Reader Comment – CSB Performance Report

Yesterday, a long time reader (and former CSB employee), Rosearray, left a comment on last week’s blog post about congressional hearings where he pointed out that “the CSB quietly posted their 2022 Performance and Accountability Report”. The 2022 report was added to the list of 19 previous annual reports on their aptly named “CSB Performance and Accountability Reports” page. Richard provides an interesting look at some of the data, well worth the read.

Ongoing Investigations

In addition to Richard’s comments on the two Bio-Labs’ investigations I would like to note that the CSB divides their investigation status into two categories:

• The investigation team is developing the final investigation report (8), and

• The investigation team is analyzing data collected during the on-scene phase of the investigation (6).

With only three understaffed investigation teams this is a lot of work remaining to be done. The CSB is currently ‘scheduled’ to release three more investigation reports before year end:

• Manufacturing Facility Explosion (Pasadena, TX),

• Chemical Facility Fire and Explosion (Port Neches, TX), and

• Refinery Fire and Explosion (Superior, WI)

That is a very tight schedule, especially given the holiday season.

Outreach Efforts

In describing their efforts to achieve organizational Goal #2, “Advocate safety and achieve change through recommendations, outreach, and Education”, this report provides three plus (pgs 8-11) pages of descriptions of activities the Board has undertaken in FY 2022. It is an interesting list, with many of the activities positively contributing to chemical safety.

There is, however, one out-reach activity that the Board has stopped doing (I have not gone back to determine when, but it was certainly before the current members were appointed) and that is the community meeting to present the findings of the investigators at the close of an investigation. These community events may not contribute to the more general chemical safety environment, but they did have an impact at the community level. I encourage the Board to resume these community meetings.