WHAT’S HAPPENING? May 2018

Congratulations

on completing

upgrade to full

Membership

Richard

Greenwood

Welcome to

our new

Member

Ben Tornatore

Nalco Water ANZ

AIDGC Conference and HAZMAT 2018

The HAZMAT 2018 Conference and

Trade Show will once again become a

standalone event specifically targeting

the hazardous materials, dangerous

goods, major hazard facility and

emergency management industries.

The standalone event is planned for 20

& 21 September (to be confirmed) in Sydney, NSW, with a full

conference program and trade show running across two days.

Event organisers Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA

Australia) will partner with the Australasian Institute of Dangerous

Goods Consultants (AIDGC) on HAZMAT 2018, which will combine

with the AIDGC Annual Conference.

AIDGC Members: are you up-to-date with

your Professional Development?

Laboratory Safety at Academic Institutions Bringing a wealth of experience from his time as US Chemical

Safety Board Chair, Emeritus Professor Rafael Moure-Eraso will

explore what chemical engineers and chemists can do to improve

laboratory safety.

When? May 21 2018 6pm

Where? Flexible Teaching Space, School of Chemical &

Biomolecular Engineering University of Sydney Darlington NSW

IChemE&EA Members: $15, Non-members:$20, Students:$10

HERE

TV NEWS

Blame or Learn

Accident Investigations as Opportunities for

Prevention of Major Chemical Industrial Losses

Trevor Kletz (English authority on Safety Engineering) and Andrew

Hopkins (Australian Accident Investigation expert) developed a very

practical perspective on major chemical accident investigations in

the petrochemical industry. Their focus is on deflecting inquiries

away from individual blaming (“human error”) and concentrating on

the systemic root causes that could be the basis of effective

prevention policies. This presentation reviews Kletz’s and Hopkins’

basic concepts of modern accident investigation based on the

experiences of major chemical accidents investigated by the USA

Chemical Safety Board CSB). When? May 22 2018 2-5pm

Where? Engineers Australia Auditorium

G/F,8 Thomas Street, Chatswood NSW 2067

IChemE&EA Members:$15, Non-members:$20, Students:$10

HERE

Engineers Australia Implementation of EEI - Anammox process for wastewater

treatment

This presentation discusses the retrofitting of the anaerobic

ammonia oxidation process (anammox) by Environmental Engineers

International Pty Ltd (EEI) to an existing abattoir wastewater

treatment plant (WWTP) in Western Australia.

Where: Engineers Auditorium, Perth W.A. When: June 20

EA & SEng Member Rate: $0.00 ($0.00 excl. GST)

Society Member Rate: $30.00 ($27.27 excl. GST)

Student Member Rate: $0.00 ($0.00 excl. GST)

Non-Member Rate: $30.00 ($27.27 excl. GST)

Texas Tank Fire Hazmat crews were sent to a La Porte, Houston, chemical plant,

after a tank containing dicyclopentadiene caught on fire.

There were no reports of injuries or missing persons.

According to the company, Metton America, the tank that caught

fire contained dicyclopentadiene.

The liquid is used in paints, varnishes, insecticides and in some

plastics as a flame retardant, according to the National Center for

Biotechnology Information. The vapours are irritating to the eyes

and respiratory system. Source: KHOU

Explosion at Manildra Flour Mill Investigations are continuing into the explosion which injured a

worker and caused extensive damage to the Manildra flour mill.

All staff were ordered to evacuate and accounted for, but according

to Canobolas Zone Rural Fire Service duty officer Lachlan Allan one

person had been struck by debris.

The individual was treated for minor injuries by ambulance crews at

the scene.

Truck driver Glen Johnston was driving near the mill when the

incident occurred, and recorded the aftermath of the incident on his

phone before posting the footage to his Facebook page.

In the video he explained how the incident “blew the top out of the

building and the sides”.

An 800-metre exclusion zone around the mill was put in place by

police, but has since been dropped.

Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Police, the Rural Fire Service and

ambulance responded, but as of Saturday night only Fire and Rescue

NSW were monitoring the site for any possible internal fires.

VIDEO and Source

More Chemicals added to Database to

ensure Worker Safety More than 750 chemicals have been added to the Hazardous

Chemical Information System to update classification information

available for manufacturers, importers, suppliers and end users.

The update includes the addition of 755 chemicals and amendments

to more than 600 currently listed chemicals.

The Hazardous Chemical Information System provides information

on chemicals that have been classified in accordance with Globally

Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals

You can find details on the new and amended chemicals by using

the advanced search feature to show chemicals revised this week.

The update incorporates classification information published under

the Inventory Multi-tiered Assessment and Prioritisation program

run by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and

Assessment Scheme.

More...

Image: Independent

Chemical Plant on fire in Los Angeles There was a large chemical fueled fire near Duson , LA that has

I-10 WB shut down. The complex makes additives for oil field use.

The most recent data KATC TV3 has from the state indicates the

company has 167 chemicals on site. That data is from 2013.

VIDEO

According to its website, Flow-Chem Technologies is owned by

Dorf Ketal Chemicals India Private Limited, a Mumbai-based

chemical company.

Flowchem is described as “a specialty oilfield chemical provider that

operates across Gulf of Mexico and US onshore market with

blending facilities located at Rayne, Louisiana and Pleasanton,

Texas in US and multiple warehouses.”

According to the company website, Flow-Chem “offers a complete

range of production chemicals, maintains a fully equipped technical

service and research laboratory, has a fleet of specially designed

delivery and service trucks, and provides a staff of professionals

with incomparable experience.”

The products offered on the site include: demulsifiers; paraffin

inhibitors; paraffin dispersants; defoamers; water clarifiers; scale

inhibitors; corrosion inhibitors; biocides; surfactant; acids; oxygen

scavengers; hydrogen sulfide scavengers; carbon dioxide

scavengers; foamers; salt inhibitors; hydrate inhibitors and flow-

enhancement products.

Pakistan Methane Gas triggers Underground Blast At least 23 miners have been killed in accidents triggered by a

gas explosion at a coal mine in western Pakistan, officials said.

A cave-in at a mine in Marwaarh, east of the city of Quetta in

Balochistan, killed 16 miners. Seven more were killed in a landslide

at another mine nearby.

Rescue teams are trying to find others still trapped in the rubble.

Balochistan is rich in minerals but its mines have a poor safety

record.

At least 15 more miners were injured in the two incidents.

Officials said the blast was caused by a build-up of methane gas. Source: BBC News

Image: InfoGlitz

Nigeria: 10 Dead, 20 in ‘critical condition’ A Petrol tanker loaded with premium motor spirit (PMS) and was

heading to Yola, in Adamawa State, crashed into a trailer in Zing

town on a market day and burst into flames, leading to the death of

many while several houses and shops were burnt.

The tanker which was traveling at high speed lost control when its

automated break system (ABS) failed and ran into a moving trailer

and immediately burst into flames.

The accident happened in the middle of the town on market day. Source: sunnewsonline.com

Latest Tank Talk Newsletter – May 2018 IN THIS ISSUE

Steel and Fuel Compatibility

UST Average Age in US

2017 Product Award Winners

Aging Tank Population

Fuel in the News

Chemical leak at Prague Plant One person died following a leak of phenol from a tanker in Děčín in

north Bohemia, which occurred at a local chemical plant producing

detergents and various raw materials.

Altogether 16 people required medical treatment, after inhaling the

fumes or suffering chemical burns. An investigation has been

launched into the release of the dangerous chemical substance.

Prague Radio

A "truck has gone past and gone bush” A Road Train has rolled, spilling chemicals on a Central Queensland

road. The truck had three trailers and was believed to be carrying

ammonium nitrate. It is understood the driver of the truck was out

of the vehicle. A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services media

spokeswoman said one of their urban appliances were sent to the

scene. The spokeswoman said the prime mover and first trailer

were upright, the second trailer was over just "off its wheels” and

the third trailer was fully rolled. A small hole was punctured in the

tank causing 'a small leakage of emulsion'. Source: themorningbulletin.com.au

Aerial overview of Askinuk

Corporation tank farm with the

townsite to the southeast and

the Kun River to the north.

CREDIT GOOGLE EARTH /

ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL

CONSERVATION

NaOH spills on Colorado Highway An estimated 250 gallons of Sodium Hydroxide hit the pavement in

Boulder, closing Boulder Canyon for several hours.

Nederland Fire Protection District, Sugarloaf Fire Protection District,

Longmont Hazardous Material and City of Boulder Hazardous

Material, the Colorado State Patrol, Boulder County Emergency

Services, the Boulder County Public Health Department, as well as

the Colorado Department of Transportation responded to the call.

Sodium hydroxide, liquid lye, is used in Nederland’s Water

Treatment plant, and was being transported by a private contractor.

The canyon was kept closed while clean-up crews worked along the

creek shore. An undetermined amount of the caustic material

drained into the creek and crews had to pressure wash the road,

vacuum the liquid and scrape up all the dirt between the highway

and creek. One CDOT worker was treated after a small amount of

the liquid splashed his skin.

The caustic spill was ultimately cleaned by a private contractor. Source: themtonear

NaOH, at room temperature is a white crystalline odourless solid

that absorbs moisture from the air. If dissolved in water it generates

sufficient heat to ignite combustible materials. It is extremity

corrosive to the eyes and skin and the respiratory tract. It is used in

the creation of soap, detergent and drinking water, used to control

ph levels.

Alaska Tank Farm releases Gasoline Seven thousand gallons of gasoline were released into a

secondary containment vessel at a gasoline tank farm in

Scammon Bay -- some of which may have escaped and migrated

into the Kun River over a two week period in April, according to

the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

The cause of the release from the main tank into the secondary

containment remains under investigation. ADEC says mixed water

and gasoline were likely pumped over the side of the

secondary containment by the tank farm operator, and an

unknown amount of fuel may still be under snow and ice inside

the containment vessel and in the area between the tank farm and

an unnamed creek. That creek and the wetlands adjacent to the

tank provide habitat to migratory birds and fish, and the Kun River

is classified as Essential Fish Habitat for all five species of

Pacific salmon according to ADEC.

Image: Hindustan Times

Chemical spill at Perth Maternity Hospital Newborns and mothers were evacuated from a Perth maternity

hospital after chlorine was accidentally spilt into the air

conditioning during routine cleaning.

Firefighters were called to King Edward Maternity Hospital and shut

down the hospital's air conditioning system after the spill.

The site was eventually declared safe and mums and their babies

have moved back to wards. Source: news.com.au

Blast at Punjab Chemical Plant One person was killed and another seriously injured following a blast

in a water condenser tank at the Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals

Limited (PACL) plant.

The blast took place when Rajinder and Ajay were preparing to start

welding work on the water condenser tank and were cutting the

nuts of the tank. After the blast, a fire broke out at the site. Fire

tenders of the BBMB, National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and the

municipal council, Nangal, controlled the fire.

According to eyewitnesses, the blast was so powerful that the head

of the deceased fell 150 ft away from the site of the incident. The

blast led to a panic at the plant.

PACL deputy general manager MPS Walia said all precautionary

measures were taken before starting the welding work on the tank

and said that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident to

ascertain the reason behind it. He said all safety norms were being

strictly followed in the plant .

Notably, the state-owned PACL plant produces hydrochloric acid,

chlorine gas and caustic soda. Source: Hindustan Time

VIDEO

Ohio Fire and Explosion Firefighters were called to ABF Trucking Company. Crews found

heavy smoke and fire coming from the rear of the building, where

propane is stored. A propane truck also caught fire. One person

was treated at the scene and later taken to MetroHealth Medical

Center. The name and condition was not released.

The report of explosions were from over pressurization of smaller

propane tanks used to power tow motors and forklifts, according to

the Parma Fire Department.

PHOTOS and Source

Drains Safe after Glyoxal spill in NY The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Said that waterways and storm drains are safe following a chemical

spill in the city of Syracuse.

Approximately 2,500 gallons of glyoxal, a multiuse paper and fabric

binder, was released when a pump malfunctioned, the DEC said.

“An undetermined amount escaped and reached the adjacent area

near 6th North Street and Hiawatha Boulevard,” they said.

Emergency crews say the spill did not reach any storm drains,

sewers or waterways.

Health hazards associated with the chemical are caused by close

contact and ingestion, the DEC says.

Clean-up has since been completed and the roads were re-opened to

traffic.

The DEC says they will continue to monitor the incident for public

health impacts. Source: WSYR-TV

Victorian Chicken Farmer fined Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined

Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm $7,929 after contaminated groundwater

was discovered at their Lockwood property.

“EPA became aware of the contamination of onsite groundwater

while assessing information provided in an Environmental Auditors

report, which had been given to the EPA by Hazeldene’s in December

2017 as part of their EPA licence conditions,” said EPA North West

Region Manager Dr. Scott Pigdon.

