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Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (12 articles)
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2021 06:32:06 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, March 15, 2021 at 6:31:54 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)

EISENHOWER TUNNEL CLOSING HOURLY DUE TO ADVERSE CONDITIONS ON TYPICAL HAZMAT ROUTE
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, environmental

SIX KILLED IN EXPLOSION AT FACTORY IN TUNISIA
Tags: Tunisia, industrial, explosion, death, asphalt

FACTORY BLAZE IN OBOUR LEAVES 20 VICTIMS, AND INJURES 24 IN ITS WAKE
Tags: Egypt, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

FIRE AT MATCHES FACTORY IN TAMIL NADU'S SIVAKASI KILLS 3
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, unknown_chemical

FORMER CSB APPOINTEE KRISTEN M. KULINOWSKI MAKES THE CASE FOR THE SWIFT APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL REMOVED FROM LOCAL WATERWAY IN SALINAS
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, petroleum

GHAZIABAD FACTORY FIRE: DECEASED OWNER BOOKED, UNIT HAD NO FIRE NOC
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

LARGE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT TATA CHEMICALS PLANT
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

BREAST CANCER: THE RISKS OF BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS: BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS MAY LEAD TO EARLY MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT -- SCIENCEDAILY
Tags: Canada, laboratory, discovery, environmental, toxics

FIREFIGHTERS CALLED TO PLANT WHERE EARLIER GAS LEAK KILLED 6
Tags: us_GA, industrial, release, response, ammonia

COMMERCIAL TANKER CARRYING FLAMMABLE LIQUID OVERTURNS IN CAPE GIRARDEAU
Tags: us_MO, transportation, release, response, flammables

EXPLOSION IN CHEMICAL UNIT: TWO DEAD, FOUR INJURED
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, nitric_acid, pharmaceutical, waste


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EISENHOWER TUNNEL CLOSING HOURLY DUE TO ADVERSE CONDITIONS ON TYPICAL HAZMAT ROUTE
https://www.outtherecolorado.com/news/eisenhower-tunnel-closing-hourly-due-to-adverse-conditions-on-typical-hazmat-route/article_696efe70-846f-11eb-afff-efe68508235e.html
Tags: us_CO, transportation, discovery, environmental

A closure on Loveland Pass due to adverse conditions has resulted in hourly shutdowns of the Eisenhower Tunnel to allow for the transportation of hazardous materials.

This is a common event when Loveland Pass is closed, as the Loveland Pass route is typically the route used for vehicles transporting such goods and materials. During the hourly closure time, passenger vehicles are stopped and vehicles carrying hazardous materials are allowed to use the tunnel for their route.

Plan accordingly. This closure has been causing delays.

Check the Colorado Department of Transportation website for the most up-to-date information regarding this weather-related closure.

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SIX KILLED IN EXPLOSION AT FACTORY IN TUNISIA
https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2021/03/13/six-killed-in-explosion-at-factory-in-tunisia/
Tags: Tunisia, industrial, explosion, death, asphalt

THE explosion of an asphalt tanker in an industrial area of Gabes, in southeastern Tunisia, this afternoon (Saturday, March 13) has claimed the lives six people and injured one, according to the country‰??s civil protection.

Four people died at the scene of the asphalt factory, and another two casualties died after being transported to a hospital in Gabes.

The regional director of Gabes‰?? civil protection, Atef Hawij, told Arabi21 that ‰??charred bodies were found, while two people died in the hospital.‰??

He said the fire has been controlled, ‰??putting an end to the danger‰?? and that a search operation to find other possible victims are still underway.

The cause of the explosion, in an industrial area of ‰??‰??factories specialising in chemical and gas production, is as yet unknown.

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FACTORY BLAZE IN OBOUR LEAVES 20 VICTIMS, AND INJURES 24 IN ITS WAKE
https://scoopempire.com/twenty-dead-after-factory-fire-in-obour-city/
Tags: Egypt, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

Last Thursday, tragedy struck in Obour city‰??s industrial zone, after a factory fire claimed the lives of 20 workers and injured 24 others. The victims included 14 men, and six women.

Upon initial investigation of the incident‰??s scene, authorities revealed that the fire started as a result of a chemical gas explosion in a neighbouring store, and then spread, consuming a clothing store.

Promptly, firefighters arrived at the scene in 15 firetrucks from all over Cairo, Qaliubiya, and Sharqiya, and over the course of three hours, they were able to contain the fire before it spread further.

