From: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (11 articles)
Date: December 19, 2012 7:13:07 AM EST
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: <0884C0AC-A85F-4819-8399-608D4EF2B9A8**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>

Note that the Safety Zone blog entry at the top of the list includes details of the legal discussion about where responsibility for safety training lies within the academic setting....

- Ralph

Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 7:12:14 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

Table of Contents (11 articles)

PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR PATRICK HARRAN IN #SHERISANGJI CASE: DAY FIVE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, follow-up, death

SCHOOL LAB EXPLOSION INJURES WILTSHIRE TEENAGER
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, explosion, injury, waste

UPDATE: EL DORADO CHEMICAL INCIDENT UNDER CONTROL
Tags: us_AR, industrial, release, response, pool_chemicals

4 INJURED AFTER WOMAN DOUSED WITH CHEMICAL, SET ON FIRE AT DENVER APARTMENT
Tags: us_CO, public, fire, injury, flammables, illegal

TRIAL DECISION DELAYED IN UCLA LAB DEATH CASE
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, death, illegal

SLAUGHTER RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT CHEMICAL LAB CLEANUP
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, various_chemicals

SODA MACHINE LEAK FORCES HAZMAT INCIDENT
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, hvac_chemicals

HAZMAT CREW RUSHES TO SCRAP YARD
Tags: us_CT, public, discovery, injury, other_chemical, metals

TORONTO AIRPORTS AUTHORITY COMES TO RESCUE IN MASSIVE BRAMPTON CHEMICAL FIRE
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, response, flammables

AGENTS NAB CHINESE-MADE PLASTIC DUCKS WITH PHTHALATE LEVELS HIGHER THAN ALLOWED IN U.S.
Tags: us_CA, transportation, discovery, response, plastics

LABS COULD CONTAMINATE RIVERS WITH ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES
Tags: China, public, release, environmental, pharmaceutical


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PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR PATRICK HARRAN IN #SHERISANGJI CASE: DAY FIVE
http://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/2012/12/preliminary-hearing-for-patrick-harran-in-sherisangji-case-day-five/
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, follow-up, death

University of California, Los Angeles, chemistry professor Patrick Harran appeared in court on Monday to continue a preliminary hearing on felony charges of labor code violations. Harran faces charges stemming from a 2008 fire in his laboratory that led to the death of Sheharbano (Sheri) Sangji in 2009. The purpose of the preliminary hearing is for the prosecution to present evidence to a judge, who will decide if there is enough to take the case forward to a trial.

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SCHOOL LAB EXPLOSION INJURES WILTSHIRE TEENAGER
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-20773740
Tags: United_Kingdom, laboratory, explosion, injury, waste

An A-level chemistry student has been taken to hospital after an explosion at a school laboratory in Wiltshire.

Emergency crews were called to reports of an explosion at Hardenhuish Academy in Chippenham at around 12:30 GMT.

The 18-year-old pupil was taken to the Great Western Hospital suffering from extensive burns to his hands and face, a Wiltshire Ambulance spokesman said.

His injuries are not thought to be life changing and no-one else was hurt in the incident.

'Fumes built up'
Head teacher, Jan Hatherell, said the incident had involved the student working on an "individual chemistry experiment".

"He was carrying it out in a fume cupboard and what seems to have happened is when the experiment was at an end - instead of disposing of it in the correct manner - he went to another fume cupboard and disposed of it in the organic waste bottle," she said.

"And so when it went into the organic waste, it reacted with it and fumes built up in the organic waste bottle which then exploded."

A police spokesman said the laboratory had been cordoned off, the area made safe and the incident reported to the Health and Safety Executive.

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

UPDATE: EL DORADO CHEMICAL INCIDENT UNDER CONTROL
http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id=619542
Tags: us_AR, industrial, release, response, pool_chemicals

At approximately 4:00 pm a trailer containing pool chemicals was reported to have a reaction which caused a large cloud to appear over our transportation yard and move northerly toward the Union County Sheriff's Office and Correctional Facility. This trailer was received at our facility yesterday. Local authorities have called for an evacuation of the correctional facility and a convenient store in close proximity to our facility. Traffic has been rerouted around the area by local authorities with the assistance of the Clean Harbors personnel.

