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Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 8:54:00 AM
A membership benefit of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas
Table of Contents (12 articles)
CHEMICAL LEAK FORCES EVACUATION IN DOWNTOWN BROWNSVILLE
Tags: us_TX, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
FIRE BURNS LONG BEACH STORAGE CONTAINER WITH CHEMICAL-SOAKED RAGS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, fire, response, waste
CAUSTIC FUMES CAUSED BY CHEMICAL MIX FORCE EVACUATION OF ULSTER HOTEL
Tags: us_NY, public, release, injury, corrosives, pool_chemicals
FIRE SAFETY ISSUES DOG BATTERY STORAGE GROWTH IN NEW YORK CITY, SLOWING DEPLOYMENT
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, batteries
ARREST MADE AFTER CREWS RESPOND TO HANOVER FOR HAZMAT SITUATION
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical, illegal
POLICE CHASE, HAZMAT SITUATION IN LINO LAKES SENDS 9 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_MN, transportation, release, injury, propane
HAZMAT CREW INVESTIGATING WESTWOOD PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE FELL ILL
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO TRUCK ACCIDENT
Tags: us_NV, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
FIRES DROP IN SUGAR LAND; HAZMAT CALLS INCREASE, REPORT SHOWS
Tags: us_TX, public, discovery, environmental
KOREA TO INAUGURATE COUNTRY'S FIRST BIOSAFETY LEVEL-4 LAB
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, discovery, environmental
ELECTRIC BIKE CATCHES FIRE IN NEWPORT BEACH
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries, fire_extinguisher
IN EASTON, FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM EXTINGUISHES; PEOPLE!
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, dust, fire_extinguishe
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CHEMICAL LEAK FORCES EVACUATION IN DOWNTOWN BROWNSVILLE
Tags: us_TX, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
Twenty-two people were evacuated Tuesday afternoon from the Quick Transit Corp building on East Frontage Street after a chemical leak was reported to the Brownsville Fire Department.
A man was admitted to the hospital after unsuccessfully attempting to plug the leak himself and getting chemicals on his face and hands, said Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo.
‰??The gentleman was decontaminated on scene. He was taken to Valley Baptist Medical Center (in Brownsville) for treatment,‰?? Elizondo said. ‰??He didn‰??t show anything other than redness, but our concern is mainly inhalation and the eyes, which he did complain about.‰??
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FIRE BURNS LONG BEACH STORAGE CONTAINER WITH CHEMICAL-SOAKED RAGS
Tags: us_CA, industrial, fire, response, waste
LONG BEACH, CA -- A small fire in Long Beach burned a storage container in which chemical-soaked rags had been placed but no one was hurt, authorities said Tuesday.
The fire was reported at 11:35 p.m. and knocked down within 15 minutes in the 4000 block of East Conant Street, outside a commercial building, said Jake Heflin of the Long Beach Fire Department.
The rags in the container were stored there for disposal, Heflin said, but he did not know what kind of chemicals were involved.
---------------------------------------------
CAUSTIC FUMES CAUSED BY CHEMICAL MIX FORCE EVACUATION OF ULSTER HOTEL
Tags: us_NY, public, release, injury, corrosives, pool_chemicals
TOWN OF ULSTER >> The Hampton Inn hotel on Ulster Avenue was evacuated, 12 workers were exposed to caustic fumes and a contractor who inhaled them was hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after accidently mixing a cleaning chemical with pool water containing chlorine, the local fire chief said.
Ulster Hose Chief Shawn Heppner said firefighters were called to the hotel at 1307 Ulster Ave. at 1:23 p.m. for an automatic fire alarm activation after a contractor working near the hotel‰??s pool accidently mixed a ‰??corrosive cleaner‰?? with pool water. The contractor initially thought the resulting fumes were caused by a fire, Heppner said.
Twelve contractors, including the one that was hospitalized, were evaluated by Mobile Life Support Services. Eleven of the workers refused treatment, Heppner said.
The contractor, who was not identified, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening injuries, the chief said.
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FIRE SAFETY ISSUES DOG BATTERY STORAGE GROWTH IN NEW YORK CITY, SLOWING DEPLOYMENT
Tags: us_NY, public, discovery, environmental, batteries
Last fall, New York City became one of the few cities in America to implement an energy storage mandate when Mayor Bill Di Blasio announced a 100 MWh by 2020 solar-plus-storage target, but progress has been slow. By the end of 2016, the city had only installed 4.8 MWh of storage.
A new report by the City University of New York, the National Renewable Energy Laboratories and Meister Consultants examines the barriers to deploying solar-plus-storage installations in New York City. The report cites the high cost of battery storage and the lack of city and state incentives for storage. The report also identifies the city‰??s arduous permitting process as one of the barriers developers face.
