From: RAMPUR VISWANATH <000005c25051b089-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (14 articles)
Date: Sat, 9 May 2020 05:43:06 +0000
Reply-To: RAMPUR VISWANATH <r.viswanath**At_Symbol_Here**YAHOO.COM>
Message-ID: 1562617038.51215.1589002986468**At_Symbol_Here**mail.yahoo.com
In-Reply-To


There are good laws with teeth but enforcement is weak!

Rampur Viswanath, Ph.D., REM, CHMM
US Fulbright Senior Scholar (2015-2016)
Vice-Chairman, Hazardous Materials Society, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Founder & President, ACHMM-India Chapter, Bangalore, India
Career Consultant, American Chemical Society, Washington, District of Columbia, United States 
Past Chairman, American Chemical Society's Southern Nevada Chapter, Las Vegas, United States
General Chairman, American Chemical Society's 2022-Western Regional Conference, Las Vegas, United States
International Ambassador-Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals, Rockville, Maryland, United States
Rotary District Governor (2011-2012)-D5080 (parts of Washington, Idaho and British Columbia)
Member-Rotary Club of Las Vegas (D5300), Las Vegas, Nevada, United States



On Friday, May 8, 2020, 08:21:21 AM PDT, roberth_hill <roberth_hill**At_Symbol_Here**mindspring.com> wrote:


You are right at least with the information provided that this is reminiscent of Bopal. I noticed there seemed to be a lot of incidents in India.  Wondering if laws governing chemical safety Practices are weak? Chemical plants often seem to be in poorer communities.  Bob



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone


-------- Original message --------
From: TILAK CHANDRA <0000058f112ac338-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Date: 5/8/20 9:23 AM (GMT-05:00)
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (14 articles)

This incident reminds the Union Carbide incident in Bhopal on the night of December 2, 1984, where thousands died and millions are still suffering from methyl isocynate (MIC) exposure and related complications. Similarly, in this case a temperature (refrigeration system) and poor maintenance of the tank and delivery system is a factor. It seems around 5,000-metric-ton styrene was stored inside this tank.

 

Generally, the population surrounding of the plants are regularly suffering from these tragedies. The main cause is poor process safety and cost savings. NO LESSONS were learned and both incidents/releases happened only during a night sift, any reason? What about a leak detection system, pressure release and secondary containment or a scrubber.

Tilak



CHEMICAL LEAK AT LG PLANT IN INDIA KILLS 11, ABOUT 1,000 ILL
https://www.startribune.com/gas-leak-in-industrial-plant-kills-3-in-india-sickens-more/570262932/
Tags: India, industrial, release, death, styrene

HYDERABAD, India - A gas leaked from an LG chemical plant in southern India early Thursday, leaving people struggling to breathe and collapsing in the streets as they tried to flee. At least 11 people died and about 1,000 suffered breathing difficulties and other problems.

The synthetic chemical styrene leaked from the LG Polymers plant in a city on India's eastern coast while workers were preparing to restart the facility after a coronavirus lockdown was eased, state official Vinay Chand said.

A fire that broke out before the gas leak was extinguished, and police said the gas leak was later halted and the air had cleared.

Chand said some people collapsed on the road and were rushed to a hospital. About 1,000 people in an area of 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) complained of breathing difficulties and a burning sensation in their eyes, he said.


From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> on behalf of DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 7:08 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (14 articles)
 
Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Friday, May 8, 2020 at 8:07:57 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 (14 articles)

CENTRE STEPS IN, 500 KG OF CHEMICALS AIRLIFTED FROM GUJARAT
Tags: India, industrial, release, response, styrene

BOILER BLAST AT NLC THERMAL POWER STATION INJURES EIGHT
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

MASSIVE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT A FACTORY IN NASHIK, TEN FIRE TENDERS PRESSED INTO ACTION
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

POOL CLEANING ACCIDENT LANDS SAN RAMON RESIDENT IN THE HOSPITAL
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE BOMB SQUAD AND HAZMAT TEAM RESPOND TO A WEST SPRINGFIELD HOME
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, response, explosives, fireworks

MARTINSBURG WATER CONTAMINATION LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT
Tags: us_WV, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

CHEMICAL LEAK AT LG PLANT IN INDIA KILLS 11, ABOUT 1,000 ILL
Tags: India, industrial, release, death, styrene

ADDING INVESTIGATORS A =E2=80=98TOP PRIORITY', NEW CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD CHAIR SAYS
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, environmental

