Hazmat Alerts

Safety Advisory 2023-01; Evaluation of Policies and Procedures Related to the Use and Maintenance of Hot Bearing Wayside Detectors

Safety Advisory Number : 2023-01

SUMMARY: Preliminary investigation of recent train derailments indicates the cause of, or contributing factor to, the incidents was a mechanical failure, specifically burnt journal bearings. Accordingly, FRA is issuing this Safety Advisory to make recommendations to enhance the mechanical reliability of rolling stock and the safety of railroad operations.

FRA Safety Advisory Number 2023-01

No active threat after barges carrying anhydrous ammonia break free in Lincoln County

LINCOLN COUNTY (KMOV) – Two barges carrying large amounts of anhydrous ammonia broke free north of Lock and Dam 25 near Winfield, Missouri, Friday evening.

A mandatory evacuation was emplaced for all residents within one mile south of Winfield Lock and Dam 25. The evacuation is now over.

“No further hazard. Just to confirm, no chemical release took place. Thank you to the barge workers and first responders,” said The Winfield Foley Fire Protection District on their Facebook.

Full article – No active threat after barges carrying anhydrous ammonia break free in Lincoln County

15 people sent to hospital after powder chemical release causes irritation

ROCKFORD (WREX) — An accidental dry powder chemical release causes severe irritation and sends 15 people to the hospital with minor injuries.

At 11:46 a.m., the Rockford Fire Department responded to Emery Air located at 6020 Cessna Drive for a medical call.

Fire personnel determined that the medical call was the result of an accidental dry powder chemical release from a 55 barrel drum.

Full Article – 15 people sent to hospital after powder chemical release causes irritation

5 derailed train cars carrying hazardous material at risk of exploding are no longer burning, official says

Five train cars that contained vinyl chloride, a potentially explosive chemical, are no longer burning after a train derailment in Ohio, a Norfolk Southern official said Tuesday.

The burning stopped after a controlled release of the unstable, toxic chemical Monday at the train derailment site in East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania border.

A freight train derailment in Ohio puts US infrastructure back in a bruising spotlight
Four of those five cars have been cleared from the wreckage, and crews are working to remove the fifth car, Norfolk Southern official Scott Deutsch said Tuesday.

Full Article – 5 derailed train cars carrying hazardous material at risk of exploding are no longer burning, official says

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Critical Safety Proposal for Energy Pipelines

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise federal pipeline safety regulations by requiring the installation of remotely controlled or automatic shutoff valves – or equivalent technologies – on certain newly constructed or entirely replaced natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. The proposed rule would enhance safety by mitigating the consequences of large-volume pipeline releases and establishing minimum standards for rupture detection.

“This rule will improve critical safety requirements for the next generation of energy pipelines as U.S. energy production continues to grow,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Full Article – U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Critical Safety Proposal for Energy Pipelines