—US Chemical Safety Board urges better refinery inspections, HF substitutes “2,376 kg of HF released when pipe ruptured at Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery” The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has repeated its call for a review of refineries’ use of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and urged owners and regulators to conduct intensive inspections of all components.
by Jeff Johnson | October 27, 2019
—CSB nominee Katherine Lemos sails through confirmation hearing “” Katherine A. Lemos, nominated to chair the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, faced few questions during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Sept. 11. At the hearing, committee members of both parties supported Lemos and the CSB, which investigates chemically related industrial accidents.
by Jeff Johnson, special to C&EN | September 12, 2019
They spoke of the importance to families of having the names of loved ones killed on the job made public and included in CSB’s accident reports. Citing a statistic or simply calling the deceased a worker creates numbness, several family counselors said. A name, in contrast, conveys that a person died.
by Jeff Johnson, special to C&EN | July 01, 2019
—Chemical Safety Board investigating Philadelphia refinery fire “Facility to close after incident injured 4 workers” A four-person team of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is investigating an explosion and fire at Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), a refining complex in southwest Philadelphia.
by Jeff Johnson, special to C&EN | June 28, 2019
Nominations to the CSB must be confirmed by the Senate. Lemos’s nomination comes as a surprise because Trump has three times tried to eliminate funding for the board. The board has only three of its five member positions filled; the current members’ terms expire in December, February 2020, and August 2020.
by Jeff Johnson | June 21, 2019
In an investigation report released June 12, the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) also found there are few industry standards and no federal safety regulations specific to oil and gas drilling, despite their growing importance to the US economy. Oklahoma’s regulations seem more to encourage production than protect workers, the CSB says.
by Jeff Johnson, special to C&EN | June 13, 2019
—US Chemical Safety Board operation threatened as members dwindle “New members must be nominated by President Trump, who has proposed eliminating the agency” The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) may soon fail to function unless President Donald J. Trump appoints new members, warns an oversight report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The CSB is a small, independent agency that investigates chemically related industrial accidents to determine the cause and recommends safety improvements for companies and agencies. Trump has proposed eliminating it in three budget requests, but members of Congress have continued funding. The CSB is required by statute to have five board members.
by Jeff Johnson, special to C&EN | May 28, 2019