Chemical Incident Reporting – Week of 6-24-23

NOTE: See here for series background.

Anson County, NC – 6-22-23

Local news reports: Here, here, and here.

Explosion apparently related to reaction between an ammonium chloride solution and water killed one worker.

CSB reportable incident.

Houston, TX – 6-24-23

Local news reports: Here, here, here, and here.

An over-chlorination event at a public water park resulted in twelve people being taken to a local hospital for possible chlorine ingestion.

Probable CSB reportable – It is not actually clear from the reports if any of the 12 people transported were admitted to the hospital or just transported to be checked out. The later would not trigger reporting requirements.

Texas City, TX – 6-27-23

Local news reports: Here, here, and here.

Refinery upset resulted in release of 1,300 pounds of sulfur dioxide. Shelter in place for two hours in Texas City east of 146. No injuries reported. No damage reported.

Probably not a CSB reportable release.

ELDRIDGE, Iowa – 6-29-23

Local news reports: Here, here, and here.

Chlorine release at water treatment plant. No injuries, no damage reports.

Probably not a CSB reportable release.

Commentary

The last two incidents included significant evacuations and shelter-in-place responses in residential areas near the facilities. In my opinion evacuations should trigger reporting and shelter-in-place orders of some size and duration should as well. Those are not specifically described criteria in the authorizing legislation, but CSB might be able to massage the ‘significant damage’ interpretation to include such mandates.