From: Daniel Kuespert <0000057d3b6cd9b7-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:46:36 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: C43D9362-68CB-4DDD-988C-DDF39305FF32**At_Symbol_Here**me.com
In-Reply-To


One wonders why the Board of Ed thinks the teacher's allowing the students to sit too close to the demo somehow relieves them of liability. It's kind of like arguing that the little old lady you pushed in front of the subway train is somehow responsible for her own demise just because she happened to be on the platform minding her own business.



Regards,
Dan

Daniel Reid Kuespert, PhD, CSP
11101 Wood Elves Way
Columbia, MD 21044
410-992-9709

On Jul 15, 2019, at 15:01, Anna Sitek <asitek1**At_Symbol_Here**UMN.EDU> wrote:

I hope Sammye has been contacted by the victims in the MERROL HYDE LAB 'EXPLOSION'

The article states:
The Hendersonville Fire Department's investigation found that the incident was caused by mixing boric acid - a white, odorless substance - and ethyl alcohol. Investigators deemed the incident "unintentional," according to a previous report ....
 
 
....That teacher, "while in the role of supervising the students in the classroom lit an open flame-within the classroom and placed a chemical substance in a bowl and poured a liquid over it," the complaint reads.
"Suddenly and without notice, the substance =E2=80=98flashed' and exploded and hurled a large flame over the immediate area where the (student) was seated near the table involved and set fire to (his) hair, skin and shirt." ...
 

.....Sumner County Board of Education "is without sufficient knowledge to admit or deny" many of the allegations but denies any negligence.

"The minor may have been sitting too close to the experiment," the Board of Education suggested in the filing.

The Board of Education aims for both complaints to be dismissed and reimbursement for attorney fees, according to the May 6 and May 13 answers, signed by Sumner County Law Director Leah May Dennen.

"It is possible the Daughter Doe was sitting on top of a table, instead of in her chair, when the event occurred," the Board of Education's amended answer filed June 19 states. "Had she been sitting in her chair, as she should have been, the accident could have been avoided."




On Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 6:52 AM DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org> wrote:
Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Monday, July 15, 2019 at 7:47:10 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)

NEAR MISS: UNEXPECTED POSITIVE PRESSURE IN DRUM DURING LID REMOVAL
Tags: us_ID, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL SMELL SICKENS PASSENGERS ON JETBLUE FLIGHT, FORCES UNPLANNED LANDING AT NYC'S KENNEDY AIRPORT
Tags: us_NY, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical

HAZMAT SPILL AT BERKELEY POOL INJURES ONE WORKER
Tags: us_MO, public, release, injury, chlorine

SOLVAY SAFETY ENGINEER SPEAKS TO STEM CAMPERS
Tags: us_FL, education, discovery, environmental

FAMILIES FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST SUMNER BOARD OF EDUCATION AFTER 2018 MERROL HYDE LAB 'EXPLOSION'
Tags: us_tn, laboratory, fire, followup, ethanol

CHEMICAL FIRE IN ROCHESTER FORCES RESIDENTS INDOORS
Tags: us_pa, public, fire, response, waste, chlorine

23 SENT TO HOSPITAL IN BUTTE DUE TO A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK
Tags: us_mt, public, release, injuries, carbon_monoxide

CHEMICAL LEAK AT ELECTRONICS FACTORY IN MUAR
Tags: malaysia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical

RESIDENTS ASKED TO SHELTER IN PLACE DUE TO CHLORINE GAS LEAK IN BEAVER COUNTY - CBS PITTSBURGH
Tags: us_PA, industrial, fire, response, chlorine

OLIFANTSFONTEIN CHEMICAL GAS EXPLOSION LEAVES 50 PEOPLE INJURED
Tags: South_Africa, public, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

OTAGO DAILY TIMES ONLINE NEWS
Tags: New_Zealand, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, hydrazine


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NEAR MISS: UNEXPECTED POSITIVE PRESSURE IN DRUM DURING LID REMOVAL
https://opexshare.doe.gov/lesson.cfm/2019/7/9/28084/Near-Miss-Unexpected-Positive-Pressure-in-Drum-During-Lid-Removal
Tags: us_ID, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

Unexpected positive pressure in an empty 85-gallon type (A) drum was discovered while removing the lid as part of a required security inspection prior to receipt into the facility. Two mitigative measures have been put into place for all future inspections of this kind. Always remove the bung plug first to equalize pressure and use a strap/sling to restrain the lid.
Download Article

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CHEMICAL SMELL SICKENS PASSENGERS ON JETBLUE FLIGHT, FORCES UNPLANNED LANDING AT NYC'S KENNEDY AIRPORT
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-jetblue-flight-fumes-newark-jfk-20190714-buuqw5sofve4bopgd5ccelbeka-story.html
Tags: us_NY, transportation, release, injury, unknown_chemical

A chemical smell sickened crew members and passengers Sunday on a JetBlue plane from Newark bound for the Dominican Republic.