The reaction within the trailer is being contained and we expect to have this under control tonight. It is our experience that in dealing with this chemical that it quickly dissipates into the environment and should not cause any long term effects.
....
Area residents could experience minor eye irritation if exposed to the cloud. We encourage our neighbors to stay indoors and monitor updates from local authorities. We are working closely with Arkansas Dept of Environmental Quality, Union County Sheriffs Dept , El Dorado City Police, local fire department and the Union County Dept of Emergency Services.

We will continue to update the public as new information is available.

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

4 INJURED AFTER WOMAN DOUSED WITH CHEMICAL, SET ON FIRE AT DENVER APARTMENT
http://www.9news.com/news/article/304878/71/Woman-doused-with-chemical-set-on-fire
Tags: us_CO, public, fire, injury, flammables, illegal

DENVER - Denver police say four people inside a home were injured after a woman was doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire after answering a knock at the front door.

Police say two men went to an apartment in the 4300 block of Lipan Street around 6:30 p.m. Thursday and knocked on the door.

When someone inside opened the door, one of the suspects sprayed a chemical from a weed sprayer while the other suspect threw a lit match into the unit, according to police.

The woman was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Three other people who were in the home were also hurt but their injuries are minor according to police.

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

TRIAL DECISION DELAYED IN UCLA LAB DEATH CASE
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/12/trial-decision-delayed-in-ucla-lab-death-case.html
Tags: us_CA, laboratory, fire, death, illegal

A Los Angeles judge has delayed until mid-February her decision on whether UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran must stand trial on charges stemming from the December 2008 lab fire that killed staff research assistant Sheharbano "Sheri" Sangji.

At the end of a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench granted a defense request to submit written motions to dismiss or reduce the felony charges against Harran to misdemeanors. Lench scheduled a Feb. 15 hearing on the motions.

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SLAUGHTER RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT CHEMICAL LAB CLEANUP
http://www.wafb.com/story/20321633/slaughter-residents-concerned-about-chemical-lab-cleanup
Tags: us_LA, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, various_chemicals

SLAUGHTER, LA (WAFB) -
Nearly one month after Monolyte Labs in the town of Slaughter burned to the ground, emotions relating to the company's clean up of the accident were still red-hot Tuesday night.

"What caused the fire and what could you have done ahead of the game for it not to have occurred for one?" asked one resident.

Officials from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality were on hand for a public forum addressing Monolyte's continued efforts cleaning up various chemicals that were deposited near the facility after the fire, namely a compound called Acrilamyde. But residents were assured the health risks associated with the chemical are minimal.

"This is not a compound that bio-accumulates, it's not going to stay there, it's not going to be ingested in tissue or fish or animals. We are going to get as much of it removed as can be removed and the residual is going to break down," said DEQ Administrator of Inspections Tom Killeen.

Mayor Robert Jackson also took part in the question and answer forum with DEQ and representatives from Monolyte, adding keeping the public updated is his main priority.

"We are going to lose a good business and jobs in town and I hate it for them but after the fact it's time for us to do our thing and my main concern is for our citizens," said Jackson.

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

SODA MACHINE LEAK FORCES HAZMAT INCIDENT
http://wilmington.patch.com/articles/soda-machine-leak-forces-hazmat-incident
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, hvac_chemicals

Firefighters spent several hours with a Hazmat crew on Saturday afternoon after employees at a Ballardvale Street warehouse complained of a strange odor in the building.

Deputy Fire Chief Rick McClellan said a call came in at about 1:10 p.m. on Saturday from 240 Ballardvale Street. Multiple employees were complaining of headaches and slight dizziness, prompting the call to the Fire Department.

Three employees were evaluated at the scene but declined being transported to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the regional Hazmat team arrived on scene and began searching for the source of the odor. Originally the crew believed a warehouse that produces cleaning supplies in another part of the building could have been the issue, but they quickly ruled that out.

Using gas monitors, the Hazmat team discovered a soda machine in the building that was leaking refrigerant. The machine was unplugged and the service company was called.

