From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (12 articles)
Date: Wed, 5 May 2021 06:35:14 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: 1E9E100D-CF85-4FED-A8C1-0B8EF5B5B3D0**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 6:34:57 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 (12 articles)

LAFAYETTE FIREFIGHTERS AND HAZMAT TEAM ON THE SCENE OF GAS LEAK ON E. VERMILION STREET
Tags: us_LA, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

HAZMAT CREWS BURN OFF 900 GALLONS OF PROPANE TO STOP GAS LEAK IN FORT LAUDERDALE ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, response, water_treatment

PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SAFETY: HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CONTROLLED AMMONIA LEAK IN STRIP DISTRICT ‰?? CBS PITTSBURGH
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, ammonia

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC CHEMICALS
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, discovery, environmental, toxics

FIREFIGHTERS INVESTIGATE ALARM AT CHEMICAL STORAGE BUILDING ON UB'S NORTH CAMPUS
Tags: us_NY, education, release, response, unknown_chemical

MARATHON PETROLEUM REFINERY IN TEXAS ISSUES ALERT OVER CHEMICAL LEAK
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, injury, hydrofluoric_acid, petroleum

HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES BAN ON TOXIC PFAS CHEMICALS IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Tags: us_VT, public, discovery, environmental, toxics

WOMAN LAUNCHES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CFA OVER ALLEGEDLY BEING FORCED TO STRIP AT CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: Australia, public, follow-up, environmental, pesticides

CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD VITAL TO N.J. GETS NEW LIFE AFTER BEING IGNORED BY TRUMP
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, discovery, environmental

GUMMOW'S SHOP A30 BARN FIRE HOMES EVACUATED OVER AMMONIUM NITRATE
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, ammonium_nitrate

TWO-ALARM FIRE IN SHARON DESTROYS GARAGE WORKSHOP
Tags: us_NH, public, fire, response, flammables, waste

CHEMICAL LEAK AFTER B-DOUBLE CRASH AT ADELONG
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical


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LAFAYETTE FIREFIGHTERS AND HAZMAT TEAM ON THE SCENE OF GAS LEAK ON E. VERMILION STREET
https://www.kadn.com/content/news/Lafatte-Firefighters-and-Hazmat-Team-on-the-scene-of-gas-leak-on-Vermilion-Street-574349101.html
Tags: us_LA, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

Lafayette firefighters and our Hazmat Team are on the scene of a gas leak in the 600 block of East Vermilion Street. The leak has been stopped. Atmos Energy is enroute to the scene to repair the pipe.


At 1:30 pm, firefighters were called out to a gas leak on East Vermilion Street. Employees with LUS were doing work and accidentally busted a small gas line. Lafayette Hazmat Team responded and quickly stopped the leak until Atmos Energy arrives in scene.

No injuries. No evacuations.

The 600 block is closed off to thru traffic until the repair is made.

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HAZMAT CREWS BURN OFF 900 GALLONS OF PROPANE TO STOP GAS LEAK IN FORT LAUDERDALE ‰?? WSVN 7NEWS
https://wsvn.com/news/local/hazmat-crews-burn-off-900-gallons-of-propane-to-stop-gas-leak-in-fort-lauderdale/
Tags: us_FL, industrial, release, response, water_treatment

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Flames shot into the air in Fort Lauderdale due to a gas leak at a water treatment facility.

Hazmat crews have arrived at the facility, in the area of Northwest 38th Street and 10th Avenue, to contain the leak, which sprung Tuesday.

They let the gas in the 900-gallon tank burn itself out before starting repairs.

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PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SAFETY: HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CONTROLLED AMMONIA LEAK IN STRIP DISTRICT ‰?? CBS PITTSBURGH
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/05/04/controlled-ammonia-leak-in-strip-distict/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, ammonia

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ‰?? Pittsburgh Public Safety said a hazmat team responded to a controlled ammonia leak in the Strip District.

Officials say the leak was inside Consumers Produce on Railroad Street.

‰??HazMat team members safely exited the building after conducting a check of the ammonia levels. It was determined it was safe enough for repair crews to enter the building and fix the leak if equipped with the appropriate PPE.,‰?? Pittsburgh Public Safety said on Tuesday.