LCC LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AIDE PROGRAM
Tags: us_OR, education, discovery, environmental, disinfectant

NEURAL NETWORK MEASURES GAS BELOW A SENSOR'S LIMIT
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrogen, metals, methane

FIRE SPREADS AT BOISE BENCH HOME; NO INJURIES REPORTED
Tags: us_ID, public, fire, response, petroleum

200 BARRELS OF SOLVENT GUTTED IN GODOWN FIRE
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, solvent

CFA CREWS REMOVE CHEMICAL DRUM FROM VENUS BEACH
Tags: Australia, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A HYDROFLUORIC ACID SAFETY PROGRAM IN AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid


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

CENTRE STEPS IN, 500 KG OF CHEMICALS AIRLIFTED FROM GUJARAT
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-allows-airlifting-of-special-chemical-to-check-further-damage-at-gas-leak-factory/article31527578.ece
Tags: India, industrial, release, response, styrene

Around 500 kg of chemicals were airlifted from Gujarat and sent to Visakhapatnam on Thursday to neutralise the impact of hazardous gas Styrene that leaked at the plant in the early hours claiming more than half a dozen lives.

Due to the lockdown, officials at LG Polymers Private Ltd, where the gas leak took place, requested the government authorities to arrange a chemical called 4-Teritiary Butylcatchol (PTBC), available with a chemical factory in Gujarat that would help in containing the reaction at an early stage.

"The matter was discussed in the Home Ministry and within 20 minutes, the chemical was arranged and dispatched from the Daman airport to Visakhapatnam," a senior government official said.

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

BOILER BLAST AT NLC THERMAL POWER STATION INJURES EIGHT
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/boiler-blast-at-nlc-thermal-power-station-injures-eight/articleshow/75605738.cms
Tags: India, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

CHENNAI: At least eight workers of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) India were injured and hospitalised when a boiler in one of the power units in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district exploded on Thursday evening.

All the eight people, two employees and six contract workers, have been admitted to a private hospital Tiruchy. Of the eight, two have suffered 70 percent burns, while the rest have 30-50 percent burns.

The explosion comes as the nation suffered two other industrial tragedies on Thursday, the gas leak at a chemical plant in Vizag that has killed 11 people so far, and the gas leak at a paper mill in Chhattisgarh where seven workers were hospitalised after inhaling toxic gases.

The cause of the Neyveli mishap could not be ascertained immediately, however, fire rescue services and the police rushed to the spot to contain the explosion.

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

MASSIVE FIRE BREAKS OUT AT A FACTORY IN NASHIK, TEN FIRE TENDERS PRESSED INTO ACTION
https://www.latestly.com/india/news/massive-fire-breaks-out-at-a-factory-in-nashik-ten-fire-tenders-pressed-into-action-1737144.html
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, unknown_chemical

Nashik, May 7: A massive fire broke out at a factory in Satpur area of Maharashtra's Nashik on Thursday. According to an update by news agency ANI, fire fighting operations are underway. To douse the blaze off, ten fire tenders have been pressed into action. Meanwhile, the reason for the blaze is yet to be ascertained. Massive Fire Breaks Out at Chemical Godown in Bhiwandi Rahnal Village in Thane, Six Fire Tenders Reach Spot to Douse Raging Flames.

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

POOL CLEANING ACCIDENT LANDS SAN RAMON RESIDENT IN THE HOSPITAL
https://patch.com/california/sanramon/person-hospitalized-after-hazmat-incident-san-ramon-backyard
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, pool_chemicals

SAN RAMON, CA - A San Ramon resident was hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after they were splashed with pool chemicals, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District said.

A Tumbleweed Court resident was performing pool maintenance when the accident happened, said Battalion Chief Bruno Spani. The injury was caused by an accidental mixture of pool chemicals, officials said.

The resident was transported to the hospital. Firefighters and hazmat personnel cleaned up the chemical spill.

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

MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE BOMB SQUAD AND HAZMAT TEAM RESPOND TO A WEST SPRINGFIELD HOME
https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/05/state-police-bomb-squad-and-hazmat-team-respond-to-a-west-springfield-home.html
Tags: us_MA, public, discovery, response, explosives, fireworks

A Massachusetts State Police bomb squad and a hazmat team responded to a home in West Springfield after local police discovered a "large amount of ammunition, commercial fireworks, homemade M-class explosive devices" and materials to make fireworks, according to state fire officials.