But the report does not put a lot of focus on what may be one of the biggest barriers to expanding energy storage in New York: the lack of consensus on fire safety standards for battery storage devices, especially lithium-ion batteries.
Fire safety concerns have not been a limiting factor in other jurisdictions, said Christopher Robinson, who heads energy storage research at Lux Research. But New York City‰??s population density makes it more of a concern there.
Uncertainty around fire safety issues is putting a damper on the New York storage market, said Davion Hill, energy storage leader, Americas, for DNV GL. ‰??Developers are afraid of the soft costs associated with excessive water and ventilation requirements,‰?? he said.
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ARREST MADE AFTER CREWS RESPOND TO HANOVER FOR HAZMAT SITUATION
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical, illegal
HANOVER, Mass. ‰??
An arrest has been made after a hazmat situation in Hanover.
Hanover police and firefighters responded to Bates Way Tuesday afternoon for an initial report of a level one hazmat response, which means an assessment of a suspicious substance.
Authorities said a man broke into a home on Bates Way and brought in a bucket with some kind of substance. The liquid was found around the home and when the homeowner arrived and realized what was going, they called the police.
"They went into the home and confirmed that there was some form of vapor emitting from bucket inside the kitchen area of the home," Hanover Fire chief Jeffrey Blanchard said.
The response was raised to a level two, meaning a short term operation is underway. Firefighters at the scene said a couple of homes were evacuated.
The suspect was found on the first floor of the home and was arrested. Officials said he apparently had doused himself with the substance and had to be washed down.
"He did need to be assisted outside and was transported to local hospital for evaluation," Hanover Police chief Walter Sweeney said.
The man is expected to be charged with breaking and entering into a home to commit a felony. Authorities said the suspect and the homeowner knew each other.
---------------------------------------------
POLICE CHASE, HAZMAT SITUATION IN LINO LAKES SENDS 9 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_MN, transportation, release, injury, propane
LINO LAKES, Minn. (KMSP) - A police chase from Blaine, Minnesota to Lino Lakes, Minnesota ended with a strange twist Tuesday morning, with nine people taken to the hospital for exposure to noxious fumes.
According to the Blaine Police Department, officers attempted to pull a van over for suspicious activity near the Walmart on Ball Road in Blaine and were led on a chase, ending with a PIT maneuver near the corner of County Road 23 and Town Center Parkway in Lino Lakes.
Nine people, including four police officers, three EMS members and the driver of the vehicle were taken to a nearby hospital following the incident after being overcome by fumes in the area. All nine people complained of scratchy throats and were underwent chemical decontamination at a nearby hospital.
The North Metro Chemical Assessment Team determined the source of the fumes was a leaking propane tank and a variety of used spray paint cans in the back of the van. The officers and the van's driver were treated for symptoms of aerosol inhalation and released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Both suspects were questioned by police after they found a loaded firearm in the vehicle. The passenger was eventually released, though officials say the investigation is currently ongoing.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT CREW INVESTIGATING WESTWOOD PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE FELL ILL
Tags: us_CA, public, release, injury, unknown_chemical
On March 10, 10 people complained of being sickened in an underground parking structure in Westwood, but none of them required hospitalization.
The incident was reported at 7:11 p.m. in the 1000 block of Glendon Avenue, just south of the UCLA campus, according to Sean Saunders of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The patients complained of a burning sensation, a metallic taste in their throats and feeling sickened, Saunders said.
No one was taken to a hospital, but a hazardous materials crew was dispatched to take samples and try to determine what substance was involved.
---------------------------------------------
HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS TO TRUCK ACCIDENT
Tags: us_NV, transportation, release, response, unknown_chemical
LAS VEGAS (KXNT) ‰?? At first, authorities believed a crash to be just a routine accident jamming up the intersection of West Cheyenne Avenue and North Grand Canyon Drive Tuesday morning. Then, local firefighters learned there were chemicals on the truck involved in the crash.
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue responded to a car crash around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. When firefighters arrived, they found a small truck on its side in the intersection.
Two vehicles were involved in the crash of a truck that hit a car with a woman inside. Both drivers were checked by paramedics on scene and released. The driver of the truck told firefighters at the scene there were some chemicals in the rear of the truck. After firefighters checked the air inside the truck with electronic air monitoring equipment, it indicated that there might be a possible leak. Before the truck could be righted, the chemicals had to be secured.
The LVFR Hazardous Materials Response team responded as well as a number of other support cars and personnel. A total of 35 personnel with 15 vehicles responded.
All roads leading to the intersection were closed and a few nearby residents and a school were told to stay put and not come out for awhile.
