From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2019 07:44:13 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 5E2521EE-0319-41B6-8787-181E4A9CBE5B**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, September 6, 2019 at 7:43:58 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)

NEW HAMPSHIRE TO RESTRICT CHEMICALS IN FURNITURE, FIREFIGHTING FOAMS
Tags: us_NH, public, discovery, environmental

CREWS CONTINUE CLEANUP EFFORTS AFTER ROCHESTER CHLORINE GAS FIRE ‰?? CBS PITTSBURGH
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, chlorine

WAUKEGAN FIRE DEPARTMENT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF AB SILICONES EXPLOSION, FIRE; OTHER INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, death, unknown_chemical

UPDATE: EIGHT PEOPLE TAKEN TO NORTH SHORE HOSPITALS FOLLOWING CHEMICAL LEAK AT ROUTE 1 MARKET BASKET IN ROWLEY
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, hvac_chemicals

CHEMICAL SAFETY DATABASE GETS AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AND IUPAC BACKING
Tags: laboratory, follow-up, environmental

AMMONIA LEAK AT KOCH FOODS PLANT IN ASHLAND LEADS TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE BEING TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_AL, industrial, release, injury, ammonia

MAINE FIREFIGHTERS WANT TO SEE A BAN OF PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT
Tags: us_ME, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical

BEAVER RESIDENT SAYS CHEMICAL CLOUD 'SO THICK I COULDN'T SEE MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL'
Tags: us_PA, public, follow-up, injury, bromine, chlorine

(UPDATE) FIRE FIGHTERS RESPOND TO CHLORINATED GAS LEAK
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, chlorine, gas_cylinders

HAZMAT RELEASES TRAPPED AMMONIA INTO THE AIR IN MERLIMAU
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, release, response, ammonia

GINSENG UP BEVERAGES IN WORCESTER EVACUATED AFTER AMMONIA LEAK
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, ammonia


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NEW HAMPSHIRE TO RESTRICT CHEMICALS IN FURNITURE, FIREFIGHTING FOAMS
https://chemicalwatch.com/81714/new-hampshire-to-restrict-chemicals-in-furniture-firefighting-foams
Tags: us_NH, public, discovery, environmental

New Hampshire‰??s governor Chris Sununu has signed into law legislation prohibiting the sale of upholstered furniture containing flame retardant (FR) chemicals and limiting the use of firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs).

The first, SB 193, will ban the sale, manufacture and distribution of upholstered furniture containing in its covering or cushioning material an FR or FR mixture of over 1%. The legislation defines FR as any chemical with a functional use to resist or inhibit the spread of fire, including halogenated, phosphorus-based, nitrogen-based and nanoscale substances.

Exceptions to the ban include for used furniture, furniture purchased for public use, and mattresses. New furniture manufactured before 2020, as well as products imported or purchased by a retailer or wholesaler before 2021, are also exempted.

The law will also authorise the state‰??s attorney general to require furniture manufacturers to provide a certificate of compliance, and includes a provision indemnifying retailers. It took effect on 3 September.

New Hampshire follows both Maine and California in taking action to ban FRs in upholstered furniture in recent years. The class of substances has remained in the spotlight in both Europe and the US due to concerns about their environmental and health effects.

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CREWS CONTINUE CLEANUP EFFORTS AFTER ROCHESTER CHLORINE GAS FIRE ‰?? CBS PITTSBURGH
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/09/05/chlorine-gas-fire-cleanup/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, follow-up, response, chlorine

BEAVER COUNTY(KDKA) ‰?? Potential hazards remain at the site of a Beaver County fire that led to a cloud of chlorine gas being released.

Progress on the site is proving to be expensive for the Pennsylvania Departmentment of Environmental Protection.

Workers were at the former Pool Doctor-Beaver Alkali Products site in Rochester early Thursday morning, wearing white jumpsuits and face masks.

Some workers wore construction hats.


(Photo Credit: KDKA)

As recently as Tuesday, contractors with the DEP removed, neutralized and disposed of most of the chemicals and debris from the building that ignited.

The building was demolished to completely remove the chemicals stored inside.

