From: Ralph Stuart <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2021 06:17:18 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 6:17:05 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)

PIPELINE SAFETY: PERFORMANCE MEASURES NEEDED TO ASSESS RECENT CHANGES TO HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS
Tags: transportation, discovery, environmental

TWO INJURED IN WARREN COUNTY FLASH FIRE
Tags: us_OH, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE COULD BE OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS
Tags: us_IL, industrial, fire, environmental, unknown_chemical

U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD COMES TO ROCKTON
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

HAZMAT SPILL CLOSES TWO OUTSIDE LANES NEAR I-45 AND CYPRESSWOOD
Tags: us_tx, transportation, release, response, diesel

SHIP THAT SUNK CARRYING 25 TONS OF CHEMICALS CAUSED 'SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE' TO PLANET
Tags: Sri_Lanka, public, follow-up, enviromental

FIRE, LACQUER SPILL AT MERIDEN CHROME PLATING COMPANY SENDS TWO EMPLOYEES TO BURN UNIT
Tags: us_ct, industrial, fire, injuries, solvent

STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION IN SPARTANSBURG
Tags: us_pa, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical, illegal

TINY BOONE COUNTY TOWN LOOKS BACK ON CHEMTOOL'S NEAR-ARRIVAL
Tags: us_il, industrial, follow-up, enviromental

ROCKTON HOMEOWNERS FILE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER MASSIVE CHEMICAL FIRE
Tags: us_il, industrial, follow-up, enviromental


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PIPELINE SAFETY: PERFORMANCE MEASURES NEEDED TO ASSESS RECENT CHANGES TO HAZARDOUS LIQUID PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-493
Tags: transportation, discovery, environmental

In 2019, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule amending its hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulations. Selected pipeline operators and officials from PHMSA and selected states' pipeline safety offices said that these changes would enhance pipeline safety and present no significant challenges. They said the most beneficial changes expanded the scope of inspections. For example, in addition to existing requirements for operators to use specialized tools to inspect pipelines in ‰??high consequence areas‰??‰??defined by population and environmental factors‰??the 2019 Rule requires such inspections outside of those areas. While operators noted the rule's potential to improve safety, all 11 operators GAO interviewed identified specific amendments that could increase their costs. For example, several operators said they would need to modify or replace some of their pipeline to allow for certain inspection tools required by the cha!
nges. PHMSA and state pipeline safety officials said they did not anticipate oversight challenges or additional costs because the changes did not alter their inspection process.

PHMSA held meetings with and provided guidance to operators and inspectors on the changes but has not developed measures to assess if the changes improve safety. Leading performance management practices call for agencies to track progress toward goals using measures that include targets for expected levels of performance and timeframes. While PHMSA has desired outcomes for the 2019 Rule, including safety improvements, PHMSA officials said they have not established performance measures for those outcomes because some of the changes have long-term compliance deadlines, and so data are not yet available to assess effectiveness. However, other changes have shorter-term deadlines for compliance and PHMSA could use data it already collects from operators for its assessment. Without performance measures, PHMSA cannot determine whether the changes made by the 2019 Rule are achieving their intended outcomes and contributing to PHMSA's safety goals.

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TWO INJURED IN WARREN COUNTY FLASH FIRE
https://dayton247now.com/news/local/two-injured-in-warren-county-flash-fire
Tags: us_OH, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF) -- Two workers installing a geo-thermal heating system were injured Tuesday afternoon.

Bob Wysong, fire chief for the Clinton-Warren Joint Fire District, said they were called about 1:20 p.m. June 22, to 10343 Wilmington Road, in Washington Township, Warren County.

The chief said that a company was installing a geo-thermal heating system when there was a flash fire or explosion involving a chemical.

One person sustained moderate burns, and was taken to Clinton Memorial Hospital. A second worker received severe burns and was flown to Miami Valley Hospital. A third worker was not significantly injured.

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CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE COULD BE OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/947291
Tags: us_IL, industrial, fire, environmental, unknown_chemical

The Rockton chemical plant fire comes to an end and residents file lawsuits against the company hired by Chemtool Incorporated to extinguish the fire.

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U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD COMES TO ROCKTON
https://wrex.com/2021/06/22/u-s-chemical-safety-board-comes-to-rockton/
Tags: us_IL, public, follow-up, environmental, unknown_chemical

ROCKTON (WREX) ‰??More federal help has arrived in the Stateline to investigate what caused the Chemtool fire last week.

Two senior leadership members from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board arrived on Monday.

The two will connect with federal, state and local responders to determine what caused the fire as well as other circumstances that led to the fire and how to prevent similar incidents from happening.

The CSB is an agency that operates separate from the Environmental Protection Agency and will help officials moving forward.

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HAZMAT SPILL CLOSES TWO OUTSIDE LANES NEAR I-45 AND CYPRESSWOOD
https://www.springhappenings.com/hazmat-spill-closes-two-outside-lanes-near-i-45-and-cypresswood/
Tags: us_tx, transportation, release, response, diesel

Spring, Texas ‰?? Two outside lanes of the North Freeway near Cypresswood are shut down due to a hazardous material spill.