“The onsite contamination consisted of elevated Nitrogen and

Phosphorus levels in the ground water,” said Dr. Pigdon.

There is no evidence of any groundwater impacts beyond the

premise boundary.”

Propane Tanks catch fire, explode

At South Dakota Welding Supply Company Parts of Western Sioux Falls were shaken when a fire broke out at

the A-OX Welding Supply Company.

The main part of the fire is thought to have started from a

semi-truck that had a full tank of diesel fuel and that was loaded

with smaller propane tanks ready to be delivered, although the

exact cause was still being determined. Emergency crews

evacuated a half-mile radius around the area as the multiple

explosions from the propane tanks continued.

Toxic Cloud includes Hydrochloric Acid Kilauea volcano began erupting more than four weeks ago and has

burned dozens of homes, forced thousands of people to flee and

shot up ash clouds from its summit that led officials to distribute

face masks.

The clouds contain hydrochloric acid, which is about as corrosive as

diluted battery acid. It can irritate the skin and eyes and cause

breathing problems.

Babb says protective masks that officials have been distributing to

protect people from volcanic ash will filter particles from lava haze

but not the hydrochloric acid.

Authorities have also detected high levels of sulphur gas that could

threaten the elderly and people with breathing problems.

The latest hazard from the eruptions is that molten rock has started

pouring into the sea. It's been generating plumes of lava haze or

"laze" as it interacts with seawater.

Lava haze is made of dense white clouds of steam, toxic gas and

tiny shards of volcanic glass.

Crews remove Pentane Gas from Puna Geothermal Plant

Puna Geothermal, owned by Nevada's Ormat Technologies, was

shut down shortly after Kilauea began spewing lava. The plant

harnesses heat and steam from the earth's core to spin turbines to

generate power. A flammable gas called pentane is used as part of

the process, though officials earlier this month removed 50,000

gallons (190,000 litres) of the gas from the plant to reduce the

chance of explosions.

Authorities were racing to close off production wells at a

geothermal plant threatened by a lava flow from Kilauea volcano on

Hawaii's Big Island. Workers were capping the 11th and last well at

the plant to prevent toxic gases from wafting out after lava entered,

then stalled, on the property near one of the new volcanic vents.

VIDEO VIDEO

ALERTS and Updates

Image: Four Corners

High Pressure Pump leak at Viva Refinery Emergency services attended the Viva Refinery in Corio, dealing

with an out of control oil leak.

According to a CFA spokesperson, there appeared to be an issue

with a SIL pump - which transfers crude oil and liquefied petroleum

at high pressure.

Seven CFA appliances attended the scene. Source: Bay93.9

Australian Panel says PFAS Ill-health

Links Limited or Non-existent A report from Australia's Expert Health Panel for PFAS has

concluded that evidence linking exposure to polyfluorinated

substances (PFASs) with human disease is limited or non-existent,

and that there is "no current evidence that suggests an increase in

overall cancer risk".

The panel, established in October last year to advise the

government, reviewed 20 Australian and international reports and

reviews examining potential health effects of exposure to PFASs, as

well as carrying out a public consultation.

The conclusions concur with advice from the country's health

department that "there is no current evidence that supports a

substantial impact on an individual’s health from PFAS exposure."

PFASs are bio-accumulative substances that were present in fire-

repellent foams widely used in Australian military airbases across

the country from the early 1970s. The decision to phase them out

was made about ten years ago.

They have been linked with long-term health problems.

The expert panel consistently found a number of health effects in

reports, reviews and research. But they concluded that, even for

those with the highest exposure levels, health effects were still

"within normal ranges" for the whole population.

More available on CW+AsiaHub. Or ABC NEWS

NSW - PFAS Precautionary Advice still in Place

The precautionary advice currently in place in communities across

NSW impacted by PFAS will remain in place following the release

of the Federal Government’s report into health effects from PFAS.

Japanese Tanker fire, Genoa Fire erupted on board of reportedly, Japanese chemical tanker

GRANDE RIVIERE, when the ship was under way, or already

anchored, in front of Porto Petroli, Genoa, Italy.

Onlookers who saw black fumes billowing over tanker called the

emergency services, firefighters were sent, but by the time they

board tanker fire was already extinguished by the crew.

No other details are available, tanker was taken to port next day,

and berthed. Source: Maritime Bulletin

U.S. EPA Begins Hazardous Waste Clean-up The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will begin a hazardous

waste clean-up at Ensign Products Co., a former rustproofing and

oil blending facility located at 3528 E. 76th St. in Cleveland.

In 2016, a fire at the facility melted numerous totes and ruptured

drums. The facility was abandoned after the fire, leaving behind

many hazardous wastes including 450 drums both inside and

outside the building.

U.S. EPA anticipates the clean-up will take about 40 days. Clean-up

will include the removal of all drums from the site and the

contaminated soil from the spilled material.

For more information

Chinese Children cause explosion after

playing with Firecrackers near Well Children playing with firecrackers near a well caused an explosion

in a residential area.

The CCTV video, captured in Linyi City in eastern Shandong

Province shows several children playing with the fireworks around

a well.

However, the well suddenly explodes, pushing down a child and an

adult standing nearby.

According to local reports, the septic tank under the well exploded

as the sparks dropped from the firecrackers and ignited the

inflammable gas.

EU Nations back ban on Insecticides European Union countries backed a proposal on Friday to ban all

outdoor use of neonicotinoid insecticides, which studies have

shown can harm bees.

The ban, championed by environmental activists, covers the use of

three active substances — imidacloprid, developed by Bayer

CropScience, clothianidin, developed by Takeda Chemical

Industries and Bayer CropScience, as well as Syngenta's

thiamethoxam.

The use of neonicotinoids in the EU has been restricted to certain

crops since 2013, but environmental groups have called for a total

ban, which sparked a debate across the continent about the wider

use of chemicals in farming.

Activists from Avaaz, an online activist network, and protesters

gathered outside European institutions in Brussels, describing the

decision of EU governments as a "beacon of hope" for bees. They

celebrated the decision singing and dancing at a square near the

European Council and the European Commission buildings. Source: EURONEWS

VIDEO

Risks of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning With the cold season fast approaching experts have warned

Australians to be vigilant about the risks of carbon monoxide by

checking any appliances that are burning gas or fuel.

Doctor Barbara Robertson told ABC News the symptoms associated

with CO poisoning are much like that of the flu and can go

unnoticed. 'It happens very quietly, and very insidiously. It can

result in very nasty outcomes,' she said. It is a difficult gas to

detect but symptoms include dizziness, headaches, fatigue and

nausea.

There’s no or very little knowledge about carbon monoxide alarms

that you can purchase and place inside your home to give you early

warning of carbon monoxide levels.

Professor Anthony Brown from the School of Rural Health at the

University of Sydney told ABC News many cases go undetected.

'The tragic thing that happens in these sorts of confined space

accidents is somebody's in an area, they lose consciousness, they

collapse, and somebody finds them and, quite understandably

thinks, 'Oh crikey, I've got to get this person out,' he said.

In a stunning statistic, Professor Brown said in 60% of CO poisoning

incidents the victim and the first responder both die. Source: ABC News

Inquest into 2015 Slurry Pit deaths in UK Two men died after entering a farm's slurry tank to remove a

blockage, an inquest has heard.

Alexander Forman, 32, and Richard Pooley, 36, were working on

Newlands Farm, East Yorkshire, in December 2015.

A pathologist told Hull Coroner's Court that the men drowned in the

pig manure, but would have been unconscious due to the toxic

fumes from the waste.

Dr. Richard Shepherd said the pair would have been overcome

almost immediately as they climbed down a ladder. Source: BBC News

Slurry Pit Safety

Slurry is a mixture of manure and water and is used by farmers as a

fertiliser for their crops.

Gases including methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen

sulphide are produced by bacteria during the decomposition of

slurry.

Some of the gases are poisonous as well as being flammable.

Slurry gas is heavier than air and during mixing will settle in a cloud

over the top of the slurry. Bending down into the gas cloud for even

a moment can cause unconsciousness.

After only a few breaths, the affected party could collapse and die

as the gas rapidly displaces air from the lungs and affects the

nervous system. Source: Health and Safety Executive

Includes:

Better Investigations – the BP Approach; The Petrotechnics

2017 Survey: Process Safety and Risk Management.

May 2018 Journal

N.T.C. - Automated Vehicles in Australia Automated vehicles offer the possibility of fundamentally changing

transport and society by improving road safety, mobility, freight

productivity and by reducing road congestion.

To unlock these benefits, Australian governments recognise that we

need a nationally consistent regulatory framework that embraces

innovation and ensures automated vehicles are safe.

In November 2016, Australian transport ministers agreed to a

phased reform program so that conditionally automated vehicles

can operate safely and legally on our roads before 2020, and highly

and fully automated vehicles from 2020.

The NTC is charged with delivering this roadmap of reform. A

phased approach will ensure that the reform agenda remains

sufficiently flexible to address evolving technologies and market

developments.

Take a look at the work the NTC is doing in conjunction with

government, industry and the community to answer important

questions about automated vehicles, and to develop an end-to-end

regulatory framework that will facilitate the safe, commercial

deployment of these technologies onto Australian roads.

MORE INFORMATION

NTC's completed work to date

Roadmap of reform – Current projects

Other Australian government work

Trials and demonstrations

Useful links

Video: Would you travel in an automated vehicle?

Finally we have footage of how a sprinkler

system behaves. If you’re like me, you’ve sat

in these restaurants and watched all the fires

rage and wondered... “how many times have

these clowns set off the sprinkler?"

Watch this!

Static Grounding Protection for Road Tankers The loading and unloading of road tankers with large volumes of

flammable liquids and powders generates enormous amounts of

electrostatic charge.

This presents one of the most serious fire and explosion risks for

site operations within the hazardous process industries. Installing

the correct static earthing system will ensure the safe transfer of

hazardous products.

REGISTER to receive free White Paper from

Corn Dust to blame for Fatal Didion Milling explosion

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board held a

news conference on Monday, April 30 to release new information on

the investigation of the Didion Million explosion.

The explosion happened at the plant in May 2017, killing five

workers and injuring 14 others.

According to the OSHA, the explosion likely occurred from Didion's

failure to correct the leakage and accumulation of highly

combustible grain dust throughout the facility.

The company received 19 citations and was placed in OSHA's

Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is

investigating how to prevent these types of explosions and there

goal is to find ways to avoid them in the future. The Didion Milling

explosion is the 8th major dust explosion the CSB has investigated.

CSB said at the news conference that the explosion happened in the

"dry corn" portion of the mill.

Workers at Didion Milling told investigators the mill was operating

normally the night of the explosion although they could smell smoke

before it happened.

CSB investigators say a piece of machinery (pictured below) had a

failure and when corn dust flew in the air, flames started shooting

from an "air intake line" followed by one or more explosions.

During the press conference, CSB explained that the filter on the

machine pictured below blew off, causing a cloud of corn dust. In

this case, the cloud was confined and "combustion gases" caused

an explosion.

News Video and Source

An explosion and fire, triggered by fine plastic dust, ripped through the West Pharmaceutical

Services plant in North Carolina in 2003, killing six workers and injuring dozens.

Combustible Dust explosions still a Problem The U.S. Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board has begun

an informational program directed to industries that potentially

have conditions that could lead to a combustible dust explosion.

Such conditions could occur in chemical and pharmaceutical

manufacturing facilities.

The board announced the effort on April 30 in Wisconsin near the

scene of a dust accident that killed five workers and injured 14 at a

corn processing facility last year. The explosion destroyed most of

the plant and killed or injured all 19 workers who were at the plant

when the accident occurred.

The likely source of combustible dust at the Didion Milling facility in

Cambria was corn dust produced during milling, according

to information CSB released in Wisconsin.

Combustible dust comes from many sources, CSB Chairperson

Vanesa Sutherland notes, citing chemical and pharmaceutical

manufacturing, metal and plastics fabrication, food production, and

more.

Dust from organic or inorganic materials can burn given an ignition

source, she says. Dust can cause an explosion when it is dispersed

in oxygen or air, confined to a limited space, and ignited.

CSB found that between 1980 and 2005, 281 dust-related accidents

killed 120 and injured another 718 workers. Since 2006, CSB has

identified an additional 111 dust-related incidents.

Of those incidents, CSB investigated five that collectively killed 27

and injured another 61 workers.

In a 2006 study, CSB recommended dust-control regulations as well

as industry guidance to elevate recognition of dust’s potential to

cause devastating fires and explosions.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration considered

issuing regulations but withdrew dust from its regulatory agenda in

2017, citing a lack of resources.

CSB’s informational program will be directed by Sutherland, who is

working to address the issue in her outreach efforts with

stakeholders, CSB says.

