DCHAS-L Archives, May 25 2012 - [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety Headlines From Google (17 articles)

MERCURY LEAK INSIDE OLD CLOCK PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
Tags: us_MA, education, release, response, mercury

SMALL FIRE QUICKLY HANDLED AT GREAT FALLS REFINERY
Tags: us_MT, industrial, fire, response, naphtha

CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSES CLOSURE OF ABOUT A MILE-LONG PORTION OF TIDWELL RD. IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, petroleum, used_oil

MISLABELED CHEMICALS TRIGGER ILLNESS, EVACUATION AT OKLAHOMA CITY FACTORY
Tags: us_OK, industrial, fire, injury, oxygen, sodium_hydroxide

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST BUILDING TO REOPEN AFTER FIRE
Tags: Ireland, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

VT. BUILDING EVACUATED BECAUSE OF CHEMICAL
Tags: us_VT, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

PROPANE EXPLOSION LINKED TO GAS LINE
Tags: us_NC, public, explosion, injury, propane

ENTIRE SHIFT FALLS ILL AT D.C. FIRE STATION
Tags: us_DC, public, discovery, injury, unknown_chemical

DOW SHARES BEST PRACTICES IN LABORATORY SAFETY WITH PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, follow-up, response

HAZMAT TEAM CALLED AFTER LAUDERDALE LAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BREAK OUT IN RASHES
Tags: us_FL, education, release, injury, unknown_chemical

BERGEN COUNTY HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL FIRE
Tags: us_NJ, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical, fire_extinguisher

ARENS CONTROLS FACTORY EXPLOSION IN CHICAGO LEAVES 1 DEAD AND 10 INJURED
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL DISPERSED IN EXPLOSION DEMANDS CAUTION, PROFESSOR SAYS
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, injury, potassium, hydroxide

PRINCETON RESEARCHER BURNED BY ACID IN CHEMISTRY LAB BLAST
Tags: us_NJ, laboratory, release, injury, nitric_acid, solvent

SAFETY ALERT: EXPLOSION DURING PREP OF (C6F5)PH2
Tags: us_WI, laboratory, explosion, injury, other_chemical

OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE CAUSE OF CHLORINE GAS LEAK FROM PLAQUEMINE PLANT; 4 HOSPITALIZED
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, response, chlorine

ALASKA'S CAPITAL CITY ONLINE NEWSPAPER
Tags: us_AK, industrial, release, response, petroleum

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MERCURY LEAK INSIDE OLD CLOCK PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061134047&srvc=rss
Tags: us_MA, education, release, response, mercury

A mercury leak inside a century-old clock at Charlestown's Boston National Historical Park prompted a Level 3 hazmat response by Boston firefighters today after one worker came in close contact with the toxic silver liquid, officials said.

The incident started when a museum specialist, while categorizing and photographing an early 20th century grandfather clock, noticed roughly "two tablespoons" of mercury oozing from the artifact and, as a precaution, called the fire department, said Sean Hennessey, spokesman for the Boston National Historical Park.

A hazmat crew responded to the Third Avenue warehouse around 11:39 a.m., and quickly downgraded their response once they realized the minor spill was under control and no evacuation was necessary, said Boston fire spokesman Steve MacDonald.

One worker who came in close contact self-decontaminated, MacDonald said, simply by thoroughly washing his hands.

Hennessey said the clock contained two small vials of mercury which help balance its swinging pendulum. At some point, one of the vials cracked, and when the specialist moved the clock to take another photo, he saw the leak, Hennessey said.

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SMALL FIRE QUICKLY HANDLED AT GREAT FALLS REFINERY
http://www.krtv.com/news/small-fire-quickly-handled-at-great-falls-refinery/
Tags: us_MT, industrial, fire, response, naphtha

A small fire erupted at the Montana Refining Company in Great Falls after a chemical leak at the plant on Thursday.

An MRC official says that a small tube leak fire occurred inside the heater fire box.

Great Falls Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Steve Hester says a flammable chemical called naptha overfilled and fire started burning into one of the stacks.

Water doused the flames and Hester said refinery officials just worked to keep the stack cool, and said this type of event isn't out of the ordinary.

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CHEMICAL SPILL CAUSES CLOSURE OF ABOUT A MILE-LONG PORTION OF TIDWELL RD. IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8675249
Tags: us_TX, transportation, release, response, petroleum, used_oil

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A chemical spill closed about a mile-long portion of Tidwell in northeast Houston for hours on Thursday.

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The eastbound lanes of Tidwell Rd. between the Eastex Freeway and Lockwood were shut down due to a chemical spill.

According to the Houston Fire Department, it appeared to be some type of used oil product from a tanker truck. HFD responded to the report of a chemical spill in the 4100 block of Tidwell about2:20pm Thursday.

