeking to have the city designated as a "responsible third party" in lawsuits filed against the companies, the Waco-Tribune Herald reported Saturday.
The Texas State Fire Marshal's Office concluded in a report published in May that members of the West Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene that day unprepared for the dangers.
"The Texas State Fire Marshal also determined that strategies and tactics utilized by the WVFD were not appropriate for the situation and unnecessarily exposed the firefighters, many of whom have brought claims against the CF defendants in this matter, to extreme risks," CF Industries says in the motion.
A motion from El Dorado also alleges that the city should be named as a responsible third party because it failed to protect its citizens by allowing through its zoning authority schools and a nursing home to operate in a close proximity to the plant.
Waco attorney Steve Harrison, who represents the city of West in the lawsuit as well as many of those killed or injured in the blast, said it is common in lawsuits for defendants to blame everyone but themselves.
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TWISTS, CURVEBALLS CONTINUE IN FEDERAL RESPONSE TO WEST VIRGINIA CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: us_WV, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical
CHARLESTON, West Virginia ? After showing little initial interest, federal officials ordered more studies on animals affected by chemicals that sullied drinking water for 300,000 people in January.
For West Virginia, it's the latest curveball of federal follow-up to the massive Freedom Industries chemical spill in Charleston.
Agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency and National Institutes for Health interpreted minimal available research to decide when nine counties could safely use tap water again.
In the process, pregnant women received mixed messages, debate ensued about what "safe" means and emergency room visits spiked after some people were told to use their water.
"Despite our best efforts, CDC acknowledges that what was known and not known during the Elk River spill could have been better communicated," said CDC spokeswoman Bernadette Burden said Friday. "We are committed to communicating clearly about what we know and what we don't as our work with West Virginia continues and during future events."
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THREE KANSAS CITY OFFICERS CHECKED FOR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AFTER RESCUING MAN FROM SUSPICIOUS HOUSE EXPLOSION
Tags: us_MO, public, explosion, injury, drugs
Three police officers may have been exposed to dangerous chemicals when they rescued a man from a burning Kansas City house after a suspicious explosion Saturday afternoon.
The Kansas City officers, who were the first responders on the scene in the 2900 block of Olive Street shortly after 5 p.m., were taken to an area hospital as a precaution, a police spokeswoman said.
It is unclear how many people were inside the home when the explosion occurred on the second floor, the spokeswoman said. All other occupants got out of the house safely. The man left inside was taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the explosion was under investigation Saturday. Police drug enforcement investigators were working the scene with the Kansas City Fire Department.
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SAVANNAH HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL FIRE
Tags: us_GA, public, fire, response, unknown_chemical
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) -
Savannah Hazmat crews responded to a chemical fire at Store Room Self Storage on East President Street Friday night. A woman reported that a drum of chemicals was on fire when she went to pick up some things from her storage unit.
Savannah Hazmat was on scene for several hours. After investigating, it was determined that the chemical was non-hazardous but threatened several other drums that did contain hazardous material. Crews extinguished the fire and say there is no threat to anyone nearby. They also said there is no threat to the environment.
"I just came to get some things out of my storage unit and there was a big drum and blue flames were coming out of the top. It smelled bad. It was a very strong smell. It burned my nose hair and down in my chest. I can still taste it. It smelled like when you light a match," said Christina Gant, who rents a unit.
We are told that the drums of chemicals are there illegally and there is now an active investigation into who they belong to and why they are there.
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CHEMICAL LEAK LEADS TO BRIEF SHIP CHANNEL CLOSURE
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, injury, ammonia
A chemical leak at the Houston Ship Channel led to a brief shelter-in-place order for nearby roads and the ship channel itself late Friday.
An anhydrous ammonia leak was reported just west of the Beltway 8 bridge around 9:45 p.m. Both Coast Guard and nearby Pasadena fire and rescue officials responded, as well as a hazmat team.
Mishaps aboard a tugboat, the Trigger, that was refueling another vessel lead to the minor spill. Four members of the Trigger crew were taken to an area hospital for exposure to the anhydrous ammonia.
Responders determined the leak to be minor. The shelter-in-place order was lifted just before 11:30 p.m.
According to government materials on hazardous chemicals, anhydrous ammonia is a ?colorless, highly irritating gas with a sharp, suffocating odor.? High levels of exposure can cause chemical burns in the lungs and possibly death.
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HAZMAT RESPONSE IN RAPID CITY
Tags: us_SD, transportation, release, environmental, diesel
Rapid City Fire Department's hazardous material team responds to an incident in west Rapid this afternoon.
The intersection of Mountain View road and Omaha street was covered in diesel fuel after apparently falling off of a truck around the 3 o'clock hour. The fire department's hazmat team was dispatched to clean up the intersection. But what made this clean up so difficult was the traffic turning onto Mountain View road. Rapid City Police was called to help divert traffic so the hazmat team could work as efficiently as possible.
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INDUSTRIAL SITE CLEANUP DOES NOT SATISFY NEIGHBORS
Tags: us_OH, industrial, follow-up, response, waste
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (WYTV) ? It has been a week since HazMat crews responded to an abandoned building in East Liverpool after two dogs covered in tar were found in the area.
Residents on Michigan Avenue said the only thing that has changed since last week is the orange fencing that has been installed around the building.
But the Ohio EPA said Dacar Industries, which owns the building, has secured the area around the building, sealed doors and started cleaning up the outside. The EPA also said that Dacar is taking an inventory of known chemicals and waste on site and is taking bids from cleanup contractors.
?Ohio EPA is in contact with the company and our role really as the regulatory agency is to make sure the company is following through with what we need them to do,? Dina Pierce of the EPA said.