Toxic Aussie Coral contaminates Home Workers in Hazmat suits and gas masks decontaminated a house in

Gatineau, Quebec, after a family of seven became seriously ill

following their exposure to toxic coral from their aquarium.

The dramatic scene on the quiet residential street looked like a

scene out of an episode of the TV series Breaking Bad, with a large

white trailer parked in their driveway and workers dressed head-to-

toe in protective gear, carefully dumping toxic substances into

large steel drums.

Last weekend, Jason Laframboise, 31, was transferring live

Australian zoanthid coral specimens he bought from a hobbyist into

a massive 1,100-litre saltwater aquarium when he started to feel ill.

He went to the hospital suffering from chest pain, breathing

difficulties and the shakes. Six other family members were also

quarantined in hospital.

This type of zoanthid can contain a harmful substance

called palytoxin, which was apparently released into the air when

Laframboise handled it, causing the family to become sick.

One Toronto coral grower has told CBC News that zoanthids are

“one of the most toxic things in the aquarium industry.”

Pierre Corriveau, chemist and operations manager at MD-UN, and

his crew removed hundreds of kilograms of corals from the home so

that they could be safely transported to a facility for safe disposal.

A private company, MD-UN is commonly called in for emergency

clean-ups of hazardous goods from tanker collisions and

derailments. The company helped clean up the Lac Mégantic

disaster in 2013.

But this is the first time, Corriveau said, that he’d been called in to

deal with a family’s home aquarium.

Georgia Man killed by Unknown Chemical Several police officers were hospitalized after responding to reports

of a deceased person inside a Memorial Drive hotel.

Some of the motel rooms have been evacuated, and hazmat units

are testing the items in the room to determine how the officers got

sick. Source: 11Alive

US EPA may act on Methylene Chloride Ban During two Capitol Hill appearances, US EPA Administrator Scott

Pruitt said the agency may yet act to regulate methylene chloride

paint strippers this year, and defended the neutrality of his

proposal that the EPA use only "fully transparent" science.

Chemical Watch

All those Shipping and handling Lithium Batteries

have a New Duty

A new requirement relating to the transport of lithium cells and

batteries has the potential to create confusion in the dangerous

goods community over the coming two years.

The requirement, which involves the lithium cell and battery test

summary, appears in the sixth revised edition of the Manual of

Tests and Criteria as a new paragraph 38.3.5, following major

reconfiguration of the testing procedures contained in section 38.3.

SOURCE

Forklift and LPG Storage Tank

Norway - Gas Leak ‘not reported’ Shell has been castigated by Norway’s safety watchdog for failing

to report a minor gas leak on its Draugen platform, as well as

regulatory violations.

INVESTIGATION REPORT

HSE tells UK Oil & Gas Operators to reduce Leaks Chris Flint, the Director of the Energy Division within the Health and

Safety Executive (HSE), has sent a letter to UK offshore oil and gas

operators urging them to raise their game when it comes to

preventing accidental oil and gas leaks. The letter was sent to

operators ahead of the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Piper

Alpha disaster.

"Despite recent strides being made in reducing the number of

hydrocarbon releases (HCRs), they continue to occur, and the HSE

is concerned that the industry needs to do more to tackle them," he

said.

He called for the operators to look critically at their own operations,

and to reflect on the learning from incidents across the process

industries, both onshore and offshore, to identify where

improvements can be made.

"Experience from our investigations is that HCRs typically happen

because there have been failings across the board. Poor plant

condition and breaches of procedures are often immediate causes,

but beneath that, we often find a lack of leadership, a poor safety

culture, and evidence that weaknesses have existed for some time,

but haven’t been picked up through audit, assurance and review and

then dealt with."

Flint said that despite the reduced number of hydrocarbon releases,

they remain a concern, "particularly major HCRs because of their

greater potential to lead to fires, explosions and multiple losses of

life. There have been several such releases in recent years that

have come perilously close to disaster."

HSE has asked operators to carry out a review of the process safety

leadership and assurance, audit and review elements of their safety

management systems against a recognised process safety

management standard.

"If you get the safety culture right, staff will be much more likely to

spot hazards, challenge when standards aren’t right, and be

engaged in improvement," Flint said. "And if you have an effective

system of monitoring and audit in place, leadership will know which

systems need fixing, and can target their efforts to prevent the

incidents occurring in the first place."

The letter requires operators to respond to HSE by 20 July 2018

with a summary of their improvement activities and plans arising

from their self-assessment. The HSE has also committed to feeding

back significant findings from the exercise to the industry later in

the year.

Oil & Gas Senior Managers have Safety Fears

A quarter of senior managers in the oil and gas sector believe

safety management is not effective, according to a study. The

report - from the risk management specialists DNV GL - questioned

more than

800 senior managers and technical specialists around the world

and found that while 38% felt safety management was

effective, 26% of the respondents disagreed.

The 'State of Safety' research also showed that 46% of senior

professionals in the sector who took part believed there had been

underinvestment in inspection and maintenance of infrastructure

and equipment in recent years. Just a quarter (28%) said that they

expect to increase spending on safety in 2018. 61% will maintain

current budgets and 5% plan to cut investment.

This comes a week after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

said there were too many oil and gas leaks, and called for

companies to take action. The regulator said some had come

"perilously close to disaster" and that more needed to be done to

tackle them.

DNV GL's oil and gas chief executive officer Liv Hovem said: "The

industry's strong focus on cost control must continue in the long

term for oil and gas to remain competitive and play an increasingly

important role in the energy transition.

"However, our research confirms the sector's clear belief that cost

control must never come at the expense of safety."

Deirdre Michie, chief executive of industry body Oil and Gas UK,

said: "The offshore oil and gas industry is always looking for

improvements in safety management, and Oil and Gas UK fully

supports that ongoing effort. There is no room for complacency in

major hazard industries."

DNV GL report

Sentences handed down for Fatal

Kaohsiung explosions in Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court has handed down jail terms ranging from

four years to four years and 10 months to 12 defendants, including

ex-LCY Chemical Corp. chairman Bowei Lee, for negligent homicide

caused by the explosions in Kaohsiung nearly four years ago which

killed more than 30.

FocusTaiwan said the court found the defendants guilty of

negligence relating to the leak of propene from pipelines that

caused the blasts.

The series of underground explosions, which left 32 dead and 321

injured, occurred in downtown Cianjhen and Lingya districts of the

city on July 31, 2014. Seven firefighters died in the incident.

Following an investigation, an underground pipe belonging to LCY

was found to be corroded and the cause of the gas leak. As a result,

Lee and five other LCY employees received four-year jail terms for

their roles in the incident, which prosecutors attributed to their

failure to conduct proper maintenance work on a regular basis, the

ruling said.

In addition, three technicians from China General Terminal &

Distribution Corp (CGTD) -- a logistics partner of LCY -- received

four years and six months for failing to properly monitor the flow of

propene and turn off supply when they received indications

something was wrong with the pipelines earlier that night.

Their failure to monitor the process properly also contributed to the

explosions, it said.

Kaohsiung City government Secretary-General Chao Chien-chiao,

who served as an engineer in the city's Sewage System Office

when the blasts took place, and two other municipal engineers

were sentenced to four years and 10 months for negligence after

signing off on an inspection of the culvert containing three

pipelines without notifying the relevant companies to inspect them.

The extent to which the defendants sought to settle with the

victims was a key point for the judges in determining the sentences

handed down, as each one sought to blame others and denied any

personal responsibility, Chief Judge Yeh Wen-po said.

LCY has paid out a total of NT$384 million and CGTD more than

NT$500 million, the court heard, but the judge said that he had not

received any report from Kaohsiung City government indicating it

has reached an agreement with victims to compensate them for

damage to property.

VIDEO

Toxicology & Chemical Risk Assessment

has re-organised their toxicology and chemical risk

assessment articles. You may find it helpful to bookmark the link

below to improve your knowledge of toxicology and chemical risk

assessment.

Read more...

Dakota Truck Driver burnt by Ammonia A truck driver was injured while unloading hydrous ammonia from a

semi at a yeast plant in Wahpeton.

The Richland County Sheriff's Office says 43-year-old Ryan Moody

was sprayed in the facial area, resulting in a chemical burn. Moody

was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Breckenridge

and then airlifted to Sanford in Fargo.

Source

Hotwork – Sure there are no

Flammable/Combustibles around?

Chinese Chemical Firms forced to stop Production Environmental protection authorities have ordered several Chinese

chemical producers listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange to

suspend operations at their plants in Jiangsu province. Caught in

what appears to be an escalation in China’s effort to curb pollution,

the companies say they had to temporarily close their plants in

industrial parks where authorities ordered all chemical makers to

suspend operations.

The companies affected include Lianhe Chemical Technology, a

producer of industrial chemicals; a subsidiary of Nanjing Chemical

Fiber that makes cellulose fibre; and Jiangsu Yabang Dyestuff. In

statements to the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the companies report

that authorities ordered all chemical plants in the Huafeng

Industrial Park, the Xiangshui Eco-Chemical Industrial Park, and the

Lianyungang Chemical Industrial Park to halt production. Nanjing

Chemical Fiber notes that its Huafeng facility complies with

regulations and had recently upgraded equipment intended to

improve environmental compliance. The industrial parks where the

closures were ordered were recently mentioned in the Chinese

media for their poor environmental performance. Source: c&en

Incident at Tennessee School A hazmat situation was confirmed at Merrol Magnet High School in

Hendersonville, Tennessee.

An official said at least 17 people were triaged at the scene, and

multiple patients, including a teacher and high school students,

were taken to area hospitals. Some of those were being treated in

Hendersonville, while others were taken to Vanderbilt University

Medical Centre.

The situation was described as an incident in a science class. The

school was evacuated, and the students were relocated following

the incident.

The injuries were described as possible chemical burns; however,

exact details on the injuries had not yet been released. Source: WKBW

CCPS Process Safety Beacon

(Aging Equipment) May 2018

The Maggu chemical plant at

Dera Bassi that was gutted in a

fire. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI

KUMAR

Firefighters battle flames at a

chemical factory near Behra

village in Dera Bassi. NITIN

MITTAL

India: One Dead in Chemical Plant Fire One worker was killed and two hospitalized, in the series of blasts

and the fire that ripped through a chemical plant at Behra village.

The loss has been estimated to be around Rs 4-5 crore, said

sources.

Rakesh Kumar (50), who had suffered over 70 per cent burn injuries,

was taken to a private hospital in Dera Bassi from where he was

referred to the PGI. His condition deteriorated on the way to the PGI

and was taken to the GMCH, Sector 32, where he was declared

brought dead.

Rakesh Kumar, a resident of College Colony, Dera Bassi, was

working as a production manager at the Maggu chemical plant.

Sources said seven people were working in the chemical plant and

standard operating protocol lapses might be the cause of the

explosion.

Dera Bassi fire personnel were on their toes even on the second

day as the containers containing solvents kept smouldering. Two

fire engines were stationed on the spot to sprinkle water at regular

intervals to check recurrence of the blaze, said a fire official.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Initial reports

suggest that high pressure and temperature reportedly led to an

uncontrolled and unstable solvent reaction, causing an explosion in

a chemical reactor. There were a series of blasts in chemical

containers, leading to high flames. The entire plant was gutted.

Sources said the solvent containers exploded one after the other,

making it difficult for the firefighters to venture closer to the plant.

Source: The Tribune

Fire Pit explosion A 16-year-old boy is in a critical condition with burns to his

face, arms and torso

Accident was an explosion from a backyard fire pit at a home

near Port Stephens.

Five people, including four aged in their 40s, were injured and

taken to hospital

Investigators believe a flammable liquid, Methylated Spirits,

was poured onto the fire pit on the patio.

USCG to hold Public Hearing on

deadly Tank Barge explosion and fire

Warning Signs - Safety Moment Video

Description of Process:

A short film identifying the warning signs that were present before

Major Accidents occurred.

Description of Incident:

Global Major Accidents from 1974 to 2013 are used to demonstrate

that warning signs were present before the accidents occurred.

Good Practice Guidance:

Ask yourself:

Would we have recognised the warning signs?

Are the systems that prevent Major Accidents on our installation

effective?

How do we play our part in preventing Major Accidents occurring?

Causes and consequences of incident or accident:

Release of a harmful substance

Fire or explosion

Uncontrolled release of a flammable gas or liquid

Contributing factor:

Change management

Communication

Complacency

Control of work

Competence

Culture

Commitment

Two Dead at Californian Motel A hazardous material situation at the Motel 6 in North Fresno has

left two people dead.

Fresno Police Chief Dyer says that employees of the hotel entered

the room and immediately noticed the overwhelming fumes of a

chemical, later identified to be sulphuric acid. They backed away

from the room and called 911.

