From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (7 articles)
Date: Wed, 9 May 2018 07:59:26 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: F2B12FD1-75FA-4718-9696-E587FD35DF7B**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


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Table of Contents (7 articles)

FIRE MARSHAL WARNS PUBLIC ABOUT HANDLING OF POOL CHEMICALS
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, environmental, pool_chemicals

PASADENA FIREFIGHTERS CALL IN FULL HAZMAT RESPONSE AFTER UNKNOWN LIQUID LEAKS FROM CALTECH LAB
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical, runoff

PROPANE TANK EXPLOSION CAUSES FIRE BURNING THROUGH THE NIGHT
Tags: us_VT, public, explosion, response, propane

MURIATIC ACID SPILL AFFECTS METROLINK BETWEEN SHREWSBURY AND MAPLEWOOD
Tags: us_MO, industrial, release, response, hydrochloric_acid

SAANICH CREWS CLEAN UP CHEMICAL SPILL ON CAMOSUN COLLEGE
Tags: Canada, education, release, injury, sulfuric_acid

ORANGE CLOUD OVER BILLINGHAM FOLLOWING 'LOUD BANG AT CHEMICAL SITE'
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

MINN. LAWMAKERS WARN OF TOXIC CHEMICAL STORED IN ST. PAUL PARK REFINERY
Tags: us_MN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid


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FIRE MARSHAL WARNS PUBLIC ABOUT HANDLING OF POOL CHEMICALS
https://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2018/05/08/239312-Fire-Marshal-Warns-Public-About-Handling-Pool-Chemicals
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, environmental, pool_chemicals

STOW ‰?? Summer weather finally arrived this week and many homeowners are getting their pools ready. State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey wants pool owners to take a moment to make a pool chemical safety plan and share it with family members. State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said, ‰??Pool chemicals may become a hazard when they get damp or wet with a small quantity of water or when they are improperly mixed with each other, other chemicals or reactive materials.‰?? He added, ‰??It is important to keep pool chemicals dry. Store them in separate containers with lids in a locked shed away from the house and pool.‰??

Ostroskey said, ‰??Local fire departments and hazardous materials teams often respond to emergencies involving swimming pool and hot tub/whirlpool chemicals. The potential costs incurred by the pool owner for emergency measures can be extremely expensive. Take the necessary measures to prevent or address any injury to people or harm to the environment.‰??

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PASADENA FIREFIGHTERS CALL IN FULL HAZMAT RESPONSE AFTER UNKNOWN LIQUID LEAKS FROM CALTECH LAB
http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/pasadena-firefighters-call-in-full-hazmat-response-after-unknown-liquid-leaks-from-caltech-lab/#.WvGCni-G_OQ
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical, runoff

Pasadena firefighters responding to a report of smoke at a Caltech building shortly after 1 a.m. Monday morning found an unknown liquid leaking from a laboratory. They evacuated the building and called in a full hazardous materials response.

Fire Department officials said the incident occurred on third floor of Caltech‰??s Noyes Building at 400 S. Wilson Ave.

No fire was visible by the time firefighters arrived.

Hazmat units from the Burbank, Glendale and Vernon Fire Departments responded, with additional mutual aid support from San Marino Fire Battalion 9 and South Pasadena Fire & Air Utility, authorities said.

After a review of the materials that in the lab, the fire department entry team determined safe access was possible and went into the laboratory. They determined that a fire had occurred within a hood system.

The structure‰??s fire suppression system extinguished the fire, but runoff made its way down to the second floor.

Testing indicated no hazardous materials had contaminated the area and all chemicals stayed within the affected hood system.

The cause of the fire was undetermined and is currently under investigation. No injuries were reported.

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PROPANE TANK EXPLOSION CAUSES FIRE BURNING THROUGH THE NIGHT
http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/propane-tank-explosion-causes-fire-burning-through-the-night/article_8f45dcee-4222-5713-9106-8caa955f9c7a.html
Tags: us_VT, public, explosion, response, propane

BARRE, Vt. (AP) ‰?? A propane tank explosion in a Vermont town caused a massive blaze that took fire officials more than 16 hours to get under control.

The Barre Fire Department says a large propane tank exploded Saturday evening was burning through the night until Sunday. The Vermont State Hazmat Team along with several other fire departments assisted, working to control the flames overnight.

Officials say they prevented a second tank from exploding during the fire as well.

No injuries have been reported, though some residents in the area were evacuated.

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MURIATIC ACID SPILL AFFECTS METROLINK BETWEEN SHREWSBURY AND MAPLEWOOD
http://fox2now.com/2018/05/07/unidentified-chemical-spill-affects-metrolink-between-shrewsbury-maplewood/
Tags: us_MO, industrial, release, response, hydrochloric_acid

MAPLEWOOD, MO - MetroLink riders in St. Louis County experienced delays Monday afternoon following a chemical spill. The Maplewood Fire Department said the spill occurred in the 3700 block of Big Bend Industrial Boulevard, affecting the lines between the Shrewsbury and Maplewood-Manchester stations.
Around 2:30pm, a spill of muriatic acid occurred outside of Bi-State Emulsion, a chemical processing plant. A driver was using a forklift to transport a 300-gallon container of the acid when the palette gave way and overturned, releasing about 150 gallons.

9-1-1 was immediately called. Emergency crews arrived on scene. The St. Louis County HazMat team was on standby but not used.

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SAANICH CREWS CLEAN UP CHEMICAL SPILL ON CAMOSUN COLLEGE
https://www.vicnews.com/news/saanich-crews-clean-up-chemical-spill-on-camosun-college/
Tags: Canada, education, release, injury, sulfuric_acid

A chemical spill forced the evacuation of a provincial building on the Interurban campus of Camosun College Monday.

Saanich Fire Department Cpt. Greg Rangel said the evacuation happened just before noon Monday afternoon, when a technician working in the Forestry Building near the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence spilled eight litres of battery (sulfuric) acid on the floor of the building. Some 10 staff had to leave the building, he said.

While the incident did not cause any injuries, Rangel said the acid is highly corrosive to human skin. The building also contained Nitric acid. When combined with sulphuric acid, it can cause inhalation damage.

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ORANGE CLOUD OVER BILLINGHAM FOLLOWING 'LOUD BANG AT CHEMICAL SITE'
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/orange-cloud-over-billingham-following-14627647
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

Families living in Billingham have been reassured after concern was caused by a loud bang followed by a bright orange cloud appearing in the sky.

Dozens of pictures and videos were posted on social media following the incident which happened just before 8pm on Monday.

A man at a chemical site told Mirror online they were dealing with an incident . Cleveland Police said it was simply ‰??a flare‰?? being set off at the former ICI site and there was nothing to worry about.

The cloud was seen to rise from Billingham manufacturing plant with people nearby claiming there had been an explosion.

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MINN. LAWMAKERS WARN OF TOXIC CHEMICAL STORED IN ST. PAUL PARK REFINERY
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/05/07/refinery-hazard-st-paul-park-legislators-warn
Tags: us_MN, industrial, follow-up, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid

Two Minnesota lawmakers want a Twin Cities oil refinery to stop using the toxic chemical, hydrogen fluoride.

In a letter to state regulators, state Rep. Frank Hornstein and state Sen. Scott Dibble, who are both DFLers from Minneapolis, say the April 26 explosion and fire at the Husky Energy refinery in Superior, Wisconsin raises safety concerns about the Andeavor refinery in St. Paul Park.

No hydrogen fluoride leaked in Superior, but if it did, an acidic cloud could have injured people downwind.

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