Hazardous Materials

During the morning of February 24, 2023, an unknown amount of hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide were released, fatally injuring an employee inside an enclosed building at an oil and gas facility in North Dakota. The hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide displaced the oxygen in the building, and the employee asphyxiated in the oxygen-deficient atmosphere. The employee…...

On December 19, 2022, at approximately 11:10 a.m., an accidental release of 22,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia occurred from the NH3 refrigeration process at a food processing facility in Norwood, Massachusetts. Exposure to the toxic ammonia vapor fatally injured one contract worker and seriously injured another contract worker. In addition, the release caused about $4…...

On June 14, 2021, at approximately 6:50 a.m., an accidental release of mineral oil occurred. The mineral oil ignited, causing a fire. The event resulted in $380 million in property damage and the permanent closure of the facility. Before the incident, the facility employed approximately 200 people. Leading up to the incident, the facility had…...

On July 24, 2020, at 1:20 p.m., an accidental release of approximately 100 milliliters of silicon tetrachloride seriously injured two contract workers. At the time of the event, contract workers were disassembling a 2-inch flange to remove a blind (a solid metal plate used to isolate equipment) before reinstalling a section of piping that had…...

On April 11, 2020, at 11:25 p.m., a spent caustic release occurred. One (1) operator was seriously injured by skin exposure to the corrosive liquid. At the time of the incident, the operator was implementing a temporary procedure to remove liquid from a chemical hose connected to fill a portable storage tank (“frac tank”) that…...

A plastics company was having its 5-year piping inspection done, and the inspectors found a crack in a valve under the 30,000-gallon storage tank. As a precaution, both tanks were drained to safely make the necessary repairs. As part of the facility’s standard protocol, the company called the fire department and conducted preventive evacuations…. Membership...