From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:56:19 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 5009DCDB-C7FD-45C3-B29F-7036E8037080**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 8:56:07 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
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Table of Contents (10 articles)

CHLORINE, AMMONIA ODOR SENDS MAN TO HOSPITAL; HAZMAT TEAM INVESTIGATES
Tags: us_WI, public, release, injury, ammonia, chlorine

FIRE BREAKS OUT AT CHITTARANJAN NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, NONE HURT
Tags: India, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

UNREGULATED DANGER? MOM, TODDLER BURNED BY E-CIGARETTE EXPLOSION
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, environmental, batteries

FOUR OF FIVE STUDENTS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER EXPOSURE TO LARGE AMOUNT OF CHLORINE IN NEWBERG
Tags: us_OR, education, release, injury, chlorine

MASSIVE FIRE GUTS PERFUME WAREHOUSE IN UAE
Tags: United_Arab_Emirates, industrial, fire, response, other_chemical

CRYOGENICS EXPERTS AT LOSS TO EXPLAIN LEDUC GAS ACCIDENT DEATHS
Tags: Canada, industrial, follow-up, death, nitrogen

WINTER HAVEN FIREFIGHTERS HOPING TO REDUCE CANCER RISK WITH DECONTAMINATION KITS
Tags: us_FL, industrial, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

FIRE CLAIMS FOUR LIVES AT GARMENT UNIT IN CENTRAL DELHI‰??S KAROL BAGH
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, solvent

LEAD FOUND IN 32 TOYS BEING SOLD FOR CHRISTMAS
Tags: Philippines, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

CONSUMER GROUP WARNS OF 'DANGEROUS' SLIME PRODUCTS
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical


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CHLORINE, AMMONIA ODOR SENDS MAN TO HOSPITAL; HAZMAT TEAM INVESTIGATES
https://www.channel3000.com/news/chlorine-ammonia-odor-sends-man-to-hospital-hazmat-team-investigates/878496578
Tags: us_WI, public, release, injury, ammonia, chlorine

MADISON, Wis. - One person was taken to the hospital Monday morning after inhaling fumes while working in a community clubhouse on Madison‰??s south side, according to a release from the Madison Fire Department.

Emergency crews were called around 8:30 a.m. to Highland Manor at 10 Malibur Drive for reports of a noxious odor that caused the custodian to get weak and collapse in one of the bathrooms, officials said.

One person told officials the odor smelled like a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, but the person who collapsed said he was not using both of those chemicals at the same time, according to the release. With the help of a co-worker, the man was able to crawl out of the room and walk to a vehicle, where he waited for emergency crews to arrive.

A co-worker opened some doors to allow fresh air in, so emergency crews were not able to determine what the odor was caused by, officials said. The building was cleared just before 10 a.m.

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FIRE BREAKS OUT AT CHITTARANJAN NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, NONE HURT
http://www.millenniumpost.in/delhi/fire-breaks-out-at-chittaranjan-national-cancer-institute-none-hurt-328251
Tags: India, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

Kolkata: A fire broke out at Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) on the Southern fringes of the city on Tuesday afternoon. No injury has been reported in the incident.

Three fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the flames. It triggered panic among the patients and hospital staff. The fire was brought under control after one and half hour.

According to the preliminary investigation, the Fire department officials suspect an air-conditioning machine caught fire inside the genetic research wing. Some staff of the hospital spotted smoke billowing out of a room and reported the matter to the police and fire brigade. Tension broke out among patients in the adjacent building of the hospital. The security personnel of the hospital took part in the rescue operation. They evacuated the genetic research wing to check any untoward incidents.

Fire fighters spotted the source of the fire and it was later doused. It was learnt that an air-conditioning machine was damaged in the incidents. The hospital authorities are also apprehending that some research papers in the laboratory were also destroyed in the fire. According to a senior official of CNCI, the staff managed to resist the fire from spreading to other parts of the hospital building. The fire was spotted in the air-conditioning machine. The genetic research wing and laboratory was immediately evacuated. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be confirmed. A detailed probe has been initiated. It may be mentioned that there was a fire incident at Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine triggering panic among patients and visitors on November 12.