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VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC CHEMICALS
https://consumer.healthday.com/b-5-4-volunteer-firefighters-have-high-levels-of-potentially-toxic-chemicals-2652858820.html
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, discovery, environmental, toxics

TUESDAY, May 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Volunteer firefighters have higher levels of so-called "forever chemicals" in their bodies than the general population does, a new study finds.

It also found that levels of these potentially toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in volunteer firefighters' bodies rise with years of service.

PFAS are found in everyday items like electronics and carpeting, and they have been linked with heart disease and other health conditions that strike firefighters.

In this study, researchers from Rutgers University in New Jersey examined levels of nine PFAS chemicals in the blood of 135 members of an N.J. volunteer fire department, and compared them to the general public.

Levels of two PFAS -- perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) -- were higher in the volunteer firefighters.

"Notably, we found PFDoA levels in 80% of the firefighters, but little in the general public," said study author Judith Graber, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Public Health.

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FIREFIGHTERS INVESTIGATE ALARM AT CHEMICAL STORAGE BUILDING ON UB'S NORTH CAMPUS
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/firefighters-investigate-alarm-at-chemical-storage-building-on-ubs-north-campus-university-at-buffalo/71-615c3a58-e245-4360-8209-ec57878ab8ff
Tags: us_NY, education, release, response, unknown_chemical

AMHERST, N.Y. ‰?? Firefighters were called to the University at Buffalo north campus Tuesday evening to investigate a fire alarm at the Chemical Storage Building.
A spokesperson for the school says there was a minor malfunction of the ventilation system, which triggered an alarm sensor.
The building was evacuated and people were directed away from the building as a precaution. The spokesperson says nothing dangerous was released, adding that no one was injured.

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MARATHON PETROLEUM REFINERY IN TEXAS ISSUES ALERT OVER CHEMICAL LEAK
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/leak-marathon-galveston-bay-refinery-texas-causes-workers-residents-take-shelter-2021-05-04/
Tags: us_TX, industrial, release, injury, hydrofluoric_acid, petroleum

Marathon Petroleum Corp's (MPC.N) 585,000 barrel-per-day Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, on Tuesday issued a shelter-in-place notice because of a toxic leak, said people familiar with plant operations.

Marathon and Texas City officials ordered workers and nearby residents to go indoors and close windows for over an hour due to a leak of hydrofluoric acid (HF), said the people, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. Hydrofluoric acid forms a ground-hugging cloud at room temperature that can lead to severe health problems and even death.

Two workers were taken to a nearby medical facility as a precaution due to a chemical leak at the plant, said Marathon spokesman Jamal Kheiry. He did not disclose the chemical involved.

"The Galveston Bay Refinery's automated response systems today activated mitigation measures in response to a small chemical release," Kheiry said in a statement. "The release has been stopped and air monitoring data indicate no off-site impact."

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HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES BAN ON TOXIC PFAS CHEMICALS IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS
https://vtdigger.org/2021/05/04/house-approves-pfas-ban-consumer-products/
Tags: us_VT, public, discovery, environmental, toxics

The House unanimously approved a bill Tuesday banning toxic chemicals from a slate of consumer products in Vermont.

The legislation, S.20, would restrict PFAS chemicals ‰?? perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl ‰?? in four main areas: fire-extinguishing foam, food packaging, rugs and carpets, and ski wax. It also includes restrictions of phthalates and bisphenols, which are commonly used in plastic products.

Rep. Dane Whitman, D-Bennington, said the House Committee on Human Services took weeks of testimony on the bill, learning that the toxic PFAS chemicals ‰??can cause great harm and lasting costs to human health and property.‰??

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WOMAN LAUNCHES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CFA OVER ALLEGEDLY BEING FORCED TO STRIP AT CHEMICAL SPILL
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-05/woman-launches-legal-action-against-cfa/100117250
Tags: Australia, public, follow-up, environmental, pesticides

A Victorian woman is suing the Country Fire Authority (CFA) after she was allegedly forced to strip in view of male officers and threatened with being handcuffed after a chemical spill at her property in the state's south-west.

Key points:

Monique Smead says she was separated from her children and had her phone taken off her during the incident
Lawyers allege there is "deep-rooted cultural dysfunction" within the fire authority
The legal action comes as a political fight over the culture of the fire services reignites in Victorian Parliament
Monique Smead filed the action on Friday in the Supreme Court.