The "unusual odor" made crew members and passengers feel unwell during an early-morning flight from Newark Airport that was bound for Santo Domingo, the crew reported. Pilots landed the plane at Kennedy Airport "out of an abundance of caution," according to a statement from JetBlue.

"We boarded at 6:30 (a.m.), and at 7:28 (a.m.) the pilot announces they have an emergency, a medical emergency," said passenger Elisa, 55, who was traveling with her sister Miriam from Harrisburg, Pa., to visit their mother in the Dominican Republic.

Elisa smelled a "chemical" odor, which was faint where she was sitting in the rear of the plane, she said.

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

HAZMAT SPILL AT BERKELEY POOL INJURES ONE WORKER
https://fox2now.com/2019/07/14/hazmat-spill-at-berkeley-pool-injures-one-worker/
Tags: us_MO, public, release, injury, chlorine

BERKELEY, MO - Hazmat crews responded to the Berkeley pool on Sunday morning for a report of a chemical spill.  One worker suffered chemical burns and was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.  The Department of Natural Resources also responded to assist with the cleanup.  A DNR worker on the scene said a valve came off a chlorine tank causing the spill.

There were no swimmers at the pool because it was closed at the time of the spill.  Kenny Hall lives nearby and hopes the pool will reopen soon.  "The kids need it," he said.

One city worker said the valve will need to be replaced and he did not expect that to be finished in time for the pool to reopen Monday.  It's not known when the pool will reopen but a city worker said the spill was contained to one area of the pool building and was cleaned up by Sunday evening.

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

SOLVAY SAFETY ENGINEER SPEAKS TO STEM CAMPERS
https://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/news/solvay-safety-engineer-speaks-to-stem-campers/article_e2a953b0-a4a8-11e9-8dc6-4fa6be9fc65d.html
Tags: us_FL, education, discovery, environmental

WHITE SPRINGS - STEM in the Park campers were provided an unique opportunity last week when Pam Nelson delivered a presentation on her responsibilities as the Global Process Safety Manager for Cytec Industries, Inc./SOLVAY, an international company based in Brussels, Belgium.

Nelson is a chemical engineer with process safety management expertise, and more than 30 years of experience in the chemical process industry. She has expertise in process safety management audits and process hazards analysis leadership.

Currently, Nelson is responsible for managing process safety for Solvay's Global Business Unit of nine manufacturing sites in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, China and Great Britain.

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

FAMILIES FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST SUMNER BOARD OF EDUCATION AFTER 2018 MERROL HYDE LAB 'EXPLOSION'
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/sumner/2019/07/12/complaints-filed-against-sumner-board-education-after-lab-explosion/1718853001/
Tags: us_tn, laboratory, fire, followup, ethanol

Two families have filed complaints against the Sumner County Board of Education in connection with an explosion last year at Merrol Hyde Magnet School.

The school, at 128 Township Dr. in Hendersonville, was evacuated on May 9, 2018 when a science experiment caused a hazmat issue. Seventeen students and a teacher were injured. The teacher and eight students were taken to nearby hospitals.

The Hendersonville Fire Department's investigation found that the incident was caused by mixing boric acid - a white, odorless substance - and ethyl alcohol. Investigators deemed the incident "unintentional," according to a previous report.

The first complaint
Hendersonville parents filed a complaint with their son in the Circuit Court for Sumner County on March 5, alleging "personal injuries-caused by negligence" of the teacher employed by the board of education.

The family is seeking $100,000 and medical expenses, according to the complaint, signed by Attorney Joseph Y. Longmire Jr. of Hendersonville.

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

CHEMICAL FIRE IN ROCHESTER FORCES RESIDENTS INDOORS
https://www.timesonline.com/news/20190713/chemical-fire-in-rochester-forces-residents-indoors
Tags: us_pa, public, fire, response, waste, chlorine

ROCHESTER - Some Beaver County residents spent a breezy, sunny morning indoors under a shelter alert Saturday after a chemical fire rekindled in Rochester. And emergency officials say the restrictions might not be done yet.

