From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (12 articles)
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2018 07:47:03 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 862FADE7-D6DC-4554-81B1-A93699539DB6**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, November 30, 2018 at 7:46:45 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 (12 articles)

FIRE IN BIOHAZARD BUILDING AT MONASH UNIVERSITY
Tags: Australia, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC MERCURY FOUND IN HOME OF SUSPECTED POISON VICTIMS: FDNY
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, response, illegal, mercury

CHEMICAL REACTION BRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAMARONECK HIGH
Tags: us_NY, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

11 TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER POSSIBLE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AT INTEL'S RONLER ACRES CAMPUS
Tags: us_OR, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical

WHAT WAS THE THREAT FROM GAS LEAK THAT JAMMED TRAFFIC OVER THE DELAWARE RIVER?
Tags: us_PA, public, discovery, environmental, ethylene_oxide

FIRE RIPS THROUGH COLCHESTER TRUCKING COMPANY
Tags: us_VT, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

FIRE CREWS INVESTIGATE CHEMICAL LEAK AT SCOTTSDALE MAYO CLINIC
Tags: us_AZ, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical

ONE SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT UMES
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, release, injury, ammonium_hydroxide

ACID SPILL IN CRISTOL CHEMISTRY SENDS ONE WOMAN TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical

TEXAS CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION: OSHA FINDS MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, other_chemical

BLAST OUTSIDE CHEMICAL PLANT IN CHINA: AT LEAST 23 KILLED
Tags: China, transportation, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

CHINA CHEMICAL BLAST: BLAST OUTSIDE ZHANGJIAKOU PLANT KILLS 22
Tags: China, transportation, explosion, death, unknown_chemical


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FIRE IN BIOHAZARD BUILDING AT MONASH UNIVERSITY
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/fire-in-biohazard-building-at-monash-university/news-story/1dc2c1e9a3da1f9b1ce09490f7056e06
Tags: Australia, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

A fire threatened to destroy biological material at Monash University‰??s Clayton campus last night.

Specialist fire crews were called to the biohazard blaze about 7.30pm.

The fire threatened to reach hazardous materials but was quickly doused by the sprinkler system.

It was contained to one building.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade trucks arrived within three minutes.

There were 20 firefighters at the scene and the incident was declared under control within 40 minutes.

Crews had hazmat equipment and breathing apparatuses but they were not needed as the fire was put out by the sprinklers.

An MFB spokesman said the large volume of water from the sprinklers flooded three floors of the building and posed a risk to a substation below the building.

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HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC MERCURY FOUND IN HOME OF SUSPECTED POISON VICTIMS: FDNY
https://nypost.com/2018/11/29/high-levels-of-toxic-mercury-found-in-home-of-suspected-poison-victims-fdny/
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, response, illegal, mercury

The Queens air-conditioning-company owner accused of trying to poison a family with mercury loaded so much of the toxic metal into their AC unit that levels in the air soared to more than 60 times the regulated standards, an FDNY lieutenant testified Wednesday.

Lt. John Cassidy of the FDNY‰??s HAZMAT unit testified in Queens Criminal Court Wednesday that when he tested the air inside the Jamaica Estates home in 2015, he found mercury levels to be over 60 micrograms-per-meter-cubed in every room in the house.

The Centers for Disease Control has advised that anything over one microgram-per-meter cubed is unsafe.

After finding ‰??multiple small beads‰?? of mercury inside the unit‰??s intake vent, Cassidy advised the family to stay away from the house until the Department of Health gave them clearance to return.

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CHEMICAL REACTION BRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAMARONECK HIGH
https://patch.com/new-york/larchmont/chemical-reaction-brings-fire-department-mamaroneck-high
Tags: us_NY, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

MAMARONECK, NY ‰?? A chemical reaction in a science lab caused a stir Wednesday afternoon at Mamaroneck High School. According to a spokeswoman for the school district, after the school day had ended, the chemical reaction had happened which caused the evacuation of the building.