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WAUKEGAN FIRE DEPARTMENT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF AB SILICONES EXPLOSION, FIRE; OTHER INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/investigators-unable-determine-cause-fatal-ab-silicones-explosion-fire
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, death, unknown_chemical

Investigators with the Waukegan (Ill.) Fire Department say they cannot determine what caused an explosion and fire May 3 at AB Specialty Silicones headquarters in Waukegan, that killed four employees, including two owners.

Private investigators, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, and Region 5 of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will continue their probes of the incident.

The Waukegan Fire Department's investigation was hampered because the key witnesses died in the explosion, according to Waukegan Fire Marshal Steve Lenzi.

However, all the government agencies are required by law to share their findings with each other, Lenzi said.

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

UPDATE: EIGHT PEOPLE TAKEN TO NORTH SHORE HOSPITALS FOLLOWING CHEMICAL LEAK AT ROUTE 1 MARKET BASKET IN ROWLEY
https://middleton.wickedlocal.com/news/20190905/update-eight-people-taken-to-north-shore-hospitals-following-chemical-leak-at-route-1-market-basket-in-rowley
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, hvac_chemicals

First responders are still on the scene of a level 1 hazmat incident at the Market Basket on Route 1 in Rowley, where 25 people were evaluated and eight transported to local medical facilities, four to Beverly Hospital and four to Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport.

Rowley Fire Chief James Broderick said officials from the state hazmat unit believe there was a refrigerant leak from a cooler in an unspecified location inside the building. He added he believed the people taken to the hospital had nothing life threatening and would probably be treated and released.

The plaza where the store is located has been closed indefinitely.

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CHEMICAL SAFETY DATABASE GETS AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AND IUPAC BACKING
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/chemical-safety-database-gets-american-chemical-society-and-iupac-backing/3010932.article
Tags: laboratory, follow-up, environmental

A public database of hazardous chemical reactions launched in March 2017 by the US non-profit group Pistoia Alliance has secured the backing of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and its Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) ‰?? a massive index of research papers and compound structures. Pistoia created this Chemical Safety Library (CSL) as a tool for researchers to share and learn about lab accidents and thereby prevent repeat incidents, and these two new partners will develop and launch an updated, more user-friendly version of the database.

‰??We are going to be working with ACS and CAS to collaborate on a ‰??CSL two‰??,‰?? announced Carmen Nitsche, a business development consultant for the Pistoia Alliance, at the ACS‰??s national meeting in San Diego on 26 August. ‰??What exactly it is going to be is not fully defined yet, but it will preserve the community contributions of incidents and near misses at chemistry labs,‰?? she said.

Under the updated CSL, Nitsche noted, self-reported chemical reaction data will continue to be made publicly available and deposited in PubChem, the US National Institutes of Health‰??s chemical database. In addition, she said the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (Iupac) has agreed to endorse the new CSL and publicise it.

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AMMONIA LEAK AT KOCH FOODS PLANT IN ASHLAND LEADS TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE BEING TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/ammonia-leak-at-koch-foods-plant-in-ashland-leads-to-multiple-people-being-taken-to-hospital/
Tags: us_AL, industrial, release, injury, ammonia

SHLAND, Ala. (WIAT) ‰?? Multiple people have been taken to a local hospital following an ammonia leak at the Koch Foods plant in Ashland Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred around 12:30, according to Ashland police. They can confirm 2-4 people have been transported to Clay County Hospital for possible breathing problems.

Authorities say the leak was contained in part of the plant. Hazmat suits are being used to make repairs.

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

MAINE FIREFIGHTERS WANT TO SEE A BAN OF PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT
https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-firefighters-want-to-see-a-ban-of-pfas-in-firefighting-equipment
Tags: us_ME, industrial, follow-up, environmental, other_chemical

BIDDEFORD (WGME) -- Some Maine firefighters say there's a certain chemical used in some firefighting foams that can be dangerous to humans and the environment.

"It can cause problems through its runoff," Biddeford Fire Captain Justin Cooper said. "And it's been known to cause cancer in firefighters."

The chemical is PFAS. The state of Maine currently allows the chemical to be used in firefighting foams, but it's being monitored by state agencies.

Cooper says that Biddeford got rid of all their foam containing PFAS last year, after they found out about the dangers it can cause people.