---------------------------------------------
TRAIN CARRYING ETHANOL DERAILS IN SPARTANBURG
Tags: us_SC, transportation, discovery, response, ethanol
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ?A train derailment sent fire and hazardous materials crews to work in Spartanburg Friday morning.
Sease said four cars derailed, three of which contain ethanol.
Two of those cars were off the track on their side, and one of the four cars was filled with sand, according to Spartanburg Fire Chief Marion Blackwell.
Ethanol is a clear, flammable liquid that can cause irritation if inhaled, according to the Centers for Disease Control website.
Blackwell confirmed there were no leaks and no evacuations were necessary.
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INDUSTRIAL FIRE PUT OUT WITH NO INJURIES, CREWS MONITORING HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL
Tags: us_OH, industrial, fire, response, oils, solvent
MENTOR, Ohio ? Firefighters Friday fought a large industrial blaze that was fueled by oil, bringing it under control without injuries and without allowing a hazardous chemical to flow toward Lake Erie.
The fire sparked at Metal Seal Precision located at 7333 Corporate Boulevard shortly before 10:30 a.m. and quickly spread through the roof.
....It wasn?t clear what made the initial spark, but the fire has been ruled accidental.
The workers all made it safely out of the building when an alarm sounded.
The company manufactures metal and parts, some for rifles and others for the auto industry.
The work requires many oils and solvents which likely fueled the fire.
---------------------------------------------
TATA CHEMICAL FILES LAWSUIT FOR FIRE
Tags: us_OK, industrial, follow-up, response, petroleum
Tata Chemicals is suing a petroleum company and its successors in interest claiming their negligence caused a fire and about $1.1 million in damages.
Tata Chemicals filed the complaint July 2, 2014, in the Third District Court against Simons Petroleum Inc., an Oklahoma corporation, Simons Petroleum Inc., a Texas corporation, Simons Petroleum, LLC., Pilot Logistics Services and ABC Corporations 1-10 (real names unknown.)
According to the complaint, Tata owns and operates an underground trona mine and surface refining plant used to process trona ore into soda ash at its Green River facility.
For several years prior to Aug. 10, 2010, Simons/Oklahoma and Simons/Texas maintained a place of business in Rock Springs.
Prior to Aug. 10, 2010, Simons/Oklahoma, Simons/Texas, Simons Petroleum, LLC., Pilot Logistics Services and ABC Corporations 1-10, were national marketers or successors-in-interest to the national marketers of petroleum products, including a supplier of fuel and lubricants to commercial and industrial industries, which included Tata.
During trips to Tata, the companies would fill fuels and lubricants, which were housed in Building G.R. No. 2.
On Aug. 10, 2010, Simons was in the process of making a fuel and lubricant delivery when a fire occurred after Simons overfilled one of the storage tanks, causing fuel to overflow and come in contact with a calciner.
The fire caused $1,118,594 in property damages to Tata.
---------------------------------------------
INVESTIGATION INTO MFG CHEMICAL ACCIDENT CONTINUES
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, injury, maleic_anhydride
An investigation is still ongoing after a MFG Chemical employee was injured earlier this month at a plant on Kimberly Park Drive.
Dalton Fire Department Deputy Chief Gary Baggett said an employee suffered burns to his lung tissue on July 7 after maleic anhydride escaped from a vessel and he walked by, breathing in the chemical.
Baggett said the employee is still on a ventilator, but has had some improvement.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been investigating the incident. OSHA spokesman Lindsey Williams said no fines or safety violations have been given to MFG and the investigation is still open.
Baggett said the incident was the result of ?operator error? and was caused by another employee not securing the lid of the vessel.
Dalton Fire Department and MFG officials met Thursday where they agreed to conduct training on safety procedures. Baggett said this training will include how to efficiently communicate with emergency responders about injuries and chemical hazards.
According to Baggett, in the July 7 incident the firefighters did not know what type of chemical they were dealing with and could not approach the victim right away due to the unknown hazard. By training MFG personnel to communicate the situation clearly, Baggett said fire responders will know how to equip themselves and speed up the process significantly.
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NORTH DAKOTA INDUSTRIAL FIRE CLEANUP TO TAKE WEEKS
Tags: us_ND, industrial, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical
Cleanup efforts at the still-smoking site of an oil field supply company in North Dakota that caught fire earlier this week could take weeks, an Environmental Protection Agency Official said Friday.
EPA On-Scene Coordinator Paul Peronard said it would not surprise him if it took two months to clean up the site in Williston, though workers are hoping it will be quicker.
Officials say the fire started about midnight Monday and burned most of Tuesday. At its height, the blaze sent fireballs hundreds of feet into the air.
The Red River Supply facility stored dozens of chemicals used by oil companies, according to state records. The cause of the fire has yet to be identified.
Peronard said workers had not yet started to clean up the main debris field as they give investigators time to identify the cause of the fire. He said once debris clearing begins, workers expect flare ups because a number of volatile chemicals remain.
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GRETNA CHEMICAL COMPANY?S LICENSE MAY BE REVOKED
Tags: us_LA, public, discovery, environmental
The Gretna City Council will decide Monday whether to revoke the occupational license of Malkem International, which makes cleaning products at 74 First St. and has a history of violating state environmental regulations.
The company was found during a July 17 inspection to have barrels of chemicals that were not properly identified and a materials safety sheet that was outdated and incomplete. It also did not have required plans and permits to discharge wastewater, according to documents from the state Department of Environmental Quality.
DEQ personnel accompanied officials from the Gretna and Jefferson Parish fire departments on the inspection, which was spurred by a resident?s complaint that barrels along the company?s fence line were not marked or identified in any way, said Azalea Roussell, a Gretna planning, zoning and licensing official.
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