The fire department responded and contained the material.

That resolved the issue, and the fire chief said it was safe to hold a scheduled concert and for school to open on time Thursday.

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11 TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER POSSIBLE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AT INTEL'S RONLER ACRES CAMPUS
https://kval.com/news/local/11-hospitalized-after-possible-chemical-exposure-at-intels-ronler-acres-campus
Tags: us_OR, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical

HILLSBORO, Ore. ‰?? 11 people were taken to the hospital with breathing difficulties Thursday after a possible toxic exposure at an Intel plant in Hillsboro.
Hillsboro Fire later said there was no HazMat release at Intel.
The incident was reported at about 4:15 p.m. at the Ronler Acres campus off of Evergreen Parkway.
According to Hillsboro Fire, 11 people were taken to the hospital for evaluations after they reported breathing difficulties.
At this point, Hillsboro Fire said they are not sure of what chemical is involved or where it came from.

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WHAT WAS THE THREAT FROM GAS LEAK THAT JAMMED TRAFFIC OVER THE DELAWARE RIVER?
http://www2.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/croda-ethylene-oxide-explosion-danger-20181129.html
Tags: us_PA, public, discovery, environmental, ethylene_oxide

In the wake of Sunday's precautionary seven-hour closing of the Delaware Memorial Bridge and resulting traffic jams due to an ethylene oxide leak at Croda's neighboring chemical plant ‰?? which Croda in a preliminary investigation blamed on a bad pipe gasket ‰?? James Markos, a risk and reliability engineer and former chemical-plant power supervisor, sends this link to a U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazardous Investigation Board (CSB) video.
It shows how ethylene oxide can endanger lives and property when it catches fire.
The video and text explain an ethylene oxide explosion at a Sterigenics medical equipment sterilization plant in Ontario, Calif., back in 2004. A two-ton door was blown 75 feet, the lab was wrecked (its steel walls badly bent), and the nearby control room cut apart by blown-out windows and falling computers. Four workers were injured.
There have been "numerous explosions" of ethylene oxide in industrial situations, due to incomplete monitoring and lack of training, sometimes magnified by lack of proper equipment, CSB says.

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

FIRE RIPS THROUGH COLCHESTER TRUCKING COMPANY
https://www.wcax.com/content/news/501433731.html
Tags: us_VT, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) A massive fire ripped through a trucking company in Colchester Wednesday, sending black smoke billowing into the air. Hundreds of commuters on Interstate 89 could see it on their way to work.


The fire broke out at J and B Truck Center on Hercules Drive behind Costco at about 9:30 a.m. Everyone working in and around the building made it out safely.

Dozens of firefighters responded from departments across Chittenden County. And the northbound lanes of nearby I-89 were shut down for about two hours as crews worked to douse the fire.

The cause is still under investigation but workers told WCAX News they heard what they thought was a leak in a fuel truck they were repairing. They all quickly left the building and the fire ignited shortly after.

"As soon as we heard the leak, immediately we got out," said Mark Patch, who works at J and B Truck Center. "Everybody was just yelling, 'Everybody get out of the building!'"

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FIRE CREWS INVESTIGATE CHEMICAL LEAK AT SCOTTSDALE MAYO CLINIC
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale-breaking/2018/11/28/fire-crews-investigate-chemical-leak-scottsdale-mayo-clinic/2145899002/
Tags: us_AZ, laboratory, release, response, unknown_chemical

Fire crews responded to a reported chemical spill at the Mayo Clinic research building in northeast Scottsdale on Wednesday night.

Crews were called to the clinic after a lab tech reported an odor coming from a packing container that holds broken vials inside the building, at 13200 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale fire officials said.

Six employees were evacuated from the lab. One was evaluated but refused transportation to a hospital, officials said.

The Scottsdale Fire Department's hazardous-materials team conducted testing of the air inside the lab but found no evidence of contaminants, officials said.