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MISLABELED CHEMICALS TRIGGER ILLNESS, EVACUATION AT OKLAHOMA CITY FACTORY
http://newsok.com/workers-treated-building-evacuated-in-oklahoma-city-after-chemical-solution-causes-nausea/article/3678230
Tags: us_OK, industrial, fire, injury, oxygen, sodium_hydroxide

An Oklahoma City business was evacuated Thursday and several workers were treated after a chemical solution started smoking and made people nauseous, firefighters said.
Fire Maj. Tammy McKinney said several workers at Macklanburg-Duncan, 4041 N Santa Fe Ave.., were mixing a sodium hydroxide solution about 3 p.m. when the solution started smoking and three workers became nauseous.
The building was evacuated and the three workers were treated by emergency workers.
"We've given them oxygen and their symptoms have gotten better," McKinney said.
Eight other employees were evaluated by paramedics, she said.
Fire Deputy Chief Marc Woodard said the mixing of mislabeled chemicals caused the situation. None of the workers were taken to the hospital, he said.
Macklanburg-Duncan manufactures building products such as weather stripping, flooring and decorative moldings.

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QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST BUILDING TO REOPEN AFTER FIRE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18199954
Tags: Ireland, laboratory, fire, response, unknown_chemical

Emergency services received a call at 11:47 BST on Thursday reporting a fire in a chemical lab in the David Keir building on Stranmillis Road.

Six fire engines, two "specialist appliances" and a mobile command unit went to the incident.

An investigation is under way to determine how the fire started.

In a statement, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue service said: "Fire crews dealt with a fire in a chemical storeroom of a laboratory on the third floor of the four-storey building.

"It was quite a challenging incident for firefighters to deal with due to the extensive size of the building and the nature of what was involved in the fire."

"Fire crews ventilated the building and the incident was dealt with at 16:10 BST. Early indications would suggest the fire was accidental."

No-one was injured during the alert. A spokesman for QUB said it was too early to say what caused the fire and that a storeroom had been extensively damaged.

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VT. BUILDING EVACUATED BECAUSE OF CHEMICAL
http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Vt-building-evacuated-because-of-chemical-3580986.php
Tags: us_VT, public, release, response, unknown_chemical

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A government building that houses the Vermont governor's office had to be evacuated after some state workers starting feeling sick.

The employees at the Pavilion Building in Montpelier reported having headaches and watery eyes on Wednesday.

The source appears to have been a waterproof sealant that was being applied to the outside bricks and wafting into the building.

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PROPANE EXPLOSION LINKED TO GAS LINE
http://www2.nbc17.com/news/cumberland-county/2012/may/24/18/propane-truck-explodes-fayetteville-ar-2306125/
Tags: us_NC, public, explosion, injury, propane

Fayetteville Police said Thursday afternoon that a propane blast that injured four employees with the Fayetteville SwampDogs organization was caused by a leak in an LP gas line inside the building.

Four people were injured in the explosion at the J.P. Riddle Stadium on Legion Road.

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ENTIRE SHIFT FALLS ILL AT D.C. FIRE STATION
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Entire-Shift-Falls-Ill-at-DC-Fire-Station-153365205.html
Tags: us_DC, public, discovery, injury, unknown_chemical

An entire shift of firefighters has been replaced at a northeast D.C. station after falling ill.

All eight firefighters at Engine 10 Station in the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NE complained of possible symptoms of chemical exposure - like respiratory problems and burning eyes -Wednesday evening, News4's Jackie Bensen reported.

D.C. Fire and EMS declared a mass casualty hazmat and took the firefighters to the police and fire clinic for observation.

The firefighters could be ill from a fire they fought about 11 a.m. in the 3700 block of Hayes Street NE, officials said. It's possible it was a PCP lab.

Extra fire crews were called in to cover Engine 10 Station.

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DOW SHARES BEST PRACTICES IN LABORATORY SAFETY WITH PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
http://www.labmanager.com/?articles.view/articleNo/7722/article/Dow-Shares-Best-Practices-in-Laboratory-Safety-With-Pennsylvania-State-University
Tags: us_PA, laboratory, follow-up, response

MIDLAND, Mich.-May 22, 2012-The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) and The Pennsylvania State University are expanding their strategic partnership by launching a pilot program to increase safety awareness and practices in the university's Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. The program will leverage key elements of Dow's best-in-class practices to help elevate university laboratory safety.

In April, Dow announced a similar safety partnership pilot program with the University of Minnesota. This new partnership with Penn State reinforces Dow's commitment to stimulate collaborative innovation with U.S. universities. Dow announced in October 2011 it would invest $25 million per year for 10 years among 11 academic institutions, including Penn State, to strengthen research in scientific fields important to Dow and to the nation's future.