She claims she and her three children have suffered ongoing trauma and financial impacts from the CFA's response to a hazardous materials spill at her Yulecart property in April 2013.

At the time the officers responded, the chemical was unknown, but later turned out to be about 200 millilitres of insecticide, court documents stated.

Lawyers for Ms Smead said she was also separated from her children and had her phone taken off her during the 2013 incident.

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CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD VITAL TO N.J. GETS NEW LIFE AFTER BEING IGNORED BY TRUMP
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chemical-safety-board-vital-to-n-j-gets-new-life-after-being-ignored-by-trump/ar-BB1glHLC
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, discovery, environmental

For decades, chemical explosions got the same attention as plane crashes, with an independent government agency rushing to the scene, gathering evidence and then coming up with a probable cause and recommendations to prevent a repeat.


That agency has deep New Jersey ties. The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board was born out of an explosion at a Lodi pharmaceutical manufacturing plant more than two decades ago, and owes its existence to a New Jersey lawmaker, the late U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Its later investigations included the 2010 explosion at the BP Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, which killed 11 workers and is considered the biggest offshore oil spill in history, and the 2013 explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant that killed 15 and injured more than 200.

And it‰??s important to New Jersey, a state whose $13.4 billion chemical industry is the largest manufacturing industry, according to the American Chemistry Council. The state is the 10th largest chemical producer in the U.S.

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GUMMOW'S SHOP A30 BARN FIRE HOMES EVACUATED OVER AMMONIUM NITRATE
https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/19276154.gummows-shop-a30-barn-fire-homes-evacuated/
Tags: United_Kingdom, industrial, fire, response, ammonium_nitrate

SIX homes had to be evacuated after two tonnes of the highly explosive ammonium nitrate were found during a barn fire.

Emergency services were called to a barn fire in the small hamlet of Gummow's Shop at around 11.43am this morning.

Once there they found the barn at Tredinnick Farm was well alight with the flames fanned by high winds creating a tall plume of smoke.

At first nearby residents were warned to stay indoors but after the discovery of the highly volatile chemical people living in six home nearby were ordered to evacuate.

It is the same chemical used in fertiliser that caused the massive explosion in Beirut last August killing more than 200 people and injuring more than 6,000.

The incident commander told ITV news that because of the volatility of the material, the high winds and smoke plume it was decided to evacuate the six homes nearby.

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TWO-ALARM FIRE IN SHARON DESTROYS GARAGE WORKSHOP
https://www.ledgertranscript.com/Crews-extinguish-garage-fire-in-Sharon-early-Monday-morning-40276628
Tags: us_NH, public, fire, response, flammables, waste

There were no injuries in a two-alarm garage fire that broke out in Sharon early Monday morning.

The garage workshop at 81 Turnpike Road was ‰??fully involved‰?? and fire was spreading to the adjacent log cabin-style home when Jaffrey Assistant Fire Chief Keith Dupuis arrived first on the scene, Peterborough Fire Chief Ed Walker said.

A second alarm call went out just before 5 a.m. Engines from New Ipswich and Jaffrey arrived next, and firefighters extinguished the house before moving on to the garage, Walker said. The house‰??s log cabin construction meant that there was no interior damage, although the facade and roof burned. The garage was extinguished by 7 a.m., he said.

The two adults in the house were able to evacuate themselves, their dog, and cat, and no injuries were reported on the scene, Walker said.

The garage had been used as a workshop, and the fire was apparently caused by some rags that had recently been used to apply stain and urethane to furniture, Walker said. ‰??Even when they appear to be dry, oily rags or rags with urethane can be the cause for fires,‰?? he said. Always follow the chemical manufacturer‰??s instructions for safe disposal of materials when working with potentially flammable chemicals, he said.

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CHEMICAL LEAK AFTER B-DOUBLE CRASH AT ADELONG
https://www.miragenews.com/chemical-leak-after-b-double-crash-at-adelong-553753/
Tags: Australia, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical

An investigation is underway after a heavy vehicle carrying chemicals crashed in the states south.

About 5.30pm yesterday (Monday 3 May 2021), emergency services responded to reports that a B-double prime mover had crashed down an embankment at the intersection of the Snowy Mountains Highway and Sandy Gully Road, Adelong.

The 55-year-old driver was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to

Wagga Wagga Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

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