Volume 3, Issue 5, August/September 2001, David M. Garcia, Editor

Welcome to AcuSafe News -- The electronic newsletter devoted to serving industry, government, and interested members of the public by providing  process safety practices, incident news, lessons learned, and regulatory developments. 

AcuSafe News is an extension of the AcuSafe website (http://www.acusafe.com/), the Internet resource for safety and risk management information, products, training, and professional exchange. We hope you visit the website and find AcuSafe News and the AcuSafe site to be valuable tools. AcuSafe.com and AcuSafe News are presented to you by AcuTech Consulting Group, a division of Chemetica, Inc. (http://www.acutech-consulting.com)  

 

In This Issue


  EPA News:   Updated Regulated Chemical "List of Lists"  Available


  EPA Regional News:   Seven Washington Facilities Fined for Failing to Submit Risk Management Plans


  OSHA News  OSHA Targeting 1,000 Sites for Inspection

  CSB News:  CSB Intensifies Investigation of Motiva Acid Tank Failure


   Industry Focus:   
          1.  Crisis in Oil Pipeline Safety?
          2.  Review of Large Property Damage Losses in the Petroleum and Chemical Industries
  Resources:  
           1.   Responsible Care Examples of Excellence
           2.   National Response Center Data Available Online

  Incident News:  
           1.   Monthly Summary of Incidents, June 17 - August 13, 2001
           2.   Exxon Mobil Unit Esso Australia Found Guilty Arising from 1998 Longford Gas Processing Plant Explosion
           3.   Industrial Tragedies Highlight Safety Concerns in China
  Events Update:  
           1.    Reminder that an Important Industry Workshop on PSM Best Practices is Coming Soon
           2.    AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety Conference, October 2-5, 2001

 


  Other AcuTech Summer and Fall 2001 Training Offerings for Process Hazard Analysis and Process Safety Management   
  

Story Abstracts
EPA News 
EPA Releases Updated Regulated Chemical "List of Lists" 
 EPA has recently updated the Consolidated List of Chemicals Subject to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act (also known as the List of Lists). This consolidated list has been prepared to help firms handling chemicals determine whether they need to submit reports under sections 302, 304, or 313 of EPCRA and, for a specific chemical, what reports may need to be submitted. It will also help firms determine whether they will be subject to accident prevention regulations under CAA section 112(r) (RMP). A copy of this new list of chemicals, courtesy of EPA, is available at AcuSafe (http://www.acusafe.com/Laws-Regs/US-EPA/title3ListofLists072001.pdf).
 
     
EPA Regional News 
Seven Washington Facilities Fined for Failing to Submit Risk Management Plans
 The Region 10 Office of the EPA fined seven facilities in Washington State for failing to submit Risk Management Plans as required under the Clean Air Act § 112(r) Accidental Release Prevention requirements.  The fines ranged up to $5000, but the penalty provisions of the statute carry fines up to $27,500 per day. The companies fined were Echo Bay Minerals Co., the City of Lynnwood, Valley Fruit III, the City of Grandview, Enchanted Parks, C.M. Holtzinger, and Ritzville Chemical. 
 
     
OSHA News
OSHA Targeting 1,000 Sites for Inspection
OSHA announced on August that it had mailed letters to 14,000 sites, informing them that their injury and illness rate substantially exceeded the national average and encouraging them to take steps to reduce hazards and protect their workers.  Over the next four months, OSHA plans to inspect about 1,000 sites that experienced especially high injury and illness rates in 1999. Those in the inspection pool of 14,000 had eight or more injuries and illnesses resulting in lost workdays for every 100 full-time workers. Nationwide, the average U.S. workplace had three instances for every 100 workers. The 14,000 sites are listed, by state, alphabetically on OSHA's website at http://www.osha-slc.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_7.html. 

 

Chemical Safety Board News
CSB Intensifies Investigation of Motiva Acid Tank Failure
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Accident Investigation Board (CSB) stepped up its efforts to investigate the cause of a acid spill and fire at the Motiva Enterprises facility in Delaware City. Eight people were injured in the release and one contract employee is still missing as over 660,000 gallons of spent sulfuric acid were released . For details of the increased efforts and an update on this tragedy, please read this CSB press release at http://www.acusafe.com/Newsletter/Stories/0801NewsCSBMotiva.htm.

 

Industry Focus

Crisis in Oil Pipeline Safety?
With recent, high-profile fires and explosions in the Western United States, many have criticized the lack of safety regulations and enforcement in this area. Congress has acted to stiffen the rules and a new report paints a bleak picture of enforcement. But how has industry fared in accident statistics between 1970 and the present. Have accidents become worse or improved over the last 30 years. Read our feature story to find out at http://acusafe.com/Newsletter/Stories/0801NewsPipelineSafety.htm.

Review of Large Property Damage Losses in the Petroleum and Chemical Industries
Marsh Risk Consulting has generously contributed a study that reviews and analyzes trends in large property damage losses that have occurred in the hydrocarbon-chemical industries over the last 30 years. A total of 379 losses, each totalling over $ 10 million, were used in the analysis, and losses exceeding $150 million are itemized. Refineries, Petrochemical Plants, Gas Processing Plants, terminals and Offshore facilities were all studied separately and includes a section on lessons learned. The complete study is available at AcuSafe at http://www.acusafe.com/Incidents/Statistics/MarshPetrochemicalLosses0201.pdf. For further information, contact Mr. James Coco, Marsh Risk Consulting, Houston, at (713)654-0575 or at James.C.Coco@marsh.com.

