Following three catastrophic dust explosions that killed 14 workers in 2003, the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) initiated a study of dust explosions in general industry and what can be done to reduce their risk. The CSB has concluded that combustible dust explosions are a serious hazard in American industry, and that existing efforts inadequately address this hazard. The CSB investigations of the 2003 incidents--West Pharmaceutical Services, CTA Acoustics, and Hayes Lemmerz International--identified a number of common causal factors, and subsequent research into...

This report explains the explosion/BLEVE that took place on April 9, 1998, at the Herrig Brothers Feather Creek Farm, located in Albert City, Iowa. Two volunteer fire fighters were killed and seven other emergency response personnel were injured. Safety issues covered in the report include protection of propane storage tanks and piping, state regulatory oversight of such installations, and fire fighter response to propane storage tank fires. Recommendations concerning these issues were made to the Herrig Brothers Feather Creek Farm, the Iowa State Fire Marshal, the Fire Service Institute of...

This report examines the catastrophic vessel failure and fire that occurred on March 4, 1998, near Pitkin, Louisiana, at an oil and gas production facility owned by Sonat Exploration Company. Four workers were killed in the incident. The root causes of the incident are identified, and recommendations are made concerning engineering and design management systems and the development of good-practice guidelines. The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent federal agency whose mission is to ensure the safety of workers and the public by preventing or minimizing the...

This report explains two explosions that took place on January 7, 1998, at an explosives manufacturing facility owned by Sierra Chemical Company, located in Mustang, Nevada. Four workers were killed and six were injured. Safety issues covered in the report include process safety management, process hazard analysis, training, language barriers, operating procedures, building siting, and employee participation. Recommendations concerning these issues were made to Sierra Chemical Company and other companies manufacturing explosives, the Institute of Makers of Explosives, the Nevada Occupational...

This investigation report examines an explosion and fire that occurred on October 13, 2002, at the First Chemical Corporation facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The decomposition of mononitrotoluene inside a distillation column resulted in a runaway reaction and explosion, with potentially catastrophic offsite conse- quences. This report identifies the root and contributing causes of the incident and makes recommendations on evaluating reactive hazards, applying lessons learned, layers of protection, work prac- tices, facility siting, and community notification. The U.S. Chemical Safety and...

This investigation report examines a hydrogen sulfide poisoning incident that occurred on January 16, 2002, at the Georgia- Pacific Naheola mill in Pennington, Alabama. Two contractors were killed, and eight were injured. County paramedics reported symp- toms of hydrogen sulfide exposure. This report identifies the root and contributing causes of the incident and makes recommendations on reactive hazard identification, hydrogen sulfide safety, and emer- gency response. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent Federal agency whose mission is to ensure the...

An aluminum dust explosion and fire on October 29, 2003 at the Hayes Lemmerz International-Huntington, Inc. (Hayes) facility, Huntington, Indiana killed one employee and burned two other employees, one critically. Three other Hayes employees and one contractor received minor injuries. The facility manufactures cast aluminum alloy wheels. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) determined that the dust that exploded originated in a scrap re-melting system. The explosion completely destroyed the dust collection equipment outside the building and damaged equipment inside...

On July 20, 2003, a release of chlorine gas from the Honeywell International, Inc. (Honeywell) chemical plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, resulted in injuries to seven plant workers and issuance of a shelter-in- place advisory for residents within a 0.5-mile radius. On July 29, 2003, a 1-ton cylinder at the same plant released its contents to the atmosphere, fatally injuring a plant worker by exposing the worker to contaminated antimony pentachloride. On August 13, 2003, two workers at the plant were exposed to hydrogen fluoride requiring hospitalization for one of those workers. The U.S....

On February 7, 2008, at about 7:15 p.m., a series of sugar dust explosions at the Imperial Sugar manufacturing facility in Port Wentworth, Georgia, resulted in 14 worker fatalities. Eight workers died at the scene and six others eventually succumbed to their injuries at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia. Thirty six workers were treated for serious burns and injuries-some caused permanent, life altering conditions. The explosions and subsequent fires destroyed the sugar packing buildings, palletizer room, and silos, and severely damaged the bulk train car loading area and...

This investigation report examines a chemical waste-mixing incident that occurred on April 25, 2002, at the Kaltech Industries Group, Inc., sign manufacturing facility in the Chelsea district of New York City. An explosion and fire in a confined basement workspace in a mixed-occupancy building injured several employees, members of the public, and six firefighters. This report identifies the root and contributing causes of the incident and makes recommendations on hazard communication, hazardous waste handling, and municipal oversight. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board...