When the Fresno Fire Department arrived, they entered the room

wearing protective gear and found two people dead in the

bathroom, with respirators. Not much more is known at this time

because the fire department determined that it was too dangerous

to remain in the room. They left the doors open and are now

allowing the room to air out. Source: Fresno Bee

Image: WSAZ

Image: The Hill

US Aluminium Phosphide Carrier in accident Deputies say the truck was hauling aluminium phosphide in West

Virginia. According to online reports and county officials, it is a

toxic chemical that will react with water or moisture to release

highly toxic and flammable gas.

The driver, Terry Martin, 60 of Charleston, lost control and landed

in a ditch, with the semi ending up on its side. Martin was not

injured in the accident.

Responders were initially unsure if any had been released from

containment. Source: WSAZ

OSHA fails to protect workers from

chemical exposure OSHA is failing when it comes to protecting workers exposed to

dangerous chemicals. Of the thousands of chemicals in the

workplace, OSHA has set only about 30 exposure limits, in addition

to the 470 it adopted from industry that date to the 1960s or earlier.

Many of these limits are dangerously unprotective.

There are several reasons for OSHA’s lack of up-to-date, protective

standards. It requires dozens of staff and millions of dollars to do

the studies required to justify a new standard.

It gets worse. OSHA cannot set an exposure limit for a new

chemical until it has proven it poses a significant risk. In effect,

chemicals are presumed “safe” until proven otherwise. Many health

experts refer to this as OSHA’s “body in the morgue” requirement.

The result: in the last 20 or so years, OSHA has issued new

regulations for only three chemicals.

OSHA has reasonably protective standards for a few toxic

substances, such as asbestos, benzene, and formaldehyde, but

enforcement is challenging. Federal OSHA only has enough

inspectors to inspect every workplace once — every 159 years!

W.A. Overview of Dangerous Goods

reportable Situations and Incidents 2017 This report describes dangerous goods and explosives incidents

that occurred in 2017 and compares the incident data with

comparable data collected since 1984, and provides some

statistical analysis of incident data for that period.

The Mafia was wrong

You can’t quickly

dissolve a body in

sulphuric acid

Science for the

Curious

Mexican Cartel dissolving Victims in Sulphuric Acid

A drug cartel’s assassins who killed three film students apparently

mistaken for members of a rival gang and dissolved their bodies in

acid did the same thing to nine other people, authorities said.

Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete said investigators had

detected DNA from 12 separate people in residual fats found at a

location where one of the killers confessed to having dissolved

bodies in sulphuric acid.

Navarrete did not say whether any of the DNA profiles matched

those of Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Daniel Diaz, 20, and Marco

Avalos, 20, three film students who were abducted March 19 on the

outskirts of the western city of Guadalajara. He did say that three

of four suspects in the students’ abduction and killing had been

arrested.

The three students were unwittingly working on a film project for

school at a house that was apparently being watched by members

of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. The house had once

been used by a rival drug gang, and the Jalisco cartel apparently

suspected the students were part of that gang. One suspect said

the cartel killed the students after interrogating them and then

dissolved their bodies.

The DNA findings lent more credence to the tale told by a young

rapper who said he had been employed by the cartel to dissolve

bodies. That suspect, Christian Omar Palma Gutierrez, is a 24-year-

old rapper who built a YouTube channel with more than a

half-million views based on songs describing an anguished, violent

life of drugs and crime. Palma Gutierrez confessed to working for

the Jalisco New Generation cartel, Mexico’s fastest-growing and

most violent gang, as what the gang calls a “cook.”

By his account, for 3,000 pesos a week, he dumped bodies

head-first into acid baths set up in water tanks in the yard of a

cartel safe house. He would come back after two days – after the

acid had done its work – and open drain valves to release the fluid

into the storm drain, and remove remaining sludge to dump it in

fields.

However, some sludge remained in the bottom of the tanks, and

that is apparently where investigators found the DNA.

VIDEO

Australian Government Enquiry into

Workplace Health and Safety (WHS):

Consultation

The inquiry will examine the framework surrounding the prevention,

investigation and prosecution of industrial deaths in Australia.

Status: Accepting Submissions, closing on 06 June 2018, Reporting

Date: 20 September 2018.

More…

US CSB to investigate Husky Refinery Fire Accident Description Husky Energy Refinery Explosion and Fire

Location: Superior, WI

Accident Occurred On: 04/26/2018

Accident Type: Oil and Refining - Fire and Explosion

Investigation Status: The CSB's investigation is currently ongoing.

The refinery was shutting down in preparation for a five-week

turnaround when an explosion occurred, sending several people to

area hospitals with injuries.

Vanessa Sutherland, Chairwoman of USCSB to leave.

Wisconsin HAZMAT responses to be upgraded Superior officials say they’d like the state to upgrade their hazmat

team designation in order to access funding and resources to

respond to hazardous materials in the wake of explosions and fires

at the Husky Energy oil refinery in late April.

In the last decade, Wisconsin conducted a review of the state’s

hazardous materials response, which created a tiered system of

teams with various levels of capabilities. Previously, the state had

eight regional response teams. Now, Wisconsin has 21 hazmat

teams that fall under either a Type I, II or III designation for

response. Despite the change, Superior officials say they often have

to be self-sufficient in terms of resources. Source: Wisconsin Public Radio

View the latest edition of The

Catalyst – April 2018

Image: SHUTTERSTOCK

2 Dutch Men found unconscious in a Manure Pit

The Groninger Internet Courant reports that the men, who were

found at a farm on the Aalsumerweg, were transported to the

hospital in critical condition. It is not clear how long they were in

the manure pit.

Dagblad van het Noorden writes that one the men likely fell into

the pit and the other one attempted to save him.

Multiple ambulances, a medical transport helicopter and fire trucks

reported to the scene on Saturday morning.

Manure pit accidents are relatively common: they produce

ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, which displace

oxygen and make it very difficult to breathe. There are often

multiple victims in manure pit accidents as each person making a

rescue attempt often falls unconscious. Around 30 people have

died in manure pits since 1980.

Ban on Methylene Chloride in Paint Strippers? Agency commits to action on CH2Cl2 in consumer and

commercial products

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to finalize an

Obama-era proposal to ban the use of methylene chloride in

consumer and commercial paint strippers. The move, announced

on May 10, follows a visit with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt by

families of men whose deaths were linked to methylene chloride in

paint-removing products purchased at home improvement stores. Source: c&en

South Korea proposes Universal Chemical Tracking System

South Korea's Ministry of Environment (MOE) has proposed a

mandatory system of tracking chemicals from their import and

manufacture to end use.

It would introduce a unique government-allocated "checking

number" for all manufactured or imported chemical substances.

These could then be tracked, regardless of how they are

subsequently used or if some information is inaccurate or changes,

for example, product name.

Companies must currently check whether substances are toxic and

report on them if the case. This would be replaced with a

mandatory reporting system for all substances.

Overseas manufacturers would submit details through appointed

representatives Source: Chemical Watch

Vaping leads to Florida Man’s Death Firefighters in Florida responded to a house fire that is believed to

have started from a vape pen. One body was recovered with burns

to his face that are believed to have been from the pen exploding.

It is unclear why the pen exploded however lithium batteries like

the ones used in the pens generate heat, which could have led to

this first case of death from a vape. Source: Miami Herald

A Vape Pen works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly

called a "vapour", that the user inhales. Using e-cigarettes is sometimes

called vaping. The liquid in the e-cigarette, called e-liquid, is usually made

of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, and flavourings.

WORKSAFE BC Safety Bulletin: Hydrocarbon

Storage Tank explosions & Static Electricity

EPA Inspections help Petrol Stations to keep it clean

An Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) state

wide inspection team has built up a list of tips and traps, to

help service station owners protect their business and the

environment from the effects of fuel leaks.

EPA Executive Director - Practice & Assurance, Chris Webb, said

underground petroleum storage systems (UPSS) constitute a

common source of land and groundwater contamination, and a good

maintenance and monitoring program is vital.

“EPA has been working with WorkSafe, visiting service stations to

see the best and worst of UPSS management and explaining the

importance of managing their sites to prevent leaks and encourage

safety,” Mr Webb said.

“The most common trap for the operator is a leaking underground

fuel tank. Another common one is where the service station has an

open pit drain on the forecourt, with nothing to stop fuel and oil

contaminated runoff going straight to stormwater drains and into

the nearest creek or river,” he said.

As a support to service station operators, EPA’s inspection team

offers a brief list of measures, some sophisticated and others quite

simple, that the operator can use to detect or prevent potential

leaks and contamination from their UPSS:

Statistical inventory reconciliation (SIRA): – computer software that

analyses inventory, delivery and dispensing data over a period of

time, to determine if the system is leaking.

Automatic tank gauging (ATG): a system that electronically

monitors fuel levels and other data in underground tanks.

Equipment integrity testing (EIT): a testing system using vacuum or

pressure to detect flaws and leaks in UPSS equipment.

Groundwater monitoring wells: a convenient way to measure

groundwater levels and test its chemical properties for signs of

leaks.

“While EPA’s inspections have occasionally resulted in fines, they

are primarily focused on encouraging service station operators to

voluntarily manage their UPSS for the benefit of the environment

and the community,” Mr Webb said.

“In a handful of cases, operators have been issued with Pollution

Abatement Notices, legally enforceable instructions from EPA, to

take measures to prevent contaminated runoff going to stormwater

drains and implement leak detection measures,” he said.

The inspections complement the routine inspections conducted by

WorkSafe Victoria and the emergency services.

The inspections are part of EPA’s UPSS at Operational Service

Stations project, created to increase awareness in the service

station sector of the importance of complying with environmental

and OH&S obligations.

The inspections are also an opportunity for EPA to ask operators for

feedback on the Underground Petroleum Storage System (UPSS)

Flipchart that was sent to 1400 service stations in recent weeks as

a practical tool to support compliance.

The Flipchart is a handy guide with practical information to help

service station operators to prevent and manage leaks, spills and

other hazards, often with simple things that fit easily into their daily

routine.

It includes: safety check lists, emergency contacts,

technical/maintenance information, procedures for dealing with

spills and leaks, and an easy-to-read guide to their legal

requirements.

“EPA is working in cooperation with the industry to benefit the

environment, the community and the service station owners and

operators,” Chris Webb said.

The Underground Petroleum Storage System (UPSS) Flipchart is

available for download at:

http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/~/media/Publications/1670.pdf

FATAL HOT WORK EXPLOSION

Image: Wangfeng

Explosion at Michigan Magnesium Company The automotive parts factory where an explosion injured two

workers on May 2 has a history of recent safety violations,

according to local media. State safety documents show the

violations included separate incidents in which employees suffered

burns at the Eaton Rapids plant, which is owned and operated by

Meridian Magnesium Products of America.

USA Today said all the safety citations at the plant over the last

decade occurred after the company was acquired in December

2013 by Chinese automotive firm Wanfeng Auto Holding Group.

Inspections conducted at the company in 2011 and 2012 resulted

in no citations, according to Michigan safety records.

The plant has been cited for seven safety violations — three of

them serious — since early 2014.

In recent years, the plant has been found in violation of Michigan

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standards

relating to worker safety around electrical equipment, die-casting

machines and industrial trucks. The company was fined for the

violations, which included:

* An employee suffered extensive burns on November 1, 2016,

because the company did not provide metal shielding to protect

employees from inadvertent metal splash during die casting,

according to Michigan OSHA records.

* An employee was burned by an arc flash explosion on September

28, 2015, and the company was cited for not requiring employees

to wear appropriate protective equipment and for not requiring

them to use insulated tools.

Last week's explosion closed the plant and stopped the flow of

parts to Ford, which, in turn, had to indefinitely suspend all

production of the F-150 pickup. This vehicle is responsible for

much of the Ford Group’s profits.

Ford warned the shutdown would have an adverse impact on the

company's near-term profitability. The incident also forced

Meridian's other corporate customers, General Motors, Fiat

Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, to adjust production schedules.

Eaton Rapids Fire Chief Roger McNutt said Meridian intends to

rebuild and reopen its entire complex in four months. The plant's

roof was destroyed when the north end of the main structure

caught fire.

VIDEO VIDEO

Cambodian Petrol Tanker explodes after crash A Lexus crashed into a petroleum truck in Koh Kong, causing an

explosion and killing all five passengers in the SUV and seriously

injuring the driver and passenger of the petroleum truck, police said.

Sun Nem, police chief in Sre Ambel district said “According to

the video clip that our police collected and measuring the accident

site, this traffic accident [was] caused [by] the Lexus driver,” he

said, adding that he tried to pass another car and hit the petroleum

truck travelling in the opposite direction, causing the explosion. Source: The Phnom Penh Post

Fire at disused U.S. Fertilizer Plant The Winneshiek County Sheriff received a 911 call from Farmers

Union Coop in Ossian, reporting a fire at the old fertilizer plant,

located across from the DeSales School and Childcare Center. The

old plant still contained fertilizer.