Residents in a five-mile radius of Rochester were advised to stay indoors for more than eight hours Friday night and again Saturday morning after a chemical fire at a former industrial site along the Ohio River. Rochester Fire Chief Michael Mamone III said six dumpsters adjacent to the site, which is part of a project overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection, could cause additional chemical releases if the chlorine tablets inside spontaneously combust again.

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

23 SENT TO HOSPITAL IN BUTTE DUE TO A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK
https://www.kulr8.com/butte/sent-to-hospital-in-butte-due-to-a-carbon-monoxide/article_6f841e68-a5d1-11e9-89c1-db3f9f46d77b.html
Tags: us_mt, public, release, injuries, carbon_monoxide

BUTTE- At least 23 people were taken to the hospital, and a hotel was evacuated after a carbon monoxide leak.

The original call happened around seven-thirty Saturday morning at the Quality Inn and Suites. Fire crews were called back multiple times along with Northwest Energy around 2-thirty Saturday afternoon to more calls of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Three men called 911 Saturday morning after they experienced severe symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure, including red skin, vomiting, and loss of motor function.

The men were removed from the room, and the fire department evacuated that wing of the hotel.

The fire department says they went into hazmat operating procedures and located the source of the leak, a boiler in the pool room.

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

CHEMICAL LEAK AT ELECTRONICS FACTORY IN MUAR
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/07/13/chemical-leak-at-electronics-factory-in-muar/
Tags: malaysia, industrial, release, response, other_chemical

MUAR: A chemical leak was detected at an electronics factory in Tanjung Agas near here earlier today.

Tangkak Fire and Rescue station operations commander Assistant Superintendent Rafiah Aziz said three out of four 220-litre barrels containing sodium fluoride at the factory were found to be leaking the chemical.

Rafiah said eight firefighters were deployed to the scene when the station received an emergency call on the incident at 10.54 am.

"The initial action was taken by the Emergency Response Team (ERT) at the premises by using soda ash to absorb the chemical.

"=46rom the information received by the management of the premises, the leak is believed to have occurred as the sodium fluoride could have been mixed with other chemicals," she said when contacted by reporters here today.

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

RESIDENTS ASKED TO SHELTER IN PLACE DUE TO CHLORINE GAS LEAK IN BEAVER COUNTY - CBS PITTSBURGH
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/07/13/chorine-gas-leak/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, fire, response, chlorine

BEAVER COUNTY (KDKA) - Residents in the Rochester area are asked to close all windows and doors due to a fire and chlorine gas leak in the area.

Beaver County 911 says the call came in around 9:00 p.m. near Beaver Valley Bowl on New York Avenue.

Multiple crews along with a hazmat team are responding to the scene.

Residents that live within a five mile radius of the Rochester Borough are asked to shelter in place.

Route 65 was shut down, but is now back open.

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

OLIFANTSFONTEIN CHEMICAL GAS EXPLOSION LEAVES 50 PEOPLE INJURED
http://www.702.co.za/articles/354632/olifantsfontein-chemical-gas-explosion-leaves-50-people-injured
Tags: South_Africa, public, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

At least 50 people are being treated at various hospitals for injuries sustained in a chemical gas explosion at a building in Olifantsfontein.

Paramedics said that when they arrived on the scene, the structure had been evacuated.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring says that the cause of the blast is unknown.

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

OTAGO DAILY TIMES ONLINE NEWS
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/chemical-safely-exploded
Tags: New_Zealand, laboratory, follow-up, environmental, hydrazine

South Dunedin business evacuations and exploding unstable chemicals may be seen as a "dramatic response" by some, but emergency services insist it was worth it to ensure public safety.
A small package of hydrazine monohydrate was detonated in Glasgow St by the New Zealand Defence Force at 9.30am yesterday.

The chemical was found in an unstable condition by a laboratory manager at Dunedin probiotics manufacturer Blis Technologies on Thursday.

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

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--
Anna Sitek, CSP, CCHO
Research Safety Professional- College of Science & Engineering
Department of Environmental Health and Safety
University of Minnesota- TCEM
Lab Safety Resources www.z.umn.edu/labsafe
Joint Safety Team www.jst.umn.edu
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