Hazardous Materials

Static Electricty ignites vapors in fatal event

A fire broke out at a factory on Jan. 8, 2026, severely injuring a worker, 30, who died five days later on Jan. 13, 2026, according to police. The explosion occurred during a chemical mixing operation…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

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Triple Fatality in Sewer by Asphyxiation (Video)

The three Syrian workers who died of suffocation in the Marj area of West Bekaa, Lebanon in an incident that occurred around August 14, 2025, were not identified by name in the initial news reports. News coverage confirmed that the bodies of the three men were removed from the manhole by the Masnaa Civil Defense…...

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Managing inventory of our HHC/EHS during emergencies

I ALWAYS encourage clients to be able to MANAGE their inventory when something goes wrong. Many have heeded my advice, and when they have a leak on a tank, they simply transfer the hazardous material to their “emergency tank,” or they have set their maximum levels in other tanks so they have spare capacity on…...

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Defining and Quantifying “incidental releases” and ones requiring an “emergency response”

This is a perfect (and sad) example of why releases of hazardous materials need to be DEFINED and QUANTIFIED so that personnel know their LIMITATIONS in responding to said releases. This exercise is part of our PRE-PLANNING, starting with using the Tier II forms we submit each year. Just understand, the Tier II forms are…...

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Purging of gaseous hydrogen piping systems (IGC)

Where piping is to be opened for servicing, addition, or modification, the section to be worked on shall be isolated from the supply at the nearest convenient point, and the line pressure vented to the OUTDOORS. The remaining gas in this section of pipe shall be displaced with an inert gas. Prior to placing the…...

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CSB Issues Interim Safety Recommendations to U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works Following Fatal Explosion

December 23, 2025, Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today issued two interim safety recommendations in connection with the agency’s ongoing investigation into the August 11, 2025, fatal explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works facility in Clairton, Pennsylvania. The explosion occurred when coke oven gas was released from…...

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Line Break Gone Bad (Caustic & $121K)

At 2:30 p.m. on August 28, 2019, employees were removing a flange blank on caustic liquid pipeline that was supposed to be evacuated but wasn’t. The employees were sprayed with caustic liquid and suffered chemical burns to their face and eyes. Two of the employees required hospitalization for treatment and three others were injured but…...

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Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) kills 2 workers in pit accident

Three (3) workers were exposed to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) while cleaning a chemical pit at a company, leaving two dead and one hospitalized. Two (2) workers died, and a third was rescued…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

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The NTSB releases a preliminary report on the NH3 release from a tanker in OK on 11/12/25

This information is preliminary and subject to change.​​ ​On November 12, 2025, about 9:16 p.m. local time, a cargo tank transporting Anhydrous Ammonia experienced a leak while parked in Weatherford, Oklahoma. The driver had stopped at a Holiday Inn Express and Suites for the evening when he noticed the manway cover underneath the cargo tank…...

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Line Break Gone Bad (128 psi gas)

A contractor was injured and evacuated after a gas release incident on an offshore facility in the Gulf of America. The incident occurred while a contract employee was performing maintenance on an E-body control valve on a six-inch gas line. BSEE’s investigation found that residual pressure estimated at 128 psi inside the six-inch gas line…...

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Line Break Gone Bad (180F water)

At 1:40 p.m. on May 7, 2024, Employee #1, 42, a Production Engineer, was performing daily assigned tasks when the Maintenance Coordinator requested that the employee replace a gasket on a wash tank camlock. While disconnecting a high-pressure hose from the bulk wash tank, the hose ejected water at 185F. The hot water burned 98%…...

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How much HF Acid is needed to cause a fatality by contact

Employee #1 was mixing an automobile cleaning solution, which required that several chemicals to be added to a mixing tank. He would first weigh out the appropriate amount of a chemical and then use a chemical transfer pump to move it into an empty drum until the desired amount (by weight) was obtained. This task…...

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