Due to the potential volatility of the fire scene, the students were

evacuated to the South Winneshiek Elementary School.

The fire was quickly controlled and contained, and there were no

other area evacuations. Firefighters from Ossian, Calmar, Castalia

and Decorah responded.

Source

Pipeline failure wipes out $8.2 million of

profit at New Zealand Refining New Zealand Refining, operator of the country's only oil refinery,

says its 2017 oil pipeline failure and leak knocked net profit by

$8.2 million last year.

At the company's annual meeting in Auckland this afternoon, chief

executive Sjoerd Post said the failure of the pipeline between the

plant at Marsden Point and Auckland in September had a net

impact on profit of $8.2m, according to a presentation published to

the NZX.

Money as a (morally) Hazardous Substance? Forged signatures, bad and deliberately misleading advice, false

statements, charging dead people, and bills for services that don't

exist. Why should anyone be shocked or disappointed by the

revelations from the royal commission into banking and ... Source: ABC Local

US Trucking Company Employee

killed in Van Explosion A 65-year-old employee of a Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

trucking company died Wednesday after a van explosion that also

caused shrapnel injuries to the driver. According to police, the van

was carrying acetylene torches, air compressors and other

equipment.

Enquiry into two Colorado Pipeline Deaths The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and

Health Administration (OSHA) has fined two Colorado companies

for a November, 2017 pipeline fire in Weld County that killed two

workers.

DCP Midstream LP and Complete Energy Services Inc. were fined

$79,004, according to a release from the Department of Labor.

“Two employees of Complete Energy and one employee of DCP

Midstream were clearing a blockage in a gas pipeline operated by

DCP Midstream when the fire occurred. OSHA investigators

determined that flammable vapours or gases from a vacuum truck

leaked, igniting the pipeline,” OSHA said in a release.

The agency said the companies failed to control potential ignition

sources in the work area, did not isolate hazardous energy sources

using lockout procedures and also failed to properly train

employees on detecting flammable hydrocarbons.

“The employer could have prevented this tragedy by taking

appropriate precautions to prevent contact between flammable

materials and potential ignition sources,” said OSHA Denver Area

Office Director Herb Gibson. Source: Fox31 News

‘Chemical Reaction’ in U.K. Three British Telecom workers were taken to hospital after

inhaling fumes from a hazardous substance.

Emergency services cordoned off the BT building, next to Poole

Police Station, Wimborne Road, after the alarm was raised.

Casualties were treated by paramedics at the scene, and three

workers - who complained of feeling unwell - were taken to

hospital.

According to BT, the incident was sparked by a small reaction

between two chemicals. Source: Daily Echo

Confined Space?

Crude Sulphate Turpentine released in Louisiana The New Orleans Fire Department responded to a hazardous

materials at the Napoleon Ave Wharf.

The first NOFD company arrived and was notified that while three

U.S. Coast Guard personnel were conducting a routine inspection,

a tank containing crude sulphate turpentine released a small

amount of the substance via the relief valve due to high

temperatures. The NOFD said this is a safety feature on tanks to

prevent over-pressurization.

The three Coast Guard members were exposed to the chemical and

went to a local area hospital, where they were treated and

released.

The NOFD evacuated and secured the area, and then were

dispatched to University Medical Centre for precautionary

decontamination procedures.

After determining that the hazards were mitigated, the port

returned to normal activity.

Eleven NOFD units carrying twenty-five Fire Operations personnel

worked to gain control of the incident. The New Orleans Police

Department, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, New

Orleans Office of Homeland Security, State Police, Louisiana

Department of Environmental Quality, Harbor Police as well as U.S.

Coast Guard are all assisted with mitigation. Source: Fox8

Many companies making and selling products are getting to grips

with new regulatory requirements relating to chemical safety

brought about by the European Union’s overarching chemicals law,

REACH. However, that Regulation is not the only legislation

impacting users of chemicals in the EU. The Biocidal Product

Regulation imposes obligations on companies using biocides, as

well as those making them.

The big challenge here is that many companies may not know

biocides are in the products they make. And at first, the law’s effect

on companies downstream of the biocidal product makers was

underestimated. However, several sectors, including the automotive

and aerospace, are beginning to realise that the BPR’s provisions

have significant consequences for business.

It is important that the entire supply chain is up to speed with the

legal framework in all its complexity, especially because the

authorities are planning their first enforcement project on biocidal-

treated articles this year.

This report aims to help companies using biocides products

understand the basics of the BPR, as well as their role and

compliance obligations. It borrows from the Automotive Industry

Guideline to the BPR, published by the European Automobile

Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in September 2016, which

provides a step guide to compliance.

Our Regulatory Impact Report includes an easy-to-read introduction,

definitions for the law's key terms, all-important questions for users

of biocides to ask themselves, and areas of best practice - where

companies are pre-empting regulation and going beyond compliance.

There are also useful references at the end.

REGISTER TO DOWNLOAD THIS REPORT FOR FREE

Safety Alert: Don’t cut Old Drums Flammable substances can still be present in old drums. Even if

they have been cleaned and rinsed, the introduction of an ignition

source can create a disastrous explosion. Cutting old drums isn't

worth the risk - watch this video safety alert for more details. Source: SafeWork NSW

Houston Jury awards $39.7 Million Verdict

to Man injured in Corrigan Plant explosion On April 26, 2014, a fire occurred in a dust collection system at

Georgia-Pacific wood processing plant in Corrigan.

“The fire and sparks eventually made their way into the clean side

of a baghouse, causing a massive explosion and deflagration,” the

press release stated. “Georgia-Pacific employees, including Ralph

Figgs, were working around the baghouse, and unknowingly, within

the deflagration zone when the explosion occurred. Mr. Figgs and

five other workers were severely burned when the fire from the

deflagration engulfed them.”

5 Dead from asphyxiation in Rajasthan Five people died allegedly due to asphyxiation while repairing a

pump inside a 20 ft deep tank in Rajasthan's Alwar district today,

police said.

All victims are suspected to have inhaled toxic fumes inside the

tank of a cardboard factory located in the Khuskhera police station

area of Alwar, they said.

The dead include the factory owner as well, officials said.

One of the men first entered the tank to repair the pump and raised

an alarm, following which four others, including the factory owner,

rushed to his rescue but they too met with the same fate, Assistant

Sub Inspector Kailash Chand Jat said. Source: Business Standard

Part of Canadian City told not to use Water Officials in Montreal have lifted a water advisory affecting several

downtown blocks after a hazardous substance was believed to

have entered the water system.

The city said that residents in the Ville-Marie district could drink

tap water again, except for several addresses where residents were

advised to avoid using water except for toilet flushing.

A Montreal ambulance official, Jean-Francois Coornaert, earlier

said firefighters had identified a leak of magnatrol, a biocide used

in air conditioning towers to eliminate bacteria, as the reason for

the initial order to not use tap water, even when boiled.

Four people had been taken to hospital suffering nausea and

diarrhoea. Two other residents were treated by paramedics but

were not taken to hospital. Source: Canadian Press

Image: Allyse Pulliam/Times

Herald-Record

Image: Seth Harrison, The

Journal News

Safety Violations at US Cosmetic Factory Verla International failed to properly dispense flammable liquids

and did not properly dispose of combustible waste material on the

day multiple explosions and fire ravaged its New Windsor

cosmetics factory, according to the Occupational Safety and

Health Administration.

Nearly six months after the incident, in which a Newburgh man was

killed and 125 were injured, the company is facing $281,220 in

proposed fines. Following an investigation in the wake of the fire,

OSHA cited Verla International for 11 violations last week. That

includes two repeat violations regarding the safe transfer and

storage of flammable liquids and waste material, the fines for which

totalled more than $200,000.

On Nov. 20, a pair of explosions and a fire tore through the New

Windsor facility. More than 100 firefighters helped extinguish the

flames started by the explosions, the first of which was reported at

10:19 a.m.

Orange County fire officials ruled the fire accidental, and

determined the massive fire began when static electricity ignited a

flammable liquid during the manufacturing process.

The list of violations included failing to ensure proper electrical

grounding and bonding to prevent flammable vapours from igniting,

failure to develop and implement an emergency response plan,

failure to provide employees with first responder awareness level

training, failure to record a workplace fatality in its OSHA 300

illness and injury log, and compressed air hazards.

William Huntington, 57, of Newburgh, was killed in the incident.

Verla had been cited 12 times in 2017 according to the Department

of Labor, with nine of those violations deemed “serious.”

Last week, OSHA fined Verla nearly $130,000 for a repeat violation

for dispensing flammable liquids "into containers without the nozzle

and the container(s) being electrically interconnected," for which it

was also cited in 2017 and 2013. OSHA also fined the company

more than $71,000 because "combustible waste material and

residues ... were not kept to a minimum, stored in covered metal

receptacles and disposed of daily," a violation which it also noted

in 2013. On Nov. 20, the company disposed of "paper towels used to

clean up flammable liquid spills ... "in open top trash bins along with

all other trash" rather than covered metal receptacles. Source:

Poughkeepsie Journal

VIDEO VIDEO 2

How would you handle a “Psychosomatic” Incident?

Boston.com is reporting an event that maybe some of us have come

in contact with before. You’re called to an incident with many

patients, possibly sickened by an unknown source. You arrive to

find no hazardous material, or clues present. What is your protocol?

Level A and monitor? Approach with less caution?

It all started with a discussion of genetics during a biology class

one Friday morning. The topic of conversation among the students

at Greater Lowell Technical School then switched to blood and

blood types. A boy walking to get a drink of water fainted. One of

his classmates followed suit. Then another.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the school was evacuated,” the

Tyngsborough Fire Department said in a statement.

Authorities are calling the incident a “psychosomatic or stress-

induced event.” They said an investigation determined the students

were talking about their fears of blood when the fainting began.

Both fire and police personnel responded to the school around 9:11

a.m. after receiving a report of “multiple students down in a

classroom.”

“Tyngsborough and Lowell Fire crews evaluated the air quality in

the classroom and nearby sections of the school, investigating a

number of possible issues,” the fire department said in the

statement. “These included a potential chemical release, illness, or

environmental factors, but no danger or physical cause for concern

was found. “

The three students who fainted, two males and a female, were

conscious when they were evaluated by EMTs at the scene. Two of

the students were taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

“All three students are believed to be free of any physical injury”.

Static Electricity fire engulfs Car in Flames

at Israeli Gas Station Initial investigations have determined that while the female

motorist was filling her car with gasoline, she unknowingly

transferred static electricity charges to the gas pump nozzle,

which combined with fuel vapours resulted in a fiery combustion.

The motorist managed to remove the fuel nozzle from her vehicle

and flee the scene. Five firefighting teams were then called to the

scene to battle the blaze.

Image: John Borren

Image: stuff.co.nz

N.Z. Co. Faces fine for 2017 Toxic Gas Cloud Ballance Agri-Nutrients is facing a large fine after a toxic gas cloud

from its fertilizer manufacturing plant wafted over a group of

workers and two truck drivers.

Workers at the Ballance site described seeing a "huge gas cloud",

20 to 30m wide, heading towards Mauao. Others described it as "a

plume of black smoke coming towards us".

The gas cloud drifted from the roof of the manufacturing plant and

across the Hewletts Rd site towards Totara St on May 22 2017.

Several people at the site and working nearby were exposed to the

gas cloud. They experienced coughing, a "funny taste" in their

mouths, irritation of the eyes and respiratory system, but their

symptoms were relatively short-lived. Two truck drivers employed

by Winstone Transport were also treated and discharged from

Tauranga Hospital after struggling to breathe. One of the truck

drivers was unable to attend work the following day due to

dizziness.

In the Environment Court yesterday, the company's chief executive

Wynne pleaded guilty to a charge of discharging a contaminant,

sulphur dioxide and/or fluoride, into the air.

The summary of facts showed there was a breakdown in

communication between controllers during a shift change, in

regards to the conveyor speed processing product. This resulted in

a build-up of fumes and the cloud of fluoride and sulphur dioxide

fumes bypassed the treatment systems and was released. The new

shift operator was unaware the fumes had been discharged.

People outside the plant tried to contact the controller on VHF radio

but he did not respond, and the plant was shut down.

Victoria Brewer, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's lawyer, told

Judge David Kirkpatrick said the defendant had two prior

convictions in 1999 and 2015 for similar offending.

The investigation revealed the offending was caused by a series of

"fundamental errors" by operators at the fertiliser plant, she said.

This included a failure to properly communicate to the incoming

acidulation controller the reason why the den floor speed

processing product had been increased.

None of the personnel within the manufacturing plant noticed the

severity or volume of the emissions from the acidulation den nor

that fumes had discharged from the building.

It was a "systematic failure", she said, There were also errors in

the communication in response to the incident and the emergency

response system "did not occur", Brewer said.