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ONE SENT TO HOSPITAL AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT UMES
http://www.wboc.com/story/39547562/1-sent-to-hospital-after-chemical-spill-at-umes
Tags: us_MD, laboratory, release, injury, ammonium_hydroxide

PRINCESS ANNE, Md.- A chemical spill inside a classroom laboratory on the campus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore sent one person to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

UMES said the spill prompted the evacuation of Trigg Hall shortly after noon. Multiple fire and emergency agencies responded to the scene. An all clear-was given at 2:20 p.m., with a return to normal activities.

Authorities said the spill involved ammonium hydroxide with five people showing signs of needing medical attention. All refused but one person, who was taken to the hospital. There is no word yet on that person's condition.

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ACID SPILL IN CRISTOL CHEMISTRY SENDS ONE WOMAN TO HOSPITAL
https://cuindependent.com/2018/11/27/acid-spill-in-cristol-chemistry-sends-one-student-to-hospital/
Tags: us_CO, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical

One woman is in the hospital after a chemistry accident on campus Tuesday afternoon.

A chemical spill in Room 218 of Cristol Chemistry and Biochemistry prompted students to evacuate the building at roughly 4:40 p.m. One woman was in the lab at the time of the incident and was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. It is unknown whether she is a student.

Boulder Fire Department received the call at roughly 4:30pm, after CUPD received the call.

Roughly three ambulances, two police cars and two fire trucks were present following the incident. Units from Boulder Fire Department stations seven and three were dispatched following the call.

According to Boulder Fire Department Battalion Chief Carol Brown, this is normal protocol for a hazardous materials incident. Two to three hazardous material incidents occur per year, Brown said.

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TEXAS CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION: OSHA FINDS MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article222307375.html
Tags: us_TX, industrial, follow-up, death, other_chemical

CRESSON
A number of safety violations were documented by Occupational Safety and Health Administrative officials after a fire and explosion at a Cresson chemical plant that killed one worker and severely injured another.

The family of Dylan Mitchell, who died, and Jason William Speegle, who was injured in the blast March 15, have filed a lawsuit blaming sodium chlorite, a potentially dangerous chemical for the destruction of the plant and the loss of life.

The lawsuit claims that the companies involved in the sale, employee training and the labeling instructions concerning the handling of sodium chlorite were negligent in their duty to inform workers about the risks of working around the chemical. Both Mitchell and Speegle were badly burned during the fire and explosion at Tri-Chem Specialty Chemicals LLC, and Mitchell‰??s injuries were fatal.

OSHA officials who inspected Tri-Chem, one of four companies named in the lawsuit, levied fines that totaled more than $16,200 after the plant explosion in Cresson. Cresson is about 24 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

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BLAST OUTSIDE CHEMICAL PLANT IN CHINA: AT LEAST 23 KILLED
http://www.uniindia.com/blast-outside-chemical-plant-in-china-at-least-23-killed/world/news/1419932.html
Tags: China, transportation, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

Beijing Nov 28 (UNI) At least 23 people were killed on Wednesday as a result of an explosion outside a chemical plant in the northern Chinese city of Zhangjiakou, the city‰??s authorities said.
The blast that occurred just after midnight caused a heavy fire, when a truck transporting hazardous chemicals exploded, while entering the Haipo'er New Energy Technology company, near Hebei Shenghua Chemical Industry, a major chemical enterprise.
"Twenty-three people became the victims in the incident, while 22 were injured, and 38 trucks and 12 cars burned down. Three people are stated to be critical, and the lives of the rest are not in danger," a representative of the city government said.

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CHINA CHEMICAL BLAST: BLAST OUTSIDE ZHANGJIAKOU PLANT KILLS 22
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46369041
Tags: China, transportation, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

At least 22 people have died and 22 more were injured in a blast outside a chemical factory in northern China.
A vehicle carrying chemicals exploded while waiting to enter Hebei Shenghua Chemical Co plant in Zhangjiakou, north of Beijing, initial reports suggest.
Photos from the scene showed dozens of burned out cars and trucks lining the street outside the plant.

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