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UNREGULATED DANGER? MOM, TODDLER BURNED BY E-CIGARETTE EXPLOSION
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/E-cigarette-lawsuit-toddler-burned-unregulated-danger-explosion-500885471.html
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, environmental, batteries

A mother and her toddler suffered horrible burns after she says an e-cigarette exploded, and now the family is filing a lawsuit against the store that sold her the device.
Paige Kadella is a Southern California mother who said she was trying to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes to improve her health, so she turned to vaping, or using an e-cigarette.
She says the decision turned into a consumer safety nightmare that‰??s gone unregulated for too long.
There are lots of studies about lithium ion batteries because of the potential dangers they pose.
From hover boards to cellphones to vaping devices, these small powerful batters have resulted in hundreds of reported injuries, but when it comes to powering e-cigarettes there's no regulation, no laws related to the safety of these batteries.

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FOUR OF FIVE STUDENTS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER EXPOSURE TO LARGE AMOUNT OF CHLORINE IN NEWBERG
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/four-of-five-students-released-from-hospital-after-exposure-to-large-amount-of-chlorine-in-newberg/283-616289562
Tags: us_OR, education, release, injury, chlorine

NEWBERG, Ore. ‰?? Six young people were treated and five were taken to hospitals after they were exposed to a large amount of chlorine at an aquatic center in Newberg on Tuesday morning.

A press release from Sherwood School District sent to KGW shortly after 2 p.m. said "four of the five students have been released from the hospital, and the fifth student is expected to be released today after additional observation."

Crews responded to the Chehalem Aquatic and Fitness Center, at 1802 Haworth Street, around 10:15 a.m., according to Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.

A high school swim team was practicing when the chlorine was released, firefighters said. The school said the coach of the swim team immediately removed the students from the pool and called 911.

"We commend the quick actions of the coach in addressing student health and safety," said Christine Andregg, public information officer for Sherwood School District.

The victims, all minors, were complaining of burning eyes, lightheadedness and throat irritation, and noted a strong chemical smell, fire officials said.

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MASSIVE FIRE GUTS PERFUME WAREHOUSE IN UAE
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/emergencies/massive-fire-guts-perfume-warehouse-in-uae
Tags: United_Arab_Emirates, industrial, fire, response, other_chemical

Sharjah Civil Defence controlled a massive fire that broke out in a perfume factory in Industrial Area 13.

Top officials at Sharjah civil defense said that they received call at 8:31am at the operation room which immediately dispatched fire fighters from Samanan, Muwaileh and Al Mina fire stations.

Rescue teams reached the site in less than eight minutes.

They managed to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighouring warehouses within 40 minutes.

The cooling operation was completed by 2pm, and the site handed over to fire experts from the forensic laboratory to investigate the cause.

The fire gutted the contents of the factory, which included perfumes, chemical materials and tools used in manufacturing fragrances.

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CRYOGENICS EXPERTS AT LOSS TO EXPLAIN LEDUC GAS ACCIDENT DEATHS
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/leduc-alberta-industrial-gas-deaths-cryogenics-1.4913172
Tags: Canada, industrial, follow-up, death, nitrogen

Experts in the cryogenic industry say they are waiting for answers from an Occupational Health and Safety investigation into the deaths of three men last week in an industrial accident.

The workers ‰?? aged 31, 34 and 52 ‰?? were killed Nov. 15 at Millennium Cryogenic Technologies, an oilfield supply company in the Leduc Business Park.

Leduc Mayor Bob Young said the men were killed in a "gas accident."

Fatalities involving liquid nitrogen, the key component used in cryogenic processes, are rare, said Glenn Johnston, president of the National Cryogenics Corporation, which operates out of Edmonton and Texas.

"We've been in the industry since 2007. And these are the only fatalities we've heard of, "Johnston said in an interview Tuesday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

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WINTER HAVEN FIREFIGHTERS HOPING TO REDUCE CANCER RISK WITH DECONTAMINATION KITS
https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/winter-haven-firefighters-hoping-to-reduce-cancer-risk-with-decontamination-kits/1607163863
Tags: us_FL, industrial, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) - Firefighters in Winter Haven are taking extra precautions when it comes to reducing chemical contamination and the risk of cancer.