The West Springfield Police Department on Monday went to the home of a deceased, retired police officer to secure guns when they discovered the bullets and explosives in containers, officials said. Some of the containers were marked and some were not.


"During the clean-out, the bomb squad discovered a large quantity of energetic material in a deteriorated state, believed to have been in the basement for years," officials said.

Because of the condition of the containers, and the unknown state of the fireworks, officials called the bomb squad to dispose of them.

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

MARTINSBURG WATER CONTAMINATION LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT
https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/tri_state/west_virginia/martinsburg-water-contamination-lawsuit-filed-in-federal-court/article_9edd6a00-4d63-52db-9cfa-214a1557c194.html
Tags: us_WV, public, discovery, environmental, other_chemical

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A lawsuit has been filed in connection with a chemical contamination of Martinsburg's water supply linked to a substance used at the West Virginia Air National Guard base south of the city.

The civil action filed April 29 against 3M Co. and six other companies in U..S. District Court seeks damages for exposing Martinsburg-area residents to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that apparently migrated from the national guard base at Shepherd Field into the city's Big Springs well.

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

CHEMICAL LEAK AT LG PLANT IN INDIA KILLS 11, ABOUT 1,000 ILL
https://www.startribune.com/gas-leak-in-industrial-plant-kills-3-in-india-sickens-more/570262932/
Tags: India, industrial, release, death, styrene

HYDERABAD, India - A gas leaked from an LG chemical plant in southern India early Thursday, leaving people struggling to breathe and collapsing in the streets as they tried to flee. At least 11 people died and about 1,000 suffered breathing difficulties and other problems.

The synthetic chemical styrene leaked from the LG Polymers plant in a city on India's eastern coast while workers were preparing to restart the facility after a coronavirus lockdown was eased, state official Vinay Chand said.

A fire that broke out before the gas leak was extinguished, and police said the gas leak was later halted and the air had cleared.

Chand said some people collapsed on the road and were rushed to a hospital. About 1,000 people in an area of 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) complained of breathing difficulties and a burning sensation in their eyes, he said.

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

ADDING INVESTIGATORS A =E2=80=98TOP PRIORITY', NEW CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD CHAIR SAYS
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine..com/articles/19795-adding-investigators-a-top-priority-new-chemical-safety-board-chair-says
Tags: us_WA, public, discovery, environmental

Washington - Still without a quorum after the resignation of one of two remaining members, the Chemical Safety Board also is contending with an investigative staffing shortage that has prompted the agency to temporarily halt two investigations.

Speaking during an April 29 CSB business meeting - her final one as a board member before stepping down May 1 - Kristen Kulinowski said the agency is "looking to hire at least 10 more investigators" and is "vetting some of the candidates now."

Kulinowski, who served as interim executive authority until the Senate confirmed Katherine Lemos as CSB chair and CEO on March 23, said the agency has seven investigators and 13 open investigations. Lemos called the search for additional staffing a "top priority."

Lemos, whose nomination was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in September, opened the meeting with remarks about her new role, saying she is "thrilled to serve both the agency and the American public in this capacity."

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

LCC LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AIDE PROGRAM
https://www.kezi.com/content/news/LCC-lancuhes--570260011.html
Tags: us_OR, education, discovery, environmental, disinfectant

EUGENE, Ore. -- Clean freaks take note: Lane Community college is getting ready to launch a rapid certification program to help people find jobs cleaning and disinfecting health care facilities.

The 18-hour course will train people as environmental services aides starting on Monday. It will cover a number of topics, including cleaning versus disinfection, using personal protective equipment, chemical safety, rooms and high-touch surfaces.


Russ Pierson, dean of the LCC Florence Center, said the program was put together in just over month after LCC President Margaret Hamilton and Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Val Hoyle began discussing the need for a statewide program.

"It was borderline miraculous," Pierson said. "I have described it like building a bridge while you're walking across it, but so far we're on the bridge and nobody's fallen in."

The class is $229, but Pierson said they are working to make scholarships available. The starting wage for environmental services aides in Oregon is $12.43 an hour, according to the website ZipRecruiter.

Pierson said the program offers pathways so students can advance in the medical field. He said graduates could take the skills they learn to other industries like restaurants and hotels.

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

NEURAL NETWORK MEASURES GAS BELOW A SENSOR'S LIMIT
https://cen.acs.org/analytical-chemistry/chemical-sensing/Neural-network-measures-gas-below/98/web/2020/05
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrogen, metals, methane

Chemical sensors can act as sentinels for explosive gases like hydrogen or methane or for harmful volatile organic compounds before they build to dangerous levels. But typically, they can only sound the alarm when their target molecules accumulate above the sensor's detection limit; by one definition, when signals generated are three times as high as background noise.