 

Resources

Responsible Care Examples of Excellence
The American Chemistry Council (formerly CMA) has prepared examples in the implementation of management systems from over 90 companies, representing the members of Responsible Care.  ACC provides examples of common elements such as Employee Involvement, Training, Incident Investigation, Emergency Response and Auditors, as well as more advanced elements like Goal Setting, Benchmarking, Performance Measurement, and Product Stewardship.   Companies who have contributed practices include Akzo Nobel, Dow Chemical, Praxair, Inc., CONDEA Vista, Dow Corning Corporation, Solutia Inc., Sterling Chemicals Inc., Sunoco, Inc., Kerr-McGee Chemical LLC, and Lonza, Inc.

AcuSafe has copies of both reports:

For more information on the Responsible Care® Initiative and the Management Systems Verification process, contact Daniel Roczniak at 703-741-5306 or dan_roczniak@americanchemistry.com. The American Chemistry Council website (http://www.americanchemistry.com) also contains additional information. 

  
National Response Center Data Available Online
The National Response Center has recently added an online search tool for access to all reported oil and chemical spill data  that it receives. Searches can be done based on spiller, location, material involved, state, county, etc., and can be customized for each request. Yearly data beginning in 1982 can be downloaded for viewing off line or each report can be printed from within your browser. For access to this great research tool, please visit http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/foia.htm.


 

Incident News
Monthly Summary of Incidents, June 14, 2001 - August 13, 2001
We collect stories about major spills and releases from around the globe. This month's installment summarizes a total of 26 incidents brought to our attention between June 14, 2001 and August 13, 2001. Most of the incidents covered have caused significant injury, deaths, or major property damage. Accidents in the United Kingdom, Russia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Brazil, Switzerland, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, and the U.S. are represented.  We welcome input to this effort by submitting summaries of other notable events to editor@acusafe.com.

 
Exxon Mobil Unit Esso Australia Found Guilty Arising from 1998 Longford Gas Processing Plant Explosion
Esso Australia was found guilty of criminal charges stemming from an explosion at its Longford gas processing plant. The explosion in September 1998 killed two employees, left the state of Victoria almost totally without gas for about two weeks and cut crude oil production for several months. Esso faces a maximum penalty of $5.3 million on the charges under the state's Occupational Health and Safety Act. The ruling was consistent with a 1999 government report that attributed the major cause of the explosion to, "the failure of Esso to equip its employees with appropriate knowledge to deal with the events which occurred."  The larger issue, however, is how the ruling would affect a class action suit seeking $1.9 billion in damages. The suit is joined by individuals and businesses that suffered financial losses from the service interruption, from the loss of loved ones, and insurance companies seeking to recover policy payments of $577 million. The suit is expected to be heard before the courts in the first half of 2002. 

Industrial Tragedies Highlight Safety Concerns in China
China has enjoyed torrid economic growth over the last 20 years, but there have been growing concerns that there has been insufficient attention paid to safety concerns in the mining, process, and construction industries. Please read our feature story for recent statistics on the state of their safety records and some recent accidents. 

 
Events Update

Reminder that an Important Industry Workshop on PSM Best Practices is Coming Soon
The PSM Best Practices Seminar coming up soon!  Taking place in New Orleans on August 28-29, 2001, AcuTech would like you to join us in the  "Industry Workshop on Practical Application of Process Safety Management - Lessons Learned and Industry Best Practices." Areas of emphasis will be on:

  1. Performance of PSM Management Systems
  2. Best Approaches to PSM
  3. Cost-Effectiveness in PSM
  4. Regulations and Enforcement

Sponsoring organizations include the American Petroleum Institute, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Center for Chemical Process Safety, the American Chemistry Council, The National Petroleum Refiner's Association, and the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturer's Association. Speakers will include representatives from Texaco; OSHA; Arent Fox, LLC;  AIChE CCPS, Chemical Safety Board, and others.

Check our online resources- a List of Speakers, an Agenda, General Information about the conference, and the Registration Form.  For more information about the event, please contact AcuTech at inquire@acutech-consulting.com. 

AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety Conference, October 2-5, 2001
AIChE's Center for Chemical Process Safety will host the 16th Annual International Conference and Workshop, "Making Process Safety Pay Off:  Sustaining Performance in the 21st Century," in Toronto, October 2 - 5. The conference will include a keynote address by Arnold Allemang, executive vice president, operations, Dow Chemical Company. For full program and registration information, visit http://www.aiche.org/ccps/icw/

 

Other
  
AcuTech Summer and Fall 2001 Training Offerings for Process Hazard Analysis and Process Safety Management
AcuTech Consulting is offering several process safety courses on the West Coast this Summer and Fall
  • Mechanical Integrity Program Management
  • PHA for Team Leaders
  • Human Factors in Process Safety
  • Best Practices in Process Safety Management

Our course instructors are known for their excellence in process safety and hazard analysis, and have conducted a series of highly successful training seminars on Process Safety Management, Hazard Analysis, and Quantitative Risk Assessment in the U.S., Canada, and Asia. Course attendees principally include safety and operations personnel from chemical, petrochemical, energy, and manufacturing companies. Among the companies represented include ExxonMobil, Tosco, ARCO, BPAmoco, McDonnel-Douglas, Boeing, Kraft, Tyson, Unocal, Shell, Siemens, Bayer, Cargill, and Caltex.

For pricing information, course descriptions, a course schedule, and biographies of AcuTech course instructors, please read our full brochure at http://www.acutech-consulting.com/training/Fall2001ATIBrochure.pdf.

 

 


 
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