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FIRE AT MATCHES FACTORY IN TAMIL NADU'S SIVAKASI KILLS 3
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/fire-at-matches-factory-in-tamil-nadus-sivakasi-kills-3
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, unknown_chemical

Sivakasi: The fire that broke out at a factory near Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district on Saturday has so far claimed three lives.

While one worker was killed on Saturday, two others succumbed to burn injuries this morning. PTI reported that it was a colour matches-manufacturing unit and the cause of fire is said to be friction of chemicals.

The fire had partly damaged the chemical-dipping room in which the workers were making the colour matches for children, they said.

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FORMER CSB APPOINTEE KRISTEN M. KULINOWSKI MAKES THE CASE FOR THE SWIFT APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
https://cen.acs.org/safety/Former-CSB-appointee-Kristen-M-Kulinowski/99/i9
Tags: public, discovery, environmental

In 2019 alarm bells were ringing across the US over the fate of a small federal agency charged with keeping communities safe. In a little over a year, the terms of the three remaining members of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) would end, leaving the agency without leadership unless new members were nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. By February 2020, I was the only one left, the president‰??s sole nominee was in confirmation limbo, and the agency‰??s survival was in doubt.
Finally, Katherine Lemos was confirmed as chair and board member. I left the agency shortly thereafter. While it‰??s good that there‰??s not a vacuum at the top of the board, the status quo of a single member is unsustainable.
The CSB is a nonregulatory agency that investigates chemical industry incidents. The goal of a CSB investigation is to elucidate all the facts, conditions, and circumstances of an incident and recommend changes needed to prevent a similar incident in the future. The CSB was designed to be a multimember governing body of experts appointed for their technical qualifications and demonstrated knowledge in diverse fields. In accordance with congressional mandate and the agency‰??s governance documents, board members approve investigation reports and recommendations, exercise fiscal oversight, and engage in public advocacy. While having the chair exercise all these authorities is defensible in a single-member board, it is a stopgap measure. Benefits of a multiĺ-member board include the following:

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HAZARDOUS MATERIAL REMOVED FROM LOCAL WATERWAY IN SALINAS
https://kion546.com/news/salinas/2021/03/12/hazardous-material-removed-from-local-waterway-in-salinas/
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, petroleum

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Salinas fire crews responded to reports of a 33 gallon drum containing hazardous material on Elvee Drive in the city.

Crews say they located the drum and found it to be a petroleum-based contaminate that was in a local waterway.

Salinas fire says Hazmat crews were called to the scene and removed the materials safely.

Seaside Fire also assisted in removing the material.

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GHAZIABAD FACTORY FIRE: DECEASED OWNER BOOKED, UNIT HAD NO FIRE NOC
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/ghaziabad-factory-fire-deceased-owner-booked-unit-had-no-fire-noc-101615572939342.html
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

Ghaziabad: The 40-year-old owner of the factory, gutted in Ghaziabad‰??s Sahibabad area late Thursday, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Delhi on Friday. The Ghaziabad police, meanwhile, said they have booked the owner based on a complaint by the family members of two of the 14 injured in the fire.
The 14 injured persons, which included a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, had sustained severe burn injuries and were rushed to private hospitals in Ghaziabad, from where they were referred to hospitals in Delhi, the police said.
‰??The owner was identified as Kunal Behl, a resident of Indirapuram. He had sustained severe burn injuries. He succumbed at a hospital in Delhi Friday morning. Family members of two injured persons have submitted a police complaint, on the basis of which we registered an FIR naming Behl. It is alleged that Behl deliberately added extra chemicals in the machine which led to an explosion and caused a blaze,‰?? said Gyanendra Kumar Singh, superintendent of police (city 2), Ghaziabad.

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LARGE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT TATA CHEMICALS PLANT
https://www.powderbulksolids.com/chemical/large-fire-breaks-out-tata-chemicals-plant
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

Firefighters from multiple area fire departments were sent to the TATA Chemicals Europe plant in Northwich, UK Thursday morning after a massive fire ignited in the facility that forced workers to evacuate, according to reports by local news organizations.

‰??Two fire engines from Northwich were initially dispatched to the scene and on arrival they found a fire involving electrical equipment within an industrial building,‰?? Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service said in a release.

