U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) News

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report into the fatal explosion and fire at the KMCO production facility in Crosby, Texas, USA. On April 2, 2019, KMCO was producing sulfurized isobutylene as a lubrication additive. The explosion and fire occurred after isobutylene leaked from a fracture in a segment of piping and formed a flammable vapor cloud, which ignited. Fatal injury One KMCO employee was fatally injured, and two others were seriously inju...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report into the deadly explosions and fires at the Didion Milling, Inc. (Didion) dry corn milling facility in Cambria, Wisconsin, USA. The explosion occurred in May 2017, and fatally injured five employees and seriously injured another 14. The incident also ultimately destroyed the facility, resulting in over $15 million in property damage. source of the smoke On the night of May 31, 2017, during normal mill faci...

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the December 8, 2020, fatal incident at Optima Belle LLC (Optima Bell) in Belle, WV. The incident occurred during Optima Belle’s production of a sanitizing compound for Clearon Corporation (Clearon). A dryer at the Optima Belle facility that was removing water from the compound exploded, resulting in the death of an employee and significant property damage, and a shelter-in-place order for the neighborin...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final investigation report on the 2019 tank farm fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Company, LLC (ITC) bulk liquid storage terminal in Deer Park, Texas. The massive fire caused substantial property damage, significantly impacted the environment, and led to the issuance of several shelter-in-place orders that seriously disrupted the local community. Disruptive fire event CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said, &ldquo...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final investigation report on the 2020 propylene release and explosion at the Watson Grinding facility in Houston, Texas, that fatally injured two workers and a nearby resident and damaged hundreds of neighboring homes. The CSB’s final report highlights two key safety issues: the lack of a comprehensive process safety management program at the Watson Grinding facility to manage the risks of its thermal spray c...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update on its ongoing investigation of the chemical release and fire at the BP-Husky Refinery located in Oregon, Ohio that resulted in two fatalities and substantial property damage to the facility. The update gives details about the investigation including a summary of the process upset that led to the incident, background on the refinery, and an outline of the CSB’s activities moving forward.   factual...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a new safety video on its investigation into the April 2018 explosion and fire at the Husky Superior Refinery in Superior, Wisconsin. The incident injured 36 workers, caused roughly $550 million in damage to the facility, and released 39,000 pounds of flammable hydrocarbon vapor into the air. Over 2,500 residents of the City of Superior were evacuated from their homes, and the City of Duluth, Minnesota, issued a shelter-in-p...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) marks its 25th anniversary. Established by the Clean Act Amendments of 1990, the CSB began operations on January 4, 1998. Safe operations CSB Chairperson - Steve Owens said, “The CSB is a small agency, but it has a very big and very important mission: to help ensure that chemical facilities are operated safely and that communities, workers, and the environment are protected from chemical disasters." Steve Owens adds, "Th...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released an update into its ongoing investigation of an April 8, 2021, incident at the Yenkin-Majestic OPC Polymers resin plant in Columbus, OH. The update provides a detailed incident description, background information on the facility and production as well as a history of the equipment. The large explosion and fire led to one fatality and injured eight additional employees. CSB Interim Executive Steve Owens said, “This was...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board’s (CSB) safety video released on October 27, 2022 has reached one million views in just over a week, passing the one million mark on Friday, November 4, 2022. The video titled ‘Wake Up Call: Refinery Disaster in Philadelphia,’ details a fire, explosions, and toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF) release that occurred at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on June 21, 2019. CSB&rsq...

On October 26, 2019, a worker and his wife were both fatally injured due to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exposure at a waterflood station in Odessa, Texas—one of six fatal H2S accidents in the United States in the last two years. On May 4, 2021, the US Chemical and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) published its final report of the incident with guidance on how future incidents can be prevented with appropriate safety measures. This blog post describes what happened, why H2S safety is a critical...

After the Tesoro accident, the CSB intends to make industrial places safer for workers The video highlights the CSB's ongoing investigation into the April 2, 2010, accident that killed seven workers. Marking the one year anniversary of the tragic accident at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes, Washington, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a video safety message in which Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso urges refinery companies to "make the investments necessary to ens...

Hoeganaes Corporation site which has witnessed flash fires since January is undergoing an investigation by CSB CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems. The CSB is deploying a team to the site of a flash fire at the Hoeganaes Corporation in Gallatin, Tennessee. The incident occurred during maintenance on a burner...

NFPA to establish a new technical committee U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) applauded NFPA for its recent decision to develop a comprehensive standard for gas processing safety. Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso, Chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) applauded the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for its recent decision to establish a new technical committee to develop a comprehensive standard for gas processing safety, including the cleaning of fuel...

CSB receives Gold and Silver TIVA Peer Awards for Agency Safety Videos The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) received awards for two safety videos at the annual TIVA DC. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) received awards for two safety videos at the annual Television, Internet, and Video Association of DC (TIVA DC) dinner on Saturday, November 13. An animation depicting a massive sugar refinery explosion, which took 14 lives, won a gold award for best animation in its ca...

CSB’s task force continues to examine state regulations that require specific safeguards at oil and gas sites CSB again calls for increased safeguards at Oil and Gas Sites and continues to examine state regulations regarding the same.   The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced that educational materials concerning oil site hazards that threaten the lives of teenagers have been distributed to more than 150 Mississippi school superi...

CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso  has connoted 'gas blow' as a very dangerous and fatal activity CSB is issuing letters to the other 49 states warning of the hazards associated with gas blows and urging state officials to enact any necessary changes in this regard. U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso today called for a ban on the practice of cleaning out debris from gas piping using pressurized natural gas. In a video safety message relea...

CSB recommendations are intended to minimize the danger of natural gas blows occuring at power plants U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Member Mark Griffon called on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to adopt new CSB recommendations regarding natural gas. The recommendation was one of 18 urgent recommendations issued in June 2010 following a CSB investigation into a powerful natural gas explosion that killed six workers and injured dozens of others at the Kle...

Dr. Daniel Horowitz has been appointed as the new MD of U.S Chemical and Safety Board Dr. Moure-Eraso appointed Dr. Daniel Horowitz, longtime director of Congressional, public and board affairs, to fill the newly created position. CSB Chairperson and CEO Rafael Moure-Eraso today announced a major realignment of the agency’s internal organization, including creation of a new position of managing director who will report to the chair and will oversee all aspects of CSB op...

Forrest County, has passed an ordinance requiring security measures around hazardous oil and gas sites CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso Congratulates Forrest County, Mississippi for Passing Ordinance Requiring Security Measures around Hazardous Oil and Gas Sites. The CSB issues the following statement from CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso: "The Board of Supervisors of Forrest County, Mississippi, passed an ordinance requiring critical security measures, i...

CSB started ANS study on reducing inventory toxic MIC The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has commenced a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study on the feasibility of eliminating the inventory of highly toxic methyl isocyanate at BayerCropScience.   The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has commenced a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study on the feasibility of reducing or eliminating the inventory of highly toxic methyl isocyanate stored at the Bayer CropScience pe...

Three member assessment team led by Johnnie Banks from CSB CSB Conducting Assessment of Ammonia Release at Millard Refrigerated Services South of Mobile, Alabama. A three-member assessment team led by Mr. Johnnie Banks from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of Monday’s anhydrous ammonia release at the Millard Refrigerated Services, a warehouse and distribution center in Theodore, Alabama, 15 miles south of Mobile. According to media report...

CSB found that inadequate fire protection and safety arrangements led to the fire accident in the water tunnel  US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) report found that company and its contractor failed to adequately prepare for hazardous work inside confined space of hydroelectric plant Tunnel, and also; Xcel had no technically qualified responders on duty.The tragic accident that took the lives of five industrial painting contractors deep inside an Xcel Energy hydroel...

Pipe-cleaning has claimed a number of lives in recent times  Statement by CSB chairperson Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso has urged OSHA to adopt the CSB recommendation prohibiting flammable gas blows during pipe cleaning operations. On June 28, 2010, at a public meeting in Portland, Connecticut, the Chemical Safety Board voted to issue eighteen urgent recommendations to various recipients, including OSHA, aimed at halting the dangerous practice of releasing larg...

The CSB report leads to improvement on the industrial safety standards The report on 2009 Explosion at Veolia ES technical solutions, LLC by Chemical Safety Board (CSB) calls on the industry to improve safety standards. A Chemical Safety Board (CSB) case study that released on the 2009 explosion and fire at the Veolia ES Technical Solutions L.L.C. facility in West Carrollton, Ohio, calls on the industry to improve safety standards covering hazardous waste processing, han...

CSB is highly concerned about the hot work accidents which has taken toll of life and property According to information gathered by the CSB from the fire department and the company, a worker was standing on a ladder, welding on the side of a tank partially filled with a mixture of water and flammable hydrocarbons. Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso, chairperson and CEO of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said today he was saddened by news of the death of a Colorado welder, who died w...

The newly appointed Chairman and Board Member will boost up the working of CSB Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso has been confirmed and appointed as the new chairman of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), the agency announced today; Mr. Mark Griffon has been appointed as a new board member, filling the other vacancy on the Board. The new chairman and board member were nominated by President Obama on March 22, 2010. They were discharged from the Senate Environment and Public Works Comm...

CSB recommendations are meant for OSHA and NFPA after major mishap at Kleen Energy power plant U.S. Chemical Safety Board approved urgent safety recommendations to OSHA, NFPA and others. The draft recommendations, which were approved without amendments at a public meeting in Portland, CT, aim to prevent deadly explosions and fires during pipe cleaning and purging operations. U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) board members voted on a series of 18 urgent rec...

The new CSB video is entitled "Dangers of Hot Work" Hot work is defined as burning, welding, or similar spark-producing operations that can ignite fires or explosions. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today released a 14-minute safety video warning of the hazards of welding and other hot work activities in and around Storage Tanks containing flammable materials. Entitled “Dangers of Hot Work,” the video presents key lessons from the CSB’s hot work...

CSB meeting is free and open to the public so they can get a complete know how of chemical accidents The Sunshine Act Meeting will be held on June 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Prince Edward Ballroom, Saint Clements Castle, Portland, Connecticut.  In connection with its investigation into the natural gas explosion that occurred at the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown, Connecticut, the United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announces that i...