Jihan Kim and Hee-Tae Jung from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology wondered whether any hidden signals could be extracted from the noise using deep learning techniques, effectively lowering the detection limit for a sensor (Anal. Chem. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00137).

Machine learning is famed for being able to pull patterns from a vast store of data. Instead of seeing whether signals cross the detection limit at any instant, an algorithm that has gotten used to a sensor's normal output over time can pick up hidden signals when something in the sensor's output changes. "The algorithm does not look at the limit of detection, but it looks at the turns in the data," explains Ahmet Enis Cetin, an electrical engineer at the University of Illinois at Chicago who was not involved with the study. Other than making it possible to go below the limit of detection, algorithms could also help aging sensors cope and reduce sensors=E2=80™ calibration needs, Cetin says.

Kim, Jung, and their colleagues tested the idea out on metallic thin-film sensors used to measure hydrogen. They fabricated four sets of six individual sensors from platinum, palladium, gold, nickel, copper and molybdenum. With a constant voltage applied across the metals, their resistances change as gases come into contact, thus creating a signal. The platinum sensors began detecting hydrogen at 50 ppm, and the palladium sensors at 10 ppm. The other four metals did not produce a signal even at 100 ppm.

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

FIRE SPREADS AT BOISE BENCH HOME; NO INJURIES REPORTED
https://idahonews.com/news/local/fire-spreads-at-boise-bench-home
Tags: us_ID, public, fire, response, petroleum

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) - A fire broke out at a home on the Boise Bench Tuesday.

Boise Fire says the incident started at about 12:40 p.m. on the 4000 block of W. Clinton Street.

One person was home at the time of the fire, but they were able to get out OK, Boise Fire says. After an investigation, firefighters say the fire started when a pile of oily rags used for staining ignited by spontaneous combustion.

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

200 BARRELS OF SOLVENT GUTTED IN GODOWN FIRE
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/200-barrels-of-solvent-gutted-in-godown-fire/articleshow/75564618.cms
Tags: India, industrial, fire, response, solvent

Hyderabad: A fire broke out at a chemical storage godown in Medchal industrial area in the wee hours of Tuesday. According to officials, around 250 barrels of solvent were kept in an open space where they suddenly went off. "The cause of the fire is still not known. Some 200 barrels were destroyed...," said station fire officer Suresh Reddy. As many as five fire tenders and 26 firefighters were pressed into action at Pavan Enterprises and it took over five hours to douse the fire. Property loss is estimated at Rs 20 lakh.
Another minor fire in a three-storey complex in Koti was also reported. The fire at Mithila Complex in Akbar Bagh Road, according to officials, was triggered by a short-circuit in a garment storage room. One fire tender was deployed.

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

CFA CREWS REMOVE CHEMICAL DRUM FROM VENUS BEACH
https://www.miragenews.com/cfa-crews-remove-chemical-drum-from-venus-beach/
Tags: Australia, public, discovery, response, unknown_chemical

Yesterday afternoon (5 May) Leongatha Fire Brigade was contacted to remove a 20-litre chemical drum that had washed up on Venus Beach.

At 12pm brigade members attended the incident alongside Parks Victoria and Tarwin Lower Brigade.

Leongatha Fire Brigade has a specialist Hazmat truck and crew with the appropriate protective clothing and tools to be able to assist and remove these vulnerable chemicals.

Leongatha Fire Brigade Captain Dale Carruthers said the drum washed up because of extreme weather conditions over the weekend.

"Members of the public found the drum and contacted Park Victoria to assist with its removal," Dale said.

"Parks Victoria called us directly as we have specialist training and equipment to be able to remove hazardous materials.

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

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A HYDROFLUORIC ACID SAFETY PROGRAM IN AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chas.0c00008
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, discovery, environmental, hydrofluoric_acid

In 2018, the chemical safety team of the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Department at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) developed and implemented a comprehensive hydrofluoric acid (HF) safety program. This is the first chemical-hazard-specific, comprehensive safety program for CMU's laboratories. The goal of this safety initiative was to raise awareness for HF hazards, train users to handle incidents safely in their laboratories, mandate PPE requirements, identify spill response protocols, and establish a culture of safety. The process that was followed included the development of safety guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), training materials, and first aid kits. User involvement was crucial to the successful development and implementation of the program.

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

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