"Once the building was cleared, the employees were allowed to go back into the building," said McClellan. "The good news was that there wasn't enough refrigerant in the system or that leaked to cause a major problem."

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HAZMAT CREW RUSHES TO SCRAP YARD
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/scap_metal_caper/id_53492
Tags: us_CT, public, discovery, injury, other_chemical, metals

After a burglar passed off a load of stolen pipes from a toxic power plant, scrap metal worker Jose Canuelas found himself stripping down Monday afternoon and heading home in a Tyvek suit.
....
"We saw them coming out of Alderman-Dow," recalled Zona. He advised cops not to touch the suspects. English Station is contaminated with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), highly toxic compounds that can cause cancer.

The suspects surrendered, Zona said. Firefighters from Hazmat 1 and Squad 1 showed up and helped them strip down and change into Tyvek suits. One of the trespassers was the same man who was caught just two months ago breaking into English Station. That time, the suspect was hosed and scrubbed down in the street. This time, the weather was too cold, so the suspects would be "decontaminated" at the hospital, Zona said. After that, they would be arrested on trespassing and burglary charges.

Zona said the two perpetrators were men in their 20s or 30s.

They sold 50 to 100 pounds of copper and brass to the scrap metal yard worth $200 to $250, according to yard boss Ian Alderman. Alderman said his family scrap metal yard followed all rules required by law, including asking for the seller's identification and taking photos of the material. The yard submits weekly reports listing all the goods it buys and from whom it buys them. Alderman said the yard had no way of knowing whether the material was contaminated.

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

TORONTO AIRPORTS AUTHORITY COMES TO RESCUE IN MASSIVE BRAMPTON CHEMICAL FIRE
http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/482203/toronto-airports-authority-comes-to-rescue-in-massive-brampton-chemical-fire/
Tags: Canada, industrial, explosion, response, flammables

Deputy Fire Chief Matt Pegg says without the help of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, a massive chemical fire in Brampton could have been much worse Monday.

Pegg said Brampton Fire crews responded to reports of a blaze at Empack Spraytech Inc., near Airport Rd. and Hwy. 407, around 1:30 p.m.

But nearly 50 firefighters were forced into a defensive mode, around the building's exterior, as the blaze engulfed the building, flammable liquids like ethanol and heptane exploding inside.

The GTAA, luckily nearby, said Pegg, responded to help and sprayed the blaze with special foam to contain the fire.

"It's the first time we've used them and we're lucky they were right next door," said Pegg, who couldn't risk sending his firefighters inside.

"It made a huge difference for us," said Pegg.

Pegg said the chemicals within the building made for a complex fire, heightening the risk of explosions, and the foam ensured the blaze was under control.

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

AGENTS NAB CHINESE-MADE PLASTIC DUCKS WITH PHTHALATE LEVELS HIGHER THAN ALLOWED IN U.S.
http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i51/Agents-Nab-Chinese-Made-Plastic.html
Tags: us_CA, transportation, discovery, response, plastics

Plastic toy ducks decked out as Santas, reindeer, penguins, gingerbread men, and snowmen were seized by federal officials early this month after arriving in California from China. The toy ducks contain phthalates at levels that may harm children, according to U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP). In the raid at the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport, CBP worked with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to enforce a congressionally mandated ban on toys and child care items with more than 0.1% of any of three chemicals used to soften plastics: di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate, and benzyl butyl phthalate. The ducks contain between about 8 and 12% DEHP, depending on their style, a spokeswoman for CPSC tells C&EN. The seizure of the plastic ducks, CBP says, kept unsafe products out of stores and consumers' homes.

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LABS COULD CONTAMINATE RIVERS WITH ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES
http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/web/2012/12/Labs-Contaminate-Rivers-Antibiotic-Resistance.html
Tags: China, public, release, environmental, pharmaceutical

Researchers report that antibiotic resistance genes used in molecular biology and genetic engineering experiments may have reached the environment. In six Chinese rivers, researchers found bacterial DNA carrying these synthetic genes (Environ. Sci. Technol., DOI: 10.1021/es302760s). Still experts call for more studies to confirm the results and pinpoint specific sources of the genes.

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