Volume 4 of Chemical Incident Reports Available from CSB

The latest volume of chemical incident reports was published yesterday by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The new publication covers 13 incidents, including an argon gas release that resulted in the deaths of two workers at a facility where carbon fiber blocks were treated. Two other incidents that involved workers mistakenly disassembling the wrong equipment are also highlighted in this volume: one that resulted in an explosion and fire following the release and ignition of flammable hydrocarbons, and another that caused the release of approximately 8,000 pounds of chlorine gas. Together with others highlighted in the publication, these incidents collectively caused two deaths, 10 serious injuries, and more than $1 billion in property damage, according to CSB.

CSB’s incident reports summarize chemical incidents and identify their probable causes. The agency’s volumes of incident reports are based on information provided to CSB pursuant to its accidental release reporting rule, which went into effect in March 2020. The rule requires reporting of any accidental release that results in a fatality, a serious injury, or substantial damage to property. CSB intends for the volumes to “provide critical information to the public, industry, and emergency responders about serious chemical incidents and chemical safety issues,” the agency explains in a news release.

Volume 4 (PDF) is available from CSB’s website. The previously released volumes can be found on an agency webpage focused on the reporting rule. Volumes 1–4 cover a total of 81 chemical incidents in 31 states.