Firefighters were sent to the scene at about 7:20 a.m. and worked for several hours to douse the 10m by 40m fire, the emergency response agency stated. Flames reached as tall as 30m, burning through the structure‰??s timber-framed roof.

In total, eight fire engines and an arial appliance responded to the incident. After workers evacuated the facility and the electricity was isolated, firefighters extinguished the flames.

TATA Chemicals said in CheshireLive report that the company intends to look into the cause of the blaze.

‰??We would like to reassure local residents that the fire is in a location that presents no cause for their concern and that a full investigation into the cause of the fire will be conducted as soon as practical,‰?? the firm told the news website.

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BREAST CANCER: THE RISKS OF BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS: BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS MAY LEAD TO EARLY MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT -- SCIENCEDAILY
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210312084702.htm
Tags: Canada, laboratory, discovery, environmental, toxics

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are found in furniture, electronics, and kitchenware to slow the spread of flames in the event of a fire. However, it has been shown that these molecules may lead to early mammary gland development, which is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The study on the subject by Professor Isabelle Plante from the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) made the cover of the February issue of the journal Toxicological Sciences.

Part of the flame retardants are considered to be endocrine disruptors, i.e. they interfere with the hormonal system. Since they are not directly bound to the material in which they are added, the molecules escape easily. They are then found in house dust, air and food.

This exposure can cause problems for mammary glands because their development is highly regulated by hormones. "BFRs pose a significant risk, particularly during sensitive periods, from intrauterine life to puberty and during pregnancy," says Professor Plante, co-director of the Intersectoral Centre for Endocrine Disruptor Analysis and environmental toxicologist. Endocrine disruptors, such as BFRs, can mimic hormones and cause cells to respond inappropriately.

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FIREFIGHTERS CALLED TO PLANT WHERE EARLIER GAS LEAK KILLED 6
https://www.startribune.com/firefighters-called-to-plant-where-earlier-gas-leak-killed-6/600033616/
Tags: us_GA, industrial, release, response, ammonia

ATLANTA ‰?? A refrigeration company and firefighters were called to a northeast Georgia chicken processing plant where a liquid nitrogen leak killed six workers in January.

The continuing concern at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville came as the Hall County Sheriff's Office announced autopsy results for the dead workers Friday. All were found to have died from "asphyxia due to, or as a consequence of liquid nitrogen exposure."

Hall County firefighters said they were called to the plant about 4 p.m. Thursday concerning an ammonia leak that may have happened around 9:30 a.m.

"Hall County Fire Services has responded to the location, evaluated the scene, and found no hazards, including ammonia, to be present," Division Chief Zach Brackett wrote in an email.

It's unclear if there was an ammonia release earlier. The company released a statement but didn't respond to specific questions.

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COMMERCIAL TANKER CARRYING FLAMMABLE LIQUID OVERTURNS IN CAPE GIRARDEAU
https://www.kfvs12.com/2021/03/12/commercial-tanker-carrying-flammable-liquid-overturns-cape-girardeau/
Tags: us_MO, transportation, release, response, flammables

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - A commercial tanker carrying flammable liquid overturned on South Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau on March 11.
According to the Cape Girardeau Police Department, no one was injured, and no other cars were damaged.

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EXPLOSION IN CHEMICAL UNIT: TWO DEAD, FOUR INJURED
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/120321/explosion-in-chemical-unit-two-dead-four-injured.html
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, death, nitric_acid, pharmaceutical, waste

KAKINADA: Two supervisors -- Kakarla Subrahmanyam (31) of Patavala Village in Tallarevu Mandal and Thotakura Venkata Ramana (37) of Mallavaram village of Tallarevu Mandal of East Godavari district -- died and four employees were wounded in an explosion in a pharmaceutical unit.

The incident occurred at Autonagar in Sarpavaram of Kakinada Rural Mandal on Thursday Afternoon.


The four injured -- operators Kudipudi Srinivas, Nammi Simhadri Rao and Regalla Rajkumar and Incharge deputy manager Kalaga Satya Saibaba -- were rushed to a private hospital.

According to sources, raw material for calcium and other medicines, made out of waste from prawn, are processed in the unit with nitrofurantoin, nitric acid etc.

SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi said that when the process of mixing of nitric acid with other chemicals was on, there was a rise in temperature. A supervisor was trying to adjust the valve. Suddenly, a blast occurred. ‰??Two supervisors died and four employees were injured,‰?? he said.

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