She submitted a fine of $90,000 was appropriate as a starting point.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients lawyer Janette Campbell said this was not

a deliberate discharge and the offending was not committed to gain

profit.

The offending happened because of a "serious mistake" and was

taken seriously by the company, she said.

Campbell said Ballance's two earlier convictions were unrelated to

last year's discharge which happened at a different part of the site.

Ballance had taken significant remedial steps, including

introducing a new computer system to add another level of control

to prevent this from happening again, she said.

Judge Kirkpatrick reserved his decision. Source: N.Z. Herald

WORKSAFE NEW ZEALAND Public consultation on two proposed safe work instruments

relating to hazardous substances opened on May 14.

You can find out more about safe work instruments on our

website.

We invite public comment on the following proposed SWIs:

Draft – Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances –

Validity Periods of Compliance Certificates for Stationary

Container Systems) Safe Work Instrument 2018

Draft – Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances –

Specification of Design Standards for Refillable Cylinders) Safe

Work Instrument 2018

Deadline for receipt of all submissions is 5pm on Monday 28 May.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Toxic leak at US Transfer Station Three workers were hospitalized after a hazardous substance was

released at the waste-transfer station in north Spokane County.

County spokeswoman Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter said an

aerosol can burst while it was being compacted on the tipping

floor of the facility near Colbert.

“Apparently, somebody put in some kind of hazardous household

waste with their garbage,” Wheatley-Billeter said. “We’re hoping to

find out soon what it was and where it came from.”

The three workers experienced symptoms ranging from skin

irritation to vomiting, she said.

The county hired Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. to

investigate the incident and identify the aerosol substance. Source: The Spokesman Review

Deadly explosion at US Medical Building The FBI said Wednesday that investigators found components for

an explosive device at the location in Aliso Viejo of a deadly blast

that killed a woman and wounded three others.

FBI investigators have taken wreckage from the site of the blast to

a lab in Virginia to determine what it is that caused the blast. FBI

officials said that the components found were not consistent with

items typically found at the location, which was a day spa.

The news comes as Orange County Sheriff's officials identified the

woman who died in Tuesday's explosion as Ildiko Krajnyak, 48,

whose home was searched overnight in Trabuco Canyon. She was

the owner of the day spa on the first floor of the building, where

the explosion occurred 11 Mareblu, just off of Route 73.

Undersheriff Don Barnes says investigators "do not believe at this

time that this was an accident."

The explosion was an "intentional detonation," and the explosive

device was delivered to the building, addressed to a specific

person, federal sources told the NBC4 I-Team.

PHOTOS

Safety Alert: Working with Hot Oil

Working with hot oil can cause burns as well as slips, trips and

falls. Watch this video safety alert for tips on how to avoid hot oil

injuries in your workplace. Source: Safework NSW

Photo By Cpl. Jake McClung

US Simulates Bio-terrorism attack Marines and first responders with Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), the Provost Marshal’s

Office and MCAS Miramar Fire Department conducted a chemical,

biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive (CBRNE)

threat exercise at MCAS Miramar, Calif., May 17, 2018.

The exercise simulated a bioterrorism attack on MCAS Miramar

using a disease both animals and humans are susceptible to.

According to Master Sgt. Marcos Martinez, the staff non-

commissioned officer for ARFF, this exercise was important because

it allowed cooperating units to improve response times, validate

standard operating procedures and achieve annual training

requirements.

“During the exercise, we took samples from all of the dry filter units

and they came back positive for Tularemia,” said Lance Cpl. Luis

Da Luz, a hazardous material (HAZMAT) entry team technician with

ARFF. “It is important that we know how to respond to incidents

like this because we are very close to the San Diego population.”

Marines with ARFF’s HAZMAT response team collected samples

from the dry filter units and soil samples in the affected area before

sending them to a lab where they tested positive for Tularemia, a

disease often used in bioterrorism attacks as it affects animals

and humans.

This exercise gave Marines and first responders a chance to

rehearse and evaluate their incident command protocols, first

responder immediate actions, communication protocols, incident

command interface with an emergency operations centre and

orchestrate cooperation between MCAS Miramar’s first responders.

Military police officers with the Provost Marshal’s Office at MCAS

Miramar contributed to the exercise by posting security around the

contaminated area, reducing people’s exposure to the HAZMAT.

Also, MCAS Miramar’s Fire Department performed technical

decontamination operations on the HAZMAT response team, further

preventing the disease’s spread.

“These Marines are properly trained and ready for any incident or

emergency that pops up,” said Sgt. Travis Atkinson, a station

captain for the exercise with MCAS Miramar ARFF. “They are well

equipped and qualified for whatever HAZMAT situation that could

possibly take place on this base.”

SOURCE

Crash causes Oil Tanker Fire in USA

Tanker carrying 34,000 Pounds of MMA flips Hazmat crews and other emergency officials found the tanker

truck, which had been carrying Methyl Methacrylate, on its side in

the back of a lot on Fairfield Avenue in Stamford, Connecticut.

Given the flammable nature of the chemical, Stamford Fire

Department units established an initial safe zone, which was later

expanded to 1,000 feet in all directions from the scene of the truck

flip.

A tow truck was sent to upright the tanker. In the meantime,

anybody within the area was ordered to leave as a safety

precaution. Source: nbcnewyork.com

Static Electricity blamed for Toulene Fire The Oshkosh Fire Department says static electricity caused a fire

that forced A.P. Nonweiler to evacuate its plant on County Road.

The static electricity ignited a solvent, Toluene, as it was being

transferred to a mixing tank at the company, which makes

industrial paints and coatings.

The fire department says the sprinkler system "did its job" and

contained the fire until firefighters arrived to put it completely out.

The fire department's hazardous materials team and the state

Department of Natural Resources also responded to the scene.

Water from the sprinklers got into titanium dioxide powder, which

is used to whiten paint and other products. It is also used in

toothpaste. The fire department says people might notice white

residue on the ground and in waterways, but it's harmless.

Nevertheless, the DNR will contain and monitor the titanium

dioxide. Source: wbay.com

30 Years Ago the L.A. PEPCON Disaster Thirty years ago the Las Vegas area experienced the

worst non-nuclear disaster in American history when a welder's

torch ignited rocket fuel at the Pacific Engineering and Production

Company of Nevada, known as PEPCON.

The explosion caused more than $155 million in today's currency

in property damage to schools, homes, and businesses within a

10-mile radius, and resulted in injuries to 300 people. Source: KNTV

WATCH THE VIDEO

Gas scare at Victorian University Library A tropical fruit notorious for its unique stench has led to the

evacuation of a university library in Melbourne's CBD.

Traffic was disrupted around RMIT University as around 600 staff

and students cleared the building amid fears of a gas leak.

Specialist crews wearing masks searched the building for the

source of the smell, which turned out to be rotting durian left in a

cupboard.

A Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said the smell had alarmed

staff and students as it permeated the air-conditioning system.

The waste will be dealt with by Environment Protection Authority

officers.

Durian is a tropical fruit known for its strong smell.

It is commonly banned from hotel rooms and public transport in

southeast Asia. Source: nine.com.au

US Man dies in Chemical Tank A man died in a workplace accident when he fell 10 feet into an

open tank during a loading operation at Azko Nobel, a Salisbury,

North Carolina industrial facility that produces polymers used in

personal care products. A Spokeswoman said she doesn't

know if the worker died from falling 10 feet into the tank or as a

result of some chemical reaction.

The worker was involved with operations to load the tank.

"He mixed compounds. He mixed chemicals,” said his Mother. Source: WSOC

US EPA does away with Chemical Plant Rules Five years after the fatal explosion of the West Fertilizer plant

exposed wide gaps in oversight of chemical facilities, it appears

the disaster won’t result in significant federal reforms or regulatory

overhaul.

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced proposed

rules that will not include many of the Obama administration

regulations the agency had proposed in the wake of the explosion,

which would have required “user-friendly” information sharing with

the public on chemical risks and accidents; the hiring of

independent auditors to ensure companies conduct proper risk

management planning; and the evaluation of “safer technology and

alternatives.” Source: myStatesman

This EPA decision doesn’t affect 2015 Texas rules on ammonium

nitrate storage and inspections.

Eastman’s Risk Management Plan A Risk Management Plan filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency outlines Eastman Chemical Company's worst-case

scenarios for the community. While those scenarios could impact

the health of people who live or work near Eastman, the company's

top safety experts say the worst case does not mean there would

be fatalities.

"There would be people who would (feel the) effects offsite. Illness.

odour," Eastman Chemical Company Process Safety Expert and Risk

Management Plan author Pete Lodal said. "People could get sick."

Eastman, like every other company that uses extremely hazardous

chemicals, is required to file a Risk Management Plan with the EPA

every five years. The plan's goal is to keep the community safe. Of

the thousands of similar companies that have filed

Risk Management Plans, Eastman's safety experts said not a single

one has experienced anything close to a worst-case scenario.

Eastman's toxic worst case scenario involves the release

of anhydrous ammonia, according to the plan. The chemical can

irritate the eyes and throat and can be fatal in large concentrations,

according to federal records. The worst-case scenario assumes all

of the company's multiple safety layers fail, the largest containers

disintegrate, chemicals fully release into the air within 10 minutes

and the wind blows 360 degrees.

"It's just virtually impossible to get that scenario in reality,"

Eastman Health, Safety, Environment and Security Global Director

Mark Peal said. "Impact to the community does not mean fatalities.

It just means there is an impact. There's odour in the area."

According to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation

Board, a release of anhydrous ammonia at an Alabama company in

2010 led to the exposures of 150 offsite workers a quarter mile

away. According to CSB, 30 of those people were hospitalized, four

in an intensive care unit.

"...it's important to point out that the (Alabama) incident, though it

involves the same chemical (ammonia) as our Kingsport site's

worst case scenario, is a very different use of this chemical,"

Eastman Corporate Communications Director Betty Payne said.

"The failure described in the Chemical Safety Board's report is not

possible in Kingsport because our material is not stored under

refrigeration."

Depending on the size of Eastman's worst-case spill, time of day

and conditions, federal guidelines show people as close a one-tenth

of a mile to as far as a mile or more downwind would need

protection. According to the EPA, 2010 U.S. Census data shows

2,785 people live within one mile of Eastman. About half of those

people are kids or senior citizens, according to the data.

The biggest flammable risk to the community involves

acetaldehyde, according to the plan. Lodal said worst case, there

would be a large fire and a big boom, but likely no injuries outside

the plant.

"Be a really big fire and you would feel overpressure, similar to

what you would feel at a fireworks demonstration where you could

feel the boom," he said. "The practicalities are that would never

happen. It would be impressive, but it would not be anything that

you could not stand and watch from a distance."

Sullivan County Emergency Management Director Jim Bean is in

charge of helping direct the response if there's a problem. He said

he's fully aware of the chemicals at Eastman and their risks.

"I don't want to blow it off as, 'Ok, it's not going to happen,'" he

said. "You've got to think, 'We know this is a potential. Our bigger

potential is the smaller leak.' In our line of work, we have to plan

for it and we have to admit there is a worst-case scenario, but the

likelihood is down the list."

The more likely alternative, according to Eastman, is a smaller

release of anhydrous ammonia or hydrogen fluoride, a chemical

that can cause severe burns, but in this case would likely only

result in a bad smell.

Eastman acknowledges the people most likely to be impacted by

any of the scenarios are its employees and contractors. However,

the company's safety experts reminded the public they are

members of the community too.

"It behoves us for many reasons not to let things get out of hand,

because the most likely people to be impacted are us," Lodal said.

"Should it happen, I would be in that off-site impact. I don't want

that to happen to anybody."

"Our design is no release," Peal said. "Keep it in the pipes as we

like to say."

Of the chemicals listed in Eastman's worst-case scenarios, federal

records show the company has released or transferred several

hundred tons of anhydrous ammonia and acetaldehyde going back

to 2008. According to the Tennessee Department of Environment

and Conservation, Eastman has not exceeded any regulations

related to those chemicals in recent years.

According to EPA data, Eastman released or transferred 54,643

pounds of ammonia in 2016, an 11% reduction from the year before

and the lowest since at least 2008. In 2016, Eastman released or

transferred 58,211 pounds of acetaldehyde in 2016, a 5% drop from

the year before and the second lowest since at least 2008,

according to EPA data.

Eastman's safety directors said the company's worked to

drastically reduce the amount of dangerous chemicals the plant

uses over the years.

Investigators determined a blocked valve caused explosions at

Eastman on October 4, which did not result in serious injuries.

An explosion at Eastman in 1960, caused by high pressure, killed

16 people and injured more than 200 others. An Eastman

spokesperson said the company discontinued that type of

chemistry after the explosion and added that kind of explosion is

not possible today.