"A core part of our mission at Dow is to support universities and help them continue the tradition of excellence in chemical engineering, chemistry, and materials science," said Dr. William F. Banholzer, Ph.D., executive vice president and Dow's chief technology officer. "Dow recognizes that laboratory safety is a continuing challenge for universities everywhere, and we have the expertise to be part of the solution. This pilot program leverages Dow's strength in creating and sustaining a culture of safety in our labs - a culture that centers on driving behavior toward incident prevention, with a high level of employee engagement."

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HAZMAT TEAM CALLED AFTER LAUDERDALE LAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BREAK OUT IN RASHES
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/321122/28/Hazmat-team-called-after-students-break-out-in-rashes
Tags: us_FL, education, release, injury, unknown_chemical

to Lauderdale Lakes Middle School Wednesday after reports of several children breaking out in rashes.

The team did not find anything in the classroom that would have prompted the outbreak.

Four students were taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to Broward County school officials.

On May 16th a similar incident happened at McArthur High School, also in Broward County.

Where a dozen students and two teachers were taken to the hospital and released shortly afterward.

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BERGEN COUNTY HAZMAT RESPONDS TO CHEMICAL FIRE
http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/bergen-county-hazmat-responds-to-chemical-fire
Tags: us_NJ, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical, fire_extinguisher

The mixture of chemicals in an optometrist's office at 1567 Lemoine Ave. on Tuesday afternoonresulted in a small fire that was quickly doused with a fire extinguisher.

Fort Lee Fire Chief Keith Sabatino said that the building was evacuated, and because the fire was the result of an unknown chemical mixture, the Bergen County Hazardous Materials Response Team (HazMat) was called in to evaluate the proper response to the incident.

Bergen HazMat determined that the chemicals used were alcohol-based and gave clearance for the fire department to proceed with ventilating the building before allowing anyone to return.

A passing police officer heard the activated fire alarm and responded to the call. Both the police officer and a fireman who "took in smoke" were taken to an area hospital for precaution.

"We're lucky that everyone was safe," Sabatino said. "The goal of every call is to get everyone home safe, and we did."

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ARENS CONTROLS FACTORY EXPLOSION IN CHICAGO LEAVES 1 DEAD AND 10 INJURED
http://z6mag.com/featured/arens-controls-factory-explosion-in-chicago-leaves-1-dead-and-10-injured-169634.html
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

An explosion at Arens Controls Facility in northwest suburban Arlington Heights in Chicago, has left one person dead and ten injured.
Firefighters and police responded to Arens in the 3600 block of North Kennicott Avenue around 9a.m. for what they considered at the time a chemical explosion. About 50 employees were evacuated and were left standing outside for more than three hours after the explosion this morning at the factory in Chicago.
Seven workers were injured and three police officers, two from Arlington Heig

hts and one from Buffalo Grove departments, were treated for respiratory problems.
The Arlington Heights Fire Department have reported the injuries were caused by a malfunctioning machine. Police have confirmed it was likely an industrial accident because there is no visible damage on the outside of the factory building.
Arlington Heights Fire Chief Glenn Erickson said in a statement, "The chemical they were using was a diluted form of potassium hydroxide. At this point in time we don't know what role the chemical had in the accident, if it had any role at all."
Firefighters and police are still investigating what exactly caused the explosion at the Arlington Heights Factory in Chicago.
Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, MD, medical director of occupational health at Loyola University Health System said, "After an industrial accident, even if someone can =E2=80=98walk away' without visible injuries, it doesn't mean there aren't health concerns. Even after authorities have determined the cause of today's explosion, the uncertainty and worry about the tragedy can continue for several weeks or months. It's important during this time to help employees and neighbors to stay focused to limit additional injuries."

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CHEMICAL DISPERSED IN EXPLOSION DEMANDS CAUTION, PROFESSOR SAYS
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120523/news/705239690/
Tags: us_IL, industrial, follow-up, injury, potassium, hydroxide

The chemical that sent a dozen people to the hospital Tuesday following an explosion in an Arlington Heights factory demands caution when working with it, even in laboratory conditions, a chemistry professor said Wednesday.

Kristen Leckrone, an associate professor of chemistry at Roosevelt University, said people expecting to encounter the substance, potassium hydroxide, normally wear gloves, goggles, and sometimes even a respirator if there's a possibility of it being released into the air.

"It can dissolve and damage lung tissue," Leckrone said.

According to its material safety data sheet, potassium hydroxide has a fire hazard of 0 on a 4-point scale, Leckrone said. But it has a reactivity rating of 2 out of 4, and a health risk rating of 3 out of 4.