The Winter Haven Fire Department recently obtained post-fire decontamination kits that will "play an integral role in preventing the cancer risk that firefighters face." They came from the University of Miami through a grant, according to department officials.

A study done by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shows firefighters are nine percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the general population. They also have a 14 percent higher risk of dying from cancer.

Even though firefighters have most of their skin covered on the job, Winter Haven officials say the risk of being exposed to toxic contaminants continues if they don't address decontamination on the scene. The gear they wear and take off after a job can transfer residue to the fire truck and the fire station, and eventually into their homes.

"The gear of our firefighters is decontaminated to ensure toxic substances do not accumulate," Public Safety Director Charlie Bird said in a statement. "Ensuring firefighters' health and safety on scene through these decontamination kits for the individual is vital and we are excited to have received the kits."

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FIRE CLAIMS FOUR LIVES AT GARMENT UNIT IN CENTRAL DELHI‰??S KAROL BAGH
https://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-fire-claims-four-lives-at-garment-unit-in-central-delhi-s-karol-bagh-2687376
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, solvent

Four died and two suffered minor injuries after a fire broke out at a garment manufacturing unit in central Delhi‰??s Karol Bagh on Monday afternoon. Of the deceased, one was a specially-abled man and two were women. A case has been registered and the owner of the factory has been arrested.

According to the fire fighters, a blaze sparked when one of the workers was using white solvent. He spilt the solvent while pouring it in a spray machine. The solvent caught fire from a steam iron that was placed close by. White solvent is a chemical used to clean fabric.

According to the fire official, a call about a fire at a garment pressing unit on the first floor of a house in Bidanpura area of Karol Bagh was received at around 12.15 pm.

‰??Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was not very big, however, the lanes were dingy and the fire brigade couldn‰??t go inside the lane. We found a house which had a two-faced opening through which the water hose were passed to reach the building,‰?? said Atul Garg, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) from the Delhi Fire Services.

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LEAD FOUND IN 32 TOYS BEING SOLD FOR CHRISTMAS
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/11/20/lead-found-in-32-toys-being-sold-for-christmas/
Tags: Philippines, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

Toxic watchdog EcoWaste Coalition warned the public on the adverse effects of dangerous chemicals, particularly lead, which were found in 32 out of 100 of the sample toys it obtained from the local market.

Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition expressed grave concern that none of the samples, including a fidget spinner with 198,900 parts per million (ppm) of lead, provided a list of chemicals that make up a toy nor text or graphic warnings.

He urged the concerned agencies to take drastic actions in removing the toxic toys out of the market especially as the Christmas shopping is starting to peak.

The authenticity of the findings was further strengthened as the recent study was done in collaboration with IPEN Chemicals in Products Program.

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CONSUMER GROUP WARNS OF 'DANGEROUS' SLIME PRODUCTS
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/20/health/trouble-in-toyland-report/index.html
Tags: public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

(CNN)A consumer advocacy group is warning parents of what it calls "dangerously high" levels of a chemical called boron in popular slime toys marketed to children -- although an expert disputed the findings and said the warning is overblown.

The warning was contained in the annual report by the US Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. The "Trouble in Toyland" safety survey was published Tuesday ahead of the major holiday shopping season.
The group noted "toys are safer than ever before," but that more work needs to be done to make them safer. PIRG's report highlighted the potential hazards of slime, toys with possible choking hazards and ones that could violate children's privacy by sharing data.
"With hundreds of new toys hitting the market every year, our survey of only 40 toys suggests there may be other potentially dangerous toys slipping through existing protections or worthy of further investigation," the group said.
The group singled out six popular slime products for what it described as containing "dangerously high boron content." Boron is a nonmetallic element, and compounds of it, such as borax, have been used in products for decades, ranging from detergents to roach poison. The US PIRG Education Fund said it found that "significant concentrations of boron, as high as 4,700 parts per million (ppm) in popular slime toys."

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