News Releases

CSB Investigators Find Lack of Hazard Recognition, Unsafe Handling of Flammable Liquids Caused BLSR Fire

Sep 17, 2003

(Washington, DC, September 17, 2003) Last January's deadly fire at an oilfield waste disposal facility south of Houston could have been avoided if the companies involved had safer procedures for handling flammable wastes, investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) reported today in a public meeting.

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Board to Convene September 30 Public Meeting in New York City on Kaltech Investigation

Sep 08, 2003

(Washington, DC -- September 8, 2003) The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has announced it will convene a public meeting in New York City on September 30, 2003, to present its final report into the April 2002 explosion at a commercial building on West 19th Street in the Chelsea district of Manhattan.

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Board to Convene September 17 Public Meeting in Washington, DC, on BLSR and Environmental Enterprises Investigations

Sep 08, 2003

(Washington, DC -- September 8, 2003) The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has announced it will convene a public meeting in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2003, to present final reports on two recent investigations.

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Board to Convene September 17 Public Meeting in Washington, DC, on BLSR and Environmental Enterprises Investigations

Sep 08, 2003

(Washington, DC -- September 8, 2003) The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has announced it will convene a public meeting in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2003, to present final reports on two recent investigations.

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CSB Investigative Team Returning to Honeywell's Baton Rouge, LA Facility

Aug 14, 2003

(Washington, DC - August 14, 2003) Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) are returning to the Honeywell refrigerant plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana today. This will be the third time in just over three weeks that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has responded to an incident at this facility. CSB investigators will include yesterday's spill of hydrofluoric acid in their ongoing investigation into two earlier incidents. The acid spill Wednesday morning burned one worker and caused inhalation problems in another. Both were reported hospitalized.

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CSB Chair Carolyn Merritt Commends New Jersey Officials On Reactive Hazards Safety Action

Aug 12, 2003

Washington, DC, Aug. 12, 2003 --U.S. Chemical Safety Board Chair Carolyn Merritt today commended the recent action by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection which adds reactive chemicals to the list of "extraordinarily hazardous substances" that trigger the risk management planning requirements of New Jersey's Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act. The action is designed to provide greater protection for residents living near industrial facilities. Chairman Merritt said, "The CSB is very concerned about reactive hazards. I am happy to see this kind of life-saving action being taken in New Jersey and commend New Jersey officials. We would like to see action taken on a federal level as well in the interest of protecting workers and residents who live near chemical plants." Following an extensive, two-year study of reactive hazards in the chemical industry, the 5-member CSB Board last fall approved recommendations to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on the need for additional regulation of reactive hazards. The CSB study identified 167 reactive incidents which caused 108 deaths over a twenty year period. Dr. Gerald Poje, on behalf of the CSB, earlier this year had urged New Jersey officials to take action.

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CSB Investigative Team Heading to Site of Baton Rouge Chlorine Accident

Jul 21, 2003

(Washington, DC - July 21, 2003) Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) are en route to the site of yesterday's chlorine gas release at the Honeywell refrigerant plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The release early Sunday morning resulted in the hospitalization of four plant workers and required about 600 nearby residents to shelter in their homes. Several residents also sought medical evaluation.

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Preliminary Findings Indicate Combustible Dust, Likely Ignited by a Malfunctioning Oven, Caused Fatal CTA Explosion

Jul 08, 2003

(Corbin, KY, July 8, 2003) The explosion and fire at the CTA Acoustics plant in Corbin, KY, earlier this year was caused when combustible dust in the plant ignited, according to preliminary findings of investigators of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).

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Board Releases Safety Bulletin on Nitrogen Asphyxiation Hazards, Underscores Need for Good Safety Practices

Jun 25, 2003

Washington, DC - June 25, 2003) Reporting that nitrogen asphyxiation has caused 80 fatalities in the U.S. over the last decade, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today released a new safety bulletin that presents a series of good safety practices to prevent nitrogen-related incidents.

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Preliminary Findings Confirm Blast at West Pharmaceutical Services in Kinston, NC, Was a Dust Explosion Fueled by Plastic Powder Used in Manufacturing

Jun 18, 2003

(Kinston, NC - June 18, 2003) Investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) told a community audience here tonight that last January's massive blast at medical device maker West Pharmaceutical Services, which killed six workers and injured dozens more, was in fact an explosion of fine plastic powder used in the manufacturing of rubber products.

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