The Spring Fire Department is on the scene of a commercial vehicle leaking fuel on the northbound mainlanes just south of Cypresswood Drive.

Approximately 60 gallons of diesel fuel is on the roadway.

Harris County Hazmat is responding to the scene to assist.

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SHIP THAT SUNK CARRYING 25 TONS OF CHEMICALS CAUSED 'SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE' TO PLANET
https://www.newsweek.com/ship-that-sunk-carrying-25-tons-chemicals-caused-significant-damage-planet-1602657
Tags: Sri_Lanka, public, follow-up, enviromental

container ship that caught fire while carrying hazardous chemicals off the coast of Sri Lanka's capital Colombo has caused "significant damage" to the planet by releasing the chemicals, a United Nations representative said.

The Singapore-flagged X-Press Pearl finally sank on Thursday a month after it caught on fire, the Associated Press reported. Due to the material it was carrying, many have raised concerns about an environmental disaster.

Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, U.N. Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, issued a statement late Saturday about the effects on the environment caused by the ship's sinking.

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FIRE, LACQUER SPILL AT MERIDEN CHROME PLATING COMPANY SENDS TWO EMPLOYEES TO BURN UNIT
https://www.wfsb.com/news/fire-lacquer-spill-at-meriden-chrome-plating-company-sends-two-employees-to-burn-unit/article_01e44638-d2a9-11eb-8202-2ff2bc65fb55.html
Tags: us_ct, industrial, fire, injuries, solvent

MERIDEN, CT (WFSB) - Two employees of a Meriden chrome plating company were taken to Bridgeport Hospital on Monday after they were burned.

It happened Monday morning at CRC Chrome, located on Pratt Street.

reported acid gas release in Meriden
DEEP said hazmat crews responded to a reported acid gas release at a company on Pratt Street in Meriden June 21.
WFSB
The Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection said employees had dumped lacquer into a heated rinse tank when it caused a reaction that flashed over the sides of the tank.

This injured two employees, and cause the roof to catch fire.

The two employees were taken to Bridgeport Hospital, but their condition is unknown at this time.

Just before 1 p.m. on Monday, Meriden Fire Chief Ken Morgan said crews were still battling the fire inside the building, which had reached three alarms. While the fire was contained, it was not under control at that time.

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STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE EXPLOSION IN SPARTANSBURG
https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/44143846/state-police-investigate-explosion-in-spartansburg
Tags: us_pa, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical, illegal

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an explosion in Crawford County Sunday.

It was reported in the 200 block of Railroad St. in Spartansburg Borough around 8 p.m.

Donald Smith, 56, at some point caused an explosion using an unknown gas or chemical reaction, according to troopers.

Several neighbors called State Police to report the noise and said Smith lit some type of fireworks or Tannerite in his backyard, which caused their houses to shake.

A shredded garbage bag was found on an adjacent property, troopers said.

State Police said Smith will be cited for disorderly conduct and scattering rubbish.

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TINY BOONE COUNTY TOWN LOOKS BACK ON CHEMTOOL'S NEAR-ARRIVAL
https://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/tiny-boone-county-town-looks-back-on-chemtools-near-arrival/article_625e006e-129c-5721-8ff6-ff7f169fabee.html
Tags: us_il, industrial, follow-up, enviromental

ROCKFORD ‰?? Chemtool's arrival at an old industrial site in Rockton in 2008 was heralded as a win several years in the making for the village.

It was also a surprise to many.

Boone County Board members had given their approval in May 2007 for Chemtool to build an industrial solvent and lubricant plant on a 160-acre spot in Garden Prairie ‰?? a move that outraged residents of the tiny town and eventually spurred them to incorporate their own village, a decision that was later reversed.

Some residents living near the proposed plant site voiced an array of safety, environmental and lifestyle concerns.

As residents of the tiny town looked on after the chemical plant exploded in what could've been their backyards, some are feeling vindicated. Others, even after the disaster, stand by their support for Chemtool and the jobs it brought to northern Illinois.

Meanwhile, residents and village officials in Rockton are awaiting to hear whether Chemtool will rebuild in the village.

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ROCKTON HOMEOWNERS FILE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER MASSIVE CHEMICAL FIRE
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-rockton-chemical-fire-lawsuit-20210621-l5lqbhnlczgvdnrt2w6zmhzb3u-story.html
Tags: us_il, industrial, follow-up, enviromental

Homeowners forced to evacuate their property near the massive Rockton chemical fire that burned for days last week have filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against the owners of the industrial lubricant plant.

The fire at the Chemtool plant near Rockford June 14 spewed black smoke over an area so large it was visible on weather radar, prompting orders that residents and businesses within a mile vacate their properties during a protracted battle to bring the chemical fire under control.

Advertisement

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Winnebago County Circuit Court on behalf of Stephanie Mackey and Nick Migliore, who were displaced from their Rockton home of four years, along with residents from at least 150 other homes, the lawsuit alleges.

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