"We found that our gear does a great job of protecting us from heat, but doesn't do a great job of protecting us from those bi-products of combustion," Cooper said.

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

BEAVER RESIDENT SAYS CHEMICAL CLOUD 'SO THICK I COULDN'T SEE MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL'
https://www.timesonline.com/news/20190904/beaver-resident-says-chemical-cloud-so-thick-i-couldnt-see-my-hands-on-steering-wheel
Tags: us_PA, public, follow-up, injury, bromine, chlorine

ROCHESTER ‰?? Beaver resident Greg Muiter was in a convertible driving south on Route 65 when he encountered the chlorine and bromine cloud that enveloped the Rochester area following a second chemical reaction on July 13.

‰??To say it was thick would be an understatement,‰?? he told Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials during a sparsely attended public hearing at the Rochester Borough Municipal Building on Wednesday. ‰??It was so thick I couldn‰??t see my hands on the steering wheel.‰??

Muiter said he started shaking and his arms went numb. He called 911, but did not receive any help so he continued driving to his destination in Sewickley, where he collapsed and was rushed to UPMC Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment.

Muiter came to the hearing to learn what type of bromine was in the cloud that affected his health almost immediately after driving through it.

Fallston resident Conrad Bianco was the only other person to speak at the hearing, asking about the decision to close the Beaver Valley Bowl building next to the chemical leak. Bianco performs with the Cellar Dwellers improvisational comedy group, which held a show in the Bowl building on Aug. 9 only to be subsequently told that nobody was allowed inside.

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

(UPDATE) FIRE FIGHTERS RESPOND TO CHLORINATED GAS LEAK
http://manninglive.com/2019/09/03/fire-fighters-respond-to-chlorinated-gas-leak/
Tags: us_SC, public, release, response, chlorine, gas_cylinders

Around 9:00 AM this morning a resident farmer reported a small chlorine gas leak from his pump house. Clarendon County Fire Department responded to find a small leak coming from the farmers pump house. Clarendon County Sheriff‰??s Department was requested to establish a safe perimeter around the leak. Sumter Fire Department was requested to respond with their hazmat equipment. Hazardous Material Technicians from Clarendon and Sumter Fire Department entered the pump house to find a 100 lb. chlorine cylinder with a small leak. The technicians noted that most of the gas had already released from the container and a small amount of gas was remaining. The cylinder was removed from the pump house for safety measures. There were no hazards to the public and no injuries from the release. The scene was placed under control around 11:10 AM.

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

HAZMAT RELEASES TRAPPED AMMONIA INTO THE AIR IN MERLIMAU
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/09/04/hazmat-releases-trapped-ammonia-into-the-air-in-merlimau/1787013
Tags: Malaysia, industrial, release, response, ammonia

JASIN, Sept 4 ‰?? The Fire and Rescue Department‰??s Hazardous Materials Unit (Hazmat) has decided to release the ammonia gas trapped in gas piping at a chicken processing farm in Merlimau, in stages last night.

State Housing, Local Government, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew said the gas release began at 10pm and would take about 10 hours.

He said Hazmat had sprayed water in five locations in the farm to help release the trapped gas into the air, with gas readings indicating a drop from 500 ppm (part per million) to about 30 ppm within 45 minutes.

The department was also conducting gas readings every two hours in areas within a 3km radius of the factory, Tey said at a press conference at the operations centre here late last night, adding that if the readings in the areas indicated that the air was polluted, the release of the gas would be stopped.

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GINSENG UP BEVERAGES IN WORCESTER EVACUATED AFTER AMMONIA LEAK
https://www.telegram.com/news/20190903/ginseng-up-beverages-in-worcester-evacuated-after-ammonia-leak
Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, ammonia

WORCESTER ‰?? An ammonia leak from Ginseng UP beverages on Plum Street was brought under control, according to a Fire Department spokesman, who said it amounted to a low-risk hazardous materials situation.

There was no danger to the public, Deputy Chief Martin Dyer said.

The incident, off Shrewsbury Street, unfolded about 9:30 Tuesday morning. Workers were outside the building, at 16 Plum St. The road was blocked.

Deputy Chief Dyer said someone who was concerned about the strong smell of ammonia flagged down firefighters in a passing rescue truck.

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