Though not flammable itself, it can react with metals or other substances to produce potentially explosive hydrogen gas, Leckrone said.

As with a strong acid, a strong base like potassium hydroxide can have a caustic effect on the skin and lungs. But what makes a base different from an acid is that it's more readily absorbed by tissue and thus easier to neutralize than to wash off, Leckrone added.

A dilute solution of weak acids such as vinegar could be used to treat skin burned by potassium hydroxide. But the treatment of potassium hydroxide inhalation or ingestion would be more complicated, she said.

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PRINCETON RESEARCHER BURNED BY ACID IN CHEMISTRY LAB BLAST
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/princeton_researcher_burned_by.html
Tags: us_NJ, laboratory, release, injury, nitric_acid, solvent

PRINCETON - A Princeton University researcher was treated for chemical burns to her face today when a glass container of acid shattered in a lab in the campus' new chemistry building.
The female postdoctoral researcher was taken to University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for minor burns, said Martin Mbugua, a Princeton spokesman. The university did not release her name.
A graduate student who was in the laboratory at the time was also hospitalized as a precaution, Mbugua said. A public safety officer responding to the scene was also taken to the hospital to determine if tingling he experienced in his arm was related to exposure to the acid.
The accident occurred around 1:19 p.m. in a lab in Frick Chemistry Building, campus officials said.
"Nitric acid had been mixed with a solvent in the container, causing a reaction that built up pressure," university officials said in a statement. "When the container broke, the impact forced open the cabinet door, which struck the researcher, bruising her right knee."
The researcher was wearing eye protection and rubber gloves, campus officials said.
About 300 people evacuated the building for about two hours while rescue crews and hazardous materials teams cleared the spill, Mbugua said. About 150 students taking a final exam were moved to another building.

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SAFETY ALERT: EXPLOSION DURING PREP OF (C6F5)PH2
http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i21/Safety-Alert-Explosion-During-Prep.html
Tags: us_WI, laboratory, explosion, injury, other_chemical

While a researcher fractionally distilled the primary phosphine (C6F5)PH2, which was synthesized by the reduction of (C6F5)PCl2 with an excess of lithium aluminum hydride (LAH), the distillation apparatus containing the phosphine detonated. Fortunately, because the researcher was wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and working in front of a sliding blast shield, only minor injuries resulted from the explosion.

The researcher was following a literature prep for the synthesis of (C6F5)PH2 (Z. Naturforschg.1966, 21b, 920), wherein (C6F5)PCl2 was reduced with an excess (2.1 M equiv based on Li) of LAH. After the reaction was completed, the slurry was filtered and ether was evaporated from the filtrate, yielding an oil and some LAH. This mixture was then extracted into hexanes to remove the remaining LAH, and the resulting phosphine/hexanes mixture was fractionally distilled under N2. After the hexanes were fractionally distilled away and the distillation apparatus was at approximately 50 =B0C, the apparatus detonated.

The source of the incident is being investigated. Work with this molecule and similar compounds should be conducted carefully until the exact cause of this incident is determined and reported.

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OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE CAUSE OF CHLORINE GAS LEAK FROM PLAQUEMINE PLANT; 4 HOSPITALIZED
http://www.pendletontimespost.com/view/story/f6ab923759f244c684f12e7366b35907/LA--Chlorine-Leak/
Tags: us_GA, industrial, follow-up, response, chlorine

PLAQUEMINE, La. - Four Georgia Gulf contract employees are recovering after being exposed to chlorine at work.

WAFB TV reports (<a href="http://bit.ly/KnT0FD">http://bit.ly/KnT0FD</a> ) the accident happened at the chemical and vinyls plant in Plaquemine around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

A Georgia Gulf spokesman said the four were near a railcar when the chlorine was being offloaded, but they were not the ones handling it.

Parish officials said there was no need for road closures or evacuations.

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ALASKA'S CAPITAL CITY ONLINE NEWSPAPER
http://ap.juneauempire.com/pstories/state/ak/20120523/995386506.shtml
Tags: us_AK, industrial, release, response, petroleum

Spill occurs at BP processing facility
The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska =E2=80" A state agency says thousands of gallons of crude oil and oily water have spilled at a BP processing facility on the North Slope.

The Anchorage Daily News says a tank at Prudhoe Bay overflowed on Monday, spilling about 4,200 gallons of crude oil and oily water into a containment area. The overflow was stopped and the Department of Environmental Conservation says the liquids did not leach out onto the tundra.

Officials say instruments and valves used to control the level of fluids in the tank malfunctioned.

BP spokesman Steve Rinehart says an alarm went off. A BP worker checking on the alarm discovered the spill at the processing facility where oil, natural gas and water are separated.

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