admin
09-18-2003, 03:24 PM
The U.S. Chemical and Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is calling for stricter regulations on the handling of flammable waste. Officials recently conducted an in depth investigation into the cause of an industrial fire at a waste disposal facility. The inquiry prompted scientists to recommend measures to prevent future accidents caused by mishandling.
“Board Chairman Carolyn Merritt said, “This accident, which took three lives and caused devastating burns to survivors, could have been prevented if the hazard of the waste had been recognized, communicated, and controlled. Oil and gas field wastes can be highly flammable and need to be handled appropriately. It’s my hope that our findings and recommendations will be widely reviewed by similar operations, helping save lives in the future.”
The report suggests better communication between waste producers and the companies that transport and dispose of HAZMATs. Had the transporters and the disposal facility known the flammable nature of the substance they were working with, they would have taken better precautions against ignition. CSB wants to make sure no more deaths are caused by lack of knowledge.
“Material safety data sheets -- documents that describe materials and hazards in detail -- should have been prepared by the waste producer and provided to the truck drivers and the disposal facility operators,” Mr. Vorderbrueggen said. “Equipped with that information, each party can understand and manage the hazard.” The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are required for hazardous substances under regulations of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).”
To learn more go to: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=46&id=18974
“Board Chairman Carolyn Merritt said, “This accident, which took three lives and caused devastating burns to survivors, could have been prevented if the hazard of the waste had been recognized, communicated, and controlled. Oil and gas field wastes can be highly flammable and need to be handled appropriately. It’s my hope that our findings and recommendations will be widely reviewed by similar operations, helping save lives in the future.”
The report suggests better communication between waste producers and the companies that transport and dispose of HAZMATs. Had the transporters and the disposal facility known the flammable nature of the substance they were working with, they would have taken better precautions against ignition. CSB wants to make sure no more deaths are caused by lack of knowledge.
“Material safety data sheets -- documents that describe materials and hazards in detail -- should have been prepared by the waste producer and provided to the truck drivers and the disposal facility operators,” Mr. Vorderbrueggen said. “Equipped with that information, each party can understand and manage the hazard.” The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are required for hazardous substances under regulations of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).”
To learn more go to: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=46&id=18974