In the event there is a public safety risk at Eastman today,

Kingsport 911 wants to make sure people are aware thanks to

mobile emergency alerts. According to Kingsport 911, only roughly

2,000 people have registered for the alerts so far. To sign up, go

to www.kingsporttn.gov, click on alerts and then follow the

instructions.

Eastman will file an updated Risk Management Plan with the EPA

next summer.

Read Eastman's most recent Risk Management Plan.

VIDEO of Worst Case Scenario and Source

Significant changes have been made to the following Data Sheets:

REVISED

DS 1-2 Earthquakes

DS 1-24 Protection Against Liquid Damage

DS 7-9 Dip Tanks, Flow Coaters and Roll Coaters

DS 7-20 Oil Cookers

DS 7-27 Spray Application of Ignitable and Combustible

Materials

DS 7-37 Cutting Fluids

DS 7-88 Ignitable Liquid Storage Tanks

DS 7-98 Hydraulic Fluids

DS 10-3 Hot Work Management

DS 13-17 Gas Turbines

VIEW CHANGES

UK Autoparts Mfg. has 2 Incidents in 1 Year Faltec Europe manufactures car parts in the UK. They had two

incidents in 2015 related to health and safety.

The first was an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease due to a cooling

water system that wasn’t being properly treated.

The second was an explosion and fire in the manufacturing facility,

The company was prosecuted by the UK HSE and was fined

£800,000 for each incident plus £75,159.73 in costs and a victim

surcharge of £120.

The machine that exploded had had precursor incidents, but the

company had not taken adequate corrective actions.

For more details see:

http://press.hse.gov.uk/2018/double-investigation-leads-to-fine-for-

north-east-car-parts-manufacturer-faltec-europe-limited/

Image: Depositphotos

Hunter – Dangerous Goods training for Police The region’s highway patrol police have had some expert training

in how to inspect heavy vehicles carrying dangerous material – like

petrol, gas or other hazardous substances.

Officers from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Lower Hunter and

the Manning Valley began a two-day training course in the

classroom and in the field to hone their skills at checking whether

trucks carrying dangerous goods are complying with the law.

“There’s a lot of materials – from ammonium nitrate that’s heading

up to the valley, we’ve got gas cylinders, dangerous liquids and

substances that are coming from major central hubs – you’ve got

Kooragang Island but you’ve also got Cardiff as well,” Sergeant

Shane Dawes said.

“You’ve got the main arterial roads that feed up to the valley, so we

focus on that and make sure that is right for other road users [and]

it’s safe and secure.”

Chief Inspector Bruce McGregor said the aim was to equip highway

patrol officers with the skills to recognise vehicles that were

possibly non-compliant, in order to make the road safer.

He said the EPA had trained highway patrol officers for the past

couple of years in the Hunter. Source: theherald.com.au

Call for Dutch Chemical Sector to reduce discharges

The chemicals sector must drastically reduce the amount of

chemicals it releases into the air and waterways, according to

Zuid-Holland provincial council which includes Rotterdam port in its

remit. ‘The authority is concerned about the many new substances

used by the region’s chemicals industry which are then discharged

into waterways or the air without any clear picture of the effect on

people and the environment. We are no longer going to ask how

much are you going to discharge. Instead we will ask is that

discharge really necessary?’

Chemours Janssen cited chemicals company Chemours of

Dordrecht as an example. Chemours, which is a 2015 spin-off of US

chemicals behemoth Dupont, will face off with the province in

court. The province is seeking to curtail the discharge of GenX,

used in the making of Teflon, by Chemours. The provincial authority

argues that GenX harms the environment and has seeped into the

drinking water of millions of Dutch residents.

DutchNews

Aerial Work Bucket hits Pipe carrying NH3 It was an adjournment Wednesday in Medicine Hat Provincial court

for a company charged following an ammonia leak at CF Industries

in 2015 that left one worker dead and another injured.

With a pre-trial conference completed, the next appearance for

Aluma Systems Inc. is set for May 9, with plans then to set a trial

date for charges laid in November under the Occupational Health

and Safety Act

The charges are from Dec. 7, 2015 when two workers with Aluma

Systems were on an aerial work platform, in the bucket at the CF

Industries site. The vehicle struck a bleed pipe valve containing

pressurized ammonia, and the ammonia was released. One worker

was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead, while the other

suffered burns to his body.

The company faces two counts of failure to ensure the health and

safety of the workers, failure to take measures to eliminate or

control a hazard, failure to ensure a hazard assessment was

repeated when a work process or operation changed, and failure to

provide safeguards where a worker could accidentally, or through

the work process, come into contact with a hazard.

Medicine Hat News

Toxic chemicals from firefighting foam have been found at the

Queensland ports of Gladstone and Bundaberg, with further tests

needed to determine if it has contaminated groundwater.

The Gladstone Ports Corporation revealed the chemical

contamination.

SBS NEWS

Report on Rhode Island Chemical Fire The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has

handed down a fine to a Cranston company after an inspection

showed the company violated several safety standards.

The inspection took place a day after a chemical fire broke out at

the company. 20 firefighters ended up falling ill, and several went to

the hospital.

Emergency crews responded to ProSys Finishing Technologies after

an alarm went off. When firefighters entered the building, the

chemical fire started to melt their protective gear and boots.

The city later said it was working with state and federal

organizations to identify all the chemicals stored in the building.

OSHA noted several serious safety violations in its April 17

report. The company was cited for the following:

Not having a hazmat emergency response plan

Not training employees in that response plan

Not establishing a respiration protection plan

Not conducting medical evaluations on employees using

respirators

Not conducting annual fit tests on employees using respirators

Not evaluating industrial truck performance every three years

Not using written safety labels for chemicals

Not using written safety labels for chemicals that would be

leaving the workplace

Not training employees in hazmat safety plans and labels

The penalties totalled $9,977.

NEWS VIDEO and Source

Who dumped 1000l of Chemicals at WA Park?

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is calling

on the community to help to catch the person responsible for

dumping 1000 litres of chemicals in Whiteman Park. The red odorous liquid was found dumped on Saturday morning in

the groundwater protection area of Whiteman Park, near the corner

of Marangaroo Drive and Hepburn Avenue.

WA Police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services

were called to the scene – as well as the department’s Pollution

Response Unit to prevent impacts to groundwater and to collect

evidence.

The Advocate

Idaho: Mysterious substance sickens 2 Two Emmett residents have been released from the hospital after

exposure to a then-unknown substance made them sick. Billie

Hough, who lives in the house, said she found a plastic bag

containing a substance under her bathroom sink.

“It was two one-gallon bags inside of each other with what looked

to be three, four pounds of grey [contents]” she said. “I handed it to

my ex-husband and he opened it up and stuck his face in it.”

Immediately, Hough said, her ex began coughing, then began to

vomit.

Hough said she was also exposed to the substance as she tried to

close the bag back up. When she accidentally got some of the

substance on her arm, she could feel her skin burning, she said.

“I got on the phone with the fire department to have them come

out and find out what it was, because we didn’t know,” she said.

“We just knew we couldn’t throw it away, and he was in pretty bad

shape.”

The incident triggered a massive response, with Emmett police,

EMS and fire all responding to the house. Emmett Deputy Fire Chief

Mike Giery called in the Region III HAZMAT team stationed in

Caldwell, which in turn contacted the 101ST Weapons of Mass

Destruction Civil Support Team, a National Guard unit designed to

respond to any chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident

within the United States.

“The whole neighbourhood was shut down,” Hough said.

Hough said investigators told her they determined the substance

was a cleaning chemical – butyl sulphate sodium salt – typically

used as a pool cleaner or deep cleaner. It had been brought into her

home by a caregiver, she said. Source: KTVB

1000g Propane Tank Valve shears off Officials said the hazmat situation in Rockville, Maryland, that has

caused part of Metro’s Red Line to suspend train service lasted for

several hours.

Pete Piringer, a Montgomery County Fire Department spokesman,

said a propane tank with 1,000 gallons in it had its valve “sheared

off” near Route 355 and College Parkway in Rockville.

Montgomery College in Rockville was evacuating its campus

because of the “strong gas odour” in the area. Roads nearby also

were closed. Source: Washington Post

Dangerous Chemicals from Coffee-roasters For the last two years, a small group of doctors and scientists with

the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have spent

their days in coffee shops around the country.

They weren’t there sipping their morning cup of Joe. Their mission?

To protect the health of the rapidly growing number of workers who

make their living roasting, grinding, packaging and serving coffee.

The doctors and scientists gathered information from corner cafés

with a lone roasting oven to large-scale processors with more than

150 workers. They assessed the various threats — primarily the air

— and gave breathing and other medical tests to employees.

Their preliminary findings, based on 11 site reports that have been

released in recent months, indicate widespread problems that

jeopardize employee health across the estimated $74 billion

industry. In several of the facilities, workers were exposed to more

than four or five times the recommended level of diacetyl, a

dangerous compound known for rapidly destroying lungs.

The CDC found dozens of workers with abnormal breathing tests,

and workplaces where cases of respiratory illness were more than

twice the rate found in the general population — a discovery that

suggests ties to worksite environments.

journalsentinel

Q’ld Men seriously burnt after Gas Explosion Two men have suffered serious burns after a suspected gas bottle

explosion on a southeast Queensland property.

Paramedics confirmed two male patients were being treated for

burns to their torso after an incident at a property on Old Bruce Hwy,

Tuchekoi, south of Gympie. Source: Courier Mail

Chicago Schoolchildren affected by Gas Leak Eighteen elementary school students and a teacher were treated at

area hospitals after a gas leak near Sidney Sawyer School in the

Gage Park neighbourhood, authorities said.

Fire officials responded to the school at 5427 S. Spaulding Ave. with

at least five ambulances sent to the scene, said fire spokesman

Larry Merritt. Source: Chicago Tribune

Deadly Chicago Gas Station Gun Battle

Canadian Chemical Management proposal The Canadian government is expected to reveal its proposal for

revising the country’s chemicals management system by mid-June,

but consultations have left stakeholders guessing on what the plan

will contain.

The House Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable

Development released a report in June last year, urging sweeping

revisions to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

(Cepa) and the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). Among its 87

recommendations is reversing the burden of proof onto industry for

demonstrating the safety of 'substances of very high concern' – a

hazard-based approach borrowed from the EU's REACH regime.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna agreed in October

"changes are needed to modernise and improve" Cepa and she

committed herself to providing a complete response by this June.

"We have no idea what they are leaning toward; if they are going to

introduce a bill, if their response will even propose changes,"

Muhannad Malas, toxics programme manager at Canadian NGO

Environmental Defence, told Chemical Watch. There have though

been multiple indications from Ms McKenna "that her department is

looking at strengthening Cepa", he said. "We know she plans to

respond to every one of the committee’s recommendations," said

Isabelle Des Chênes, executive vice president of the Chemistry

Industry Association of Canada (CIAC).

J Gary LeRoux, president of the Canadian Paint and Coatings

Association, told Chemical Watch he is more confident than last

autumn that the government will not endorse the committee’s most

controversial recommendation to move toward a hazard-based

regime. "I don’t think they will do that, because they have heard

loud and clear that it would not be wise to do so," he said.

Consultations held

Stakeholders said government officials have engaged in both large

consultation meetings and more private ones in the past month.

Officials have talked about a release date in early June.

Consultations covered the gamut of recommendations, including:

how substances of very high concern are addressed;

how endocrine disruptors can be more effectively regulated;

increasing transparency while protecting confidential

business information;

improving protections for "vulnerable populations"; and

alternatives assessment.

Valve malfunction causes Texas Plant Fire Nearly two dozen people were hurt when a valve malfunctioned,

causing an explosion and fire at a plant in Pasadena. Preliminary

findings indicate a pressure safety valve released ethylene,

causing a flash fire in one process units.

Kuraray America Eval says the incident happened at its facility at

Bay Area Boulevard and Choate.

The La Porte Police Department at the scene confirms 22 people

were hurt in total. Two patients had serious burns and were

airlifted to the hospital. The other 20 had non-life threatening

injuries.

Authorities say the victims suffered burns and topical injuries, some

obtained as they were fleeing the facility.

Company officials believe a valve malfunctioned in an operating

unit, causing the explosion and fire. Source: Rubber & Plastics News

According to the company’s website, Kuraray manufactures and

markets ethylene vinyl-alcohol copolymers.

Kuraray America is headquartered in Houston, and is a subsidiary

of Tokyo-based Kuraray Co. Ltd. The company makes EVAL-brand

EVOH barrier resin in Japan, the U.S. and Belgium.

VIDEO

US EPA to Label Chemical found in

Drinking Water 'hazardous' This type of chemical is commonly known as PFAS or PFOS and is

used in non-stick pans, making furniture and carpets stain resistant,

absorbing grease in products like pizza boxes as is contained as

well in firefighting foam commonly used at airports.

