News Releases

Chemical Safety Board Investigation Finds CTA Acoustics Explosion Caused by Dust Hazard That Was Known to Management, Phenolic Resin Supplier

Feb 15, 2005

London, KY, February 15, 2005, 9 p.m. EST - By a vote of 3-0, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) tonight approved the final report on the phenolic resin dust explosion at CTA Acoustics. In approving the staff report, the Board added a root cause related to Borden Chemical's product stewardship program (Borden Chemical supplied phenolic resin powder to CTA). The report identified four other root causes related to CTA's safety systems and the design of the CTA facility by former owner CertainTeed. The full report, as amended, will be available soon from CSB.gov, along with a transcript and videotape of the public meeting.

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Board to Release Final Report and Safety Recommendations from 2003 CTA Acoustics Dust Explosion at Feb. 15 Public Meeting in London, Kentucky

Jan 28, 2005

Washington, DC, January 28, 2005 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has announced a public meeting in London, Kentucky, on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. at the London Community Center. At the meeting, the Board will review and consider the final CSB staff report on the fatal dust explosion at CTA Acoustics in Corbin, Kentucky.

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Board Commends Texas Companies for Implementing CSB Safety Recommendations in Jan. 13, 2003, BLSR Operating Ltd. Fire

Jan 12, 2005

Washington, DC, January 12, 2005 - Members of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) have unanimously declared that the actions taken by the three companies involved in the fatal BLSR Operating Ltd. accident in Texas are "acceptable." All the recommendations are now "closed" and require no further follow-up by the CSB. The agency found that one company, T&L Environmental Services, exceeded the agency's recommended action. The decision was announced on the second anniversary of the January 13, 2003 accident that killed three workers.

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Board to Conduct Full Investigation of Tank Explosion at Marcus Oil and Chemical

Dec 10, 2004

Washington, DC, December 10, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced today that it is conducting a full investigation of last week's tank explosion at the Marcus Oil and Chemical facility in southwest Houston. The blast on the evening of December 3 was felt up to 20 miles from the plant site. CSB investigators believe the accident occurred when a 40,000-gallon chemical storage tank exploded violently. The tank was approximately 10% full at the time of the ​

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CSB Team Heading to Houston Explosion Site

Dec 03, 2004

Washington, DC, December 3, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced it is a sending an investigative team to the site of this evening's explosions at a southwest Houston chemical plant. The initial explosion at the Marcus Oil and Chemical facility was reported around 6 p.m. local time.

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CSB Issues Preliminary Findings in Toxic Gas Release at MFG Chemical: Cites Lack of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Problems

Nov 16, 2004

Dalton, Georgia, November 16, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released preliminary findings on the April 2004 toxic gas release from MFG Chemical Inc. in Dalton, which forced the evacuation of more than 100 families and businesses. The findings were to be presented at a CSB community meeting in Dalton this evening.

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The Science Channel to Broadcast Documentary on CSB Dust Explosion Investigation Nov. 5, 2004, 9 p.m.

Nov 03, 2004

Washington, DC, November 3, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's extensive investigation into a chemical plant dust explosion that occurred in Kinston, North Carolina, will be the subject of a documentary called "Failure Analysis: Dust Explosion" on The Science Channel this coming Friday, Nov. 5, 2004. The Science Channel is part of Discovery Networks, U.S., which also operates and manages the Discovery Channel.

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CSB to Hold November 16 Public Meeting in Dalton, Georgia, to Release Preliminary Findings and Hear Community Comments on MFG Chemical Investigation

Nov 01, 2004

Washington, DC, November 1, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) will hold a community meeting in Dalton, Georgia, at 7 p.m. on November 16, 2004, to discuss the April 2004 chemical release accident at MFG Chemical Inc. Over 100 families and businesses were evacuated, and 154 people were treated at a local hospital for chemical exposure.

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In Final Report on West Pharmaceutical Explosion, CSB Finds Inadequate Controls for Dust Hazards, Calls on North Carolina to Strengthen Fire Code on Combustible Dust

Sep 23, 2004

Kinston, NC, September 23, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released its final report on the investigation of last year's fatal dust explosion and fire at West Pharmaceutical Services Inc., finding inadequate engineering at the destroyed plant and calling on North Carolina to adopt National Fire Code controls on combustible dust for industrial facilities statewide.

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In Final Report, CSB Cites Flawed Ventilation Design, Lack of Hazard Analysis in February 2003 Explosion at Technic Inc. Plating Chemicals Facility

Sep 16, 2004

Washington, DC, September 16, 2004 - The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released its final report examining the causes of the February 2003 explosion and fire at a plating chemicals manufacturing facility in Cranston, Rhode Island. The report determined several root and contributing causes of the accident and made recommendations to the company and industrial safety organizations.

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