---------------------------------------------
FIRES DROP IN SUGAR LAND; HAZMAT CALLS INCREASE, REPORT SHOWS
Tags: us_TX, public, discovery, environmental
The number of structure fires in Sugar Land dropped by half over the past year, while the city‰??s fire department responded to far more calls concerning hazardous materials, a new report shows.
According to the 2016 Annual Report recently released by the Sugar Land Fire-EMS Department, FY 2015 saw 36 fires erupt in Sugar Land, but that number dropped to 17 in FY 2016. Figures for prior years were not released.
Sugar Land Fire Chief Juan Adame said it was not possible to attribute the drop to any single factor. However, he said the fire department conducts a lot of public education outreach in the community, with much of that education focused on the potential for kitchen fires, especially stoves left unattended, which he said is a top cause of fires in the home.
‰??We work real hard at educating the public,‰?? Adame said.
The number of hazardous materials related emergencies increased from 132 in FY 2015 to 192 in FY 2016, according to the report. Emergency calls that are labeled hazmat calls include a wide variety of problems, from a possible natural gas leak to dangerous materials being spilled on the ground, Adame said.
‰??If a person smells gas in their home, we go investigate,‰?? he said.
The hazardous materials classification makes many of those calls sound more dangerous than they actually are, he said.
---------------------------------------------
KOREA TO INAUGURATE COUNTRY'S FIRST BIOSAFETY LEVEL-4 LAB
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, discovery, environmental
Singapore: The Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced the opening of the country's first biosafety level 4 (BL-4) lab in Osong, a biotech complex in North Chungcheong Province. With this, South Korea is close to opening its first laboratory fully equipped for experiments with the deadliest of human viruses, such as Ebola.
Stating that there are only a few labs dealing with such dangerous viruses across the globe, the center said that at least 24 billion won ($21.2 million) has been injected for the new lab project. Officials hope that this would enhance the country's preparedness for deadly diseases and help local firms' research for vaccines. In the envisioned lab, experiments on about 20 of the most deadly kinds of human viruses, including Ebola and Lassa fever, will be carried out, said the center.
The KCDC further added that only a handful of doctorate-level scientists, who are trained at BL-4 laboratories in other countries, will have access to the lab to conduct tests. Cocooned within a submarine-like airtight facility, each room inside the laboratory is equipped with state-of-the art air and sound pressure infrastructure to prevent the spread of virus.
Currently, Korea only operates BL-3 labs that handle pathogens in risk group 3, which usually cause serious human or animal disease but do not easily spread by casual contact. The Middle East respiratory syndrome that struck Korea in 2015 belongs to this group. The authorities, however, have yet to finalize the opening of the lab, as it requires a review of the risks that taking deadly viruses into the country could pose to public safety, reported the Korean Herald.
---------------------------------------------
ELECTRIC BIKE CATCHES FIRE IN NEWPORT BEACH
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response, batteries, fire_extinguisher
NEWPORT BEACH ‰?? An electric bike caught fire Sunday, shooting battery parts as it burned, authorities said.
The incident was reported around 4:30 p.m. at the end of an access ramp on 18th Street.
A man and woman had parked their newly purchased electric bikes on the beach and were sitting next to them when the battery on one of the bikes malfunctioned, said Mike Halphide, lifeguard battalion chief for the Newport Beach Fire Department.
‰??Lifeguards on scene reported that the battery was popping and sending projectiles dozens of yards from the fire,‰?? Halphide said. ‰??It‰??s something I‰??ve never seen before.‰??
The couple were not injured and firefighters used a dry chemical to extinguish the blaze. One bike was destroyed and the other was damaged, he said.
---------------------------------------------
IN EASTON, FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM EXTINGUISHES; PEOPLE!
Tags: us_MA, public, release, response, dust, fire_extinguishe
EASTON ‰?? It looked like it snowed in town on Saturday morning ‰?? but only in the parking lot of one gas station.
The fire suppression system dropped a dry powder chemical about 8:22 a.m., Saturday, at Mobil, at 491 Foundry St., while the shop was open.
"There was an accidental release of the ANSUL dry chemical system," Fire Chief Kevin Partridge said. "The company came down that maintains it and believes, for some reason, there was an issue with one of the heat detectors that set it off."
At least two people and one vehicle were hit by the initial drop of powder. They were evaluated by paramedics, but declined medical treatment.
"While my guys were there, it went off an additional three times, additional canisters," Partridge said.
The system is meant to drop powder that can quickly extinguish a fire if there is an issue near the gas pumps. The fire chief said the powder isn't something people should stand in or breathe in for long periods of time, but that it's generally not harmful.
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