EPA first published rules about the chemical in 2002 when the 3M

company agreed to phase them out. The EPA studied the health

effects of exposure for several years and published a health

advisory in 2016.

Some state and local advocacy groups in areas contaminated by

PFAS chemicals say the EPA has taken too long to act on the risk

and has not done enough to provide help or research to clean up the

chemicals.

VIDEO and Source

U.S. - IBC’s found abandoned About 1.5 million gallons of potentially hazardous chemicals have

been found abandoned near neighbourhoods in Caldwell County,

North Carolina, and the situation has been brought to the attention

of the federal government.

The chemical in the rows of containers was glue by-product and

wastewater. An environmental company said it built a berm around

the containers after some of them began to crack.

“It causes problems — problems for the sewer plant and streams, if

it ever gets into it,” Gary Sparks, with STAT Inc., said.

The containers have been on the property for nearly two years but

the owner said the company that placed them there has gone

bankrupt.

Town of Hudson officials said the water glue by-product doesn’t

pose a threat to homeowners in the area but they alerted the

Environmental Protection Agency after learning of the containers

were deteriorating.

“We want it gone,” town manager Rebecca Bentley said. “It’s a solid

waste and we’re not equipped to handle a solid waste, so we would

like it gone.”

Investigators determined there were a handful of containers that do

have hazardous waste and those will be removed from the property.

It is the thousands of others, however, that have firefighters taking

precautions if they’re ever called to fight a fire on the property.

“Ninety percent sure what the product is – 10 percent not sure —

and that’s what kills firefighters,” Hudson Fire Chief Tommy

Courtner said. “So if there is a fire, we will go in and do

containment.”

The containers, which were owned by Dafco, were originally moved

out of the Hickory area in 2014. Source: WSOCTV

The Key Changes - AS1940-2017 The Storage and

Handling of Flammable and Combustible Liquids

This PDF provides a summary of the key changes within the new

2017 edition of AS1940-2017 "The storage and handling of

flammable and combustible liquids" as seen by the current chair

for this standard - Peter Vitali - Dangerous Goods and Hazardous

Substances Consultant at ChemVit Consulting and AIDGC Member.

The Australian Standards® Catalogue 2018 contains a complete list

of Standards, Handbooks and other publications from Standards

Australia.

The Australian Standards and Other Products Catalogue 2018 is

available to purchase in hardcopy and digital PDF formats.

Publications are listed by reference number, subject area and

industry, helping you simplify your research efforts. Listings include

a title, a designation number and an abridged description for each

product.

In the PDF edition, referenced products are also hyperlinked to

relevant product pages on the SAI Global online store allowing

simpler and faster navigation and cross-referencing.

Australian Standards and Other Products Catalogue 2018

Preview

Smoke, Flames and Explosions erupt on US Lake A fire raged through Portman Marina on Lake Hartwell that

seriously injured one person, while damaging or destroying more

than a dozen boats and a dock, foxcarolina.com reported.

The fire started when a boat owner cranked a generator that

backfired, according to wyff4.com.

The boat owner suffered burns to his face, neck and arms and was -

the man is believed to be in stable condition.

As the injured man's boat became engulfed in flames, the fire soon

spread to other boats on the same dock at the Anderson County

marina. Emergency officials moved them to protect other boats and

the dock, but also because many, if not all, of the docked boats had

tanks full of fuel — an accelerant that would quickly ignite.

"You take 200 and multiply it by 20 boats, and that's what you have

fuelling this thing," Greg Shore said, according

to independentmail.com. "We are just praying that the firefighters

stay safe and hydrated."

Between 200 and 250 firefighters from 24 departments were called

to fight the flames, wyff4.com reported.

VIDEO

Norske Skog was

recently bought out

by Oceanwood, a

London based asset

manager, saving it

from going bust.

Two Dead in Albury Paper Mill Gas leak Two workers are dead and one remains in critical condition in

hospital after a toxic gas tank leak at the Norske Skog papermaking

plant in Albury NSW, on the Victorian border.

A 37 year old Lavington NSW man died this morning and a 28 year

old worker from Wodonga died in hospital yesterday, having

sustained burns and inhaling gas. A man aged 22 remains in critical

condition at Albury Base Hospital. The three men had been working

on top of a 15 metre high tank checking valves when they were

apparently overcome by fumes and went into cardiac arrest.

A further 15 workers were taken to hospital. One remains in hospital

in stable condition while the others were released overnight.

The plant evacuated approximately 150 employees after staff were

overwhelmed by fumes from the leak, which took place at the end

of a three day annual shutdown for maintenance.

The gas is thought to be hydrogen sulphide, more commonly known

as rotten egg gas due to its odour, which it is thought to have built

up on the pulp during the shutdown.

The fatal leak comes just a month after a fire tore through the same

plant destroying 300 tons of paper and taking 50 firefighters to get

it under control. Source: Border Mail

VIDEO

The Norske Skog Albury mill manufactures paper for publishers and

commercial printers. The company's Albury mill produces 274,000

tonnes of paper annually which represents about 40 per cent of the

newsprint and related grades in Australia annually.

The plant has 184 employees and is one of two Norske Skog mills in

Australia, the other in Tasmania, and one of seven across the world.

Dense Chemical Fog – Vehicle strikes Pipeline A farm vehicle struck the valve of a gas pipeline on Yokely Road

near the railroad tracks in the Baldwin area, Louisiana.

The vehicle caused the pipeline to rupture, spewing out gas, and

prompting the evacuation of residents in the immediate area.

Deputies with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Department say there’s a

dense chemical fog after a vehicle struck the line at the railroad

tracks, according to KATC. It’s not known yet what the leaking

chemical is but a heavy fog is rolling through the area.

VIDEO

\\

Washington State evaluates 6 Flame retardants Washington state is developing a report evaluating and setting out

policy recommendations for six flame retardants: TPP, TCPP, TBPH,

V6, IPTPP, and TBB.

The state's health department is acting in line with a law passed by

the legislature in 2016. This banned five flame retardants from

children's products, and directed the Department of Ecology to

consider listing the latest six as chemicals of high concern for

children (CHCC) under the Children's Safe Product Act.

The six were added to Washington's CHCC list last autumn.

Chemical Watch

Chinese Cities phase out Solvent-based Coatings Authorities in several Chinese cities have ordered industries to

replace solvent-based coatings with water-based alternatives.

The move follows a 2016 commitment, set out in China's 13th five-

year plan, that government-backed construction projects should not

use solvent-based coatings or adhesives.

Various measures are planned or in place in cities including:

Shanghai; Tianjin; Nanjing; Zhongshan; and Taizhou.

Shanghai has banned such coatings from construction projects,

approved after 30 April.

In March, Zhongshan, in Guangdong province, announced draft

standards that would phase out organic solvents with high volatile

organic compound (VOC) content and the use of solvents containing

more than 20% VOCs from 1 October.

Zhongshan already prohibits the production of paints for interior

decoration with more than 200g/l of VOCs; solvent-based wood

furniture coatings cannot exceed 700g/l.

In Tianjin, the vehicle maintenance industry has been told it must

replace the coatings by 1 October.

More details available on CW+AsiaHub

Fireworks explosion in Spain Galicia’s regional government said that 19 adults and seven minors

were being treated at hospitals and there was one fatality. The

blast had been felt kilometres away from a private house where the

fireworks had been stored. Houses around it had been damaged by

the explosion, the agency said.

Ducks euthanized after NZ Oil Spill Four ducks were euthanised following a large spill of used oil into a

Southland waterway. Oil from industrial premises in Winton had

entered the stormwater system and had been discharged into a

tributary of the Winton Stream.

Environment Southland compliance manager Simon Mapp said

trucks were dispatched to suck up the oil and booms were placed in

an effort to contain the spill.

The majority of the oil had been cleaned up by Friday but the

council received a report of more oil on a small duck pond on

Sunday, Mapp said. The oil had covered some ducks that had since

been euthanised by the complainant. Mapp believed that the further

oil that had been found had been discharged from the original source

or was stuck to the sides of the stormwater system and been

flushed out by higher flows.

It was hard to determine how much oil had been spilt but the two,

25,000 litre trucks sent to suck up the spill were full with a mix of

oil and water. The Public Health South, the Southland District

Council, Department of Conservation, local iwi and Fish & Game had

all been notified of the spill. Mapp was confident they had found the

business responsible for the spill but could not identify it as the

incident was still under investigation, he said. Southland Fish and

Game manager Zane Moss was of the understanding around 1000

litres of oil had been spilt. Source: stuff.co.nz

Firefighters, Police sickened by Chemical Smell A strong chemical smell in a St. Paul apartment building on Tuesday

night left a police officer and firefighters feeling ill. Officials

evacuated the building.

The police and fire department were sent to the building in the

Cathedral Hill neighbourhood at 8 p.m. on a report of an odour

coming from the basement in the 200 block of Dayton Avenue,

according to the police department.

Police found a man in the basement and arrested him on suspicion

of interfering with the investigation.

Firefighters and an officer reported they felt dizzy and light-headed

after being in the basement. They received medical treatment at the

scene and the officer was taken to Regions Hospital. After

evaluation at the hospital, the officer was released, according to

the department. Source: Twin Cities

Arkema Report: Caught in the

Storm: Extreme Weather Hazards The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its final

investigation report into the August 31, 2017, fire at the Arkema

chemical plant in Crosby, Texas. 'In the days leading up to the

incident, an unprecedented amount of rain fell at the plant due to

Hurricane Harvey, causing equipment to flood and fail. As a result,

chemicals stored at the plant decomposed and burnt, releasing

fumes and smoke into the air.

The Arkema chemical plant manufactures and distributes organic

peroxides used to produce consumer goods such as solid surface

countertops and polystyrene cups and plates. Some of the organic

peroxides produced at the plant must be kept below 32 degrees

Fahrenheit to prevent them from decomposing and catching fire.

Under normal operation, the organic peroxides are stored in low

temperature warehouses and shipped in refrigerated trailers.

Extensive flooding caused by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Harvey

caused the plant to lose power and backup power to all of the low

temperature warehouses.

Workers at the Arkema facility moved the organic peroxides from

the warehouses to the refrigerated trailers, which were then

relocated to a high elevation area of the plant. Three of those

trailers, however, were unable to be moved and eventually flooded

and failed. With refrigeration on those trailers lost, there was

nothing to stop the chemicals inside from heating

up and catching fire

All of Arkema’s employees were evacuated from the facility and

more than 200 residents living nearby the facility were evacuated

and could not return home for a week. Twenty-one people sought

medical attention from reported exposures to the fumes and smoke

released into the air.

In its final report, the CSB called for more robust industry guidance

to help hazardous chemical facilities better prepare for extreme

weather events, like flooding, so that similar incidents can be

avoided.

The key lessons for companies within areas that are susceptible to

extreme weather include:

Facilities should perform an analysis to determine susceptibility to

potential extreme natural events– such as flooding, earthquakes,

and high winds.

My thanks this month

for their contribution –

Peter Vitali and Don

Johnston.

I am always grateful for

any interesting

suggestions, industry

stories, changes to

regulations –

anything!……

gratefully received

Robyn Hogan

US Trucking Company Guilty of Role in Plant Explosion

A Montana trucking company and its owner were convicted of more

than a dozen federal charges filed after a 2012 explosion destroyed

an oil processing plant.

The Billings Gazette reports Woody’s Trucking and Donald Wood Jr.

were found guilty of conspiracy, fraud, transporting hazardous

materials without proper documentation and obstructing an

investigation. Sentencing is set for October.

The case began when a Woody’s truck hauling natural gas

condensate caught fire at Custom Carbon Processing Inc. near

Wibaux. Three workers were injured.

Woody’s Trucking hadn’t notified its insurance company it was

hauling hazardous materials. The insurance company is suing

Woody’s Trucking after it paid $250,000 to two injured men based

on Woody’s statements that it was hauling saline water.

Federal charges are pending against Custom Carbon Processing for

not installing explosion-proof wiring and failing to mitigate other

dangers.

‘Chemical Incident’ reported at US Plant It happened at the Celanese Clear Lake facility on Bayport

Boulevard, Pasadena.

Local officials are working with Celanese to resolve the issue,

according to the company.

Celanese warned emergency vehicles and sirens may be noticeable

in the community. Source: KHOU11

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global technology and

specialty materials company, announced it has completed

construction of its Clear Lake, Texas methanol unit and is now

operating at full rates. This methanol unit is a joint venture

between Celanese and Mitsui & Co., Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan and has

annual capacity of 1.3 million metric tons.

WATCH: SES in action at Gas Explosion

Exercise

BLOOD, explosions, shrapnel - SES crews were confronted with

extreme scenarios as they put their skills to the test in a rescue

challenge.