INSTITUTE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Nine months after an explosion at the Bayer CropScience plant in Institute killed two workers, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released the results at a news conference Thursday.
Investigators say the explosion on August 28, 2008 was caused by a thermal runaway reaction during the production of an insecticide.
The event likely resulted from significant lapses in chemical process safety management at the plant, U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigators said Thursday.
Two operators died as a result of the explosion. Eight other workers reported symptoms of chemical exposure.
"The explosion at Bayer was a very serious and tragic event that could have had additional grave consequences," CSB Board Chairman John Bresland said. "There were significant lapses in the plant's process safety management, including inadequate training on new equipment and the overriding of critical safety systems necessitated by the fact the unit had a heater that could not produce the required temperature for safe operation."
The explosion occurred within 80 feet of a pressure vessel containing more than 13,000 pounds of methyl isocyanate, or MIC, Chairman Bresland said.
MIC is the same chemical that caused and injury in the Bhopal 25 years ago.
"As our investigation continues, we will look further into the issues surrounding the safe placement of the tank and its potential vulnerability," Bresland said. "We note that other chemical companies, notably DuPont, no longer store MIC in their chemical production and we are looking into other systems that make and then immediately use the MIC, eliminating the need for storage."
Friday, April 24, 2009
"YOUR BUTT LOOKS LIKE MY FACE!"
that was the insult that my sister, Rhonda, inadvertently hurled at my brother one day when they were fighting.
We all hit the ground laughing, full of glee, and didn't let her live it down for years - maybe that's why she doesn't speak - she still has issues.
We all hit the ground laughing, full of glee, and didn't let her live it down for years - maybe that's why she doesn't speak - she still has issues.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Childhood Playmate Dies
One of the kids I used to play with died. (she's not a kid anymore of course) Here is a funny Johnna story...
Johnna and Billy,my brother, were wrestling. Johnna got mad. She was about half Billy's size. She had Billy down on the ground, just pummelling away at him. Billy started to roll to get away from her and she started to chase and kick at him over and over.
Billy was rolling and Johnna was kicking away when one of those kicks got lucky and landed perfectly in the family jewels. Of course Billy doubled over in pain so bad he couldn't breathe. Johnna was too little to know what she had done and stood over top of him asking him over and over, "What's wrong Billy? Why can't you play with me, Billy?"
The rest of us just stood there chorteling over the sight because we had never seen a groin shot before. Also it was obvious that Johnna had no clue as to why Billy was incapacitated.
Sympathy was NOT in our vocabulary when it came to each other's injuries.
Johnna and Billy,my brother, were wrestling. Johnna got mad. She was about half Billy's size. She had Billy down on the ground, just pummelling away at him. Billy started to roll to get away from her and she started to chase and kick at him over and over.
Billy was rolling and Johnna was kicking away when one of those kicks got lucky and landed perfectly in the family jewels. Of course Billy doubled over in pain so bad he couldn't breathe. Johnna was too little to know what she had done and stood over top of him asking him over and over, "What's wrong Billy? Why can't you play with me, Billy?"
The rest of us just stood there chorteling over the sight because we had never seen a groin shot before. Also it was obvious that Johnna had no clue as to why Billy was incapacitated.
Sympathy was NOT in our vocabulary when it came to each other's injuries.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
A Kid's View of the Watergate Trials
The only thing that I can remember about the Watergate Trials is that I HATED President Nixon! It was HIS fault that they took Mr. Cartoon off everyday after school!
In those days we would sing songs from HeeHaw everday on the school bus on the way home from school. Our driver's name was Mary Stoneoff. She had big, teased up, red hair and red lipstick and sunglasses. She had a CB radio on the bus BEFORE the CB craze of the mid 70's. She smoked like a freight train and as I look back she must have had the patience of a saint to put up with us!
I would try to get out early in the morning so she would pick me up on the way to my friend, Suzanne's house. Suzanne and I would sit in the back seat and when Stoneoff turned the bus around at the RED BARN RESTAURANT she always hit a ditch that would send me and Suzanne flying into the air! It was better than being in the back car of a rollercoaster. One time Suzanne flew so high she hit her head on the roof of the school bus and cried all the way to school.
We had a great bus stop. We would play chase every morning and when we would see the school bus coming the last one to base would be "it" first the next morning.
In those days we would sing songs from HeeHaw everday on the school bus on the way home from school. Our driver's name was Mary Stoneoff. She had big, teased up, red hair and red lipstick and sunglasses. She had a CB radio on the bus BEFORE the CB craze of the mid 70's. She smoked like a freight train and as I look back she must have had the patience of a saint to put up with us!
I would try to get out early in the morning so she would pick me up on the way to my friend, Suzanne's house. Suzanne and I would sit in the back seat and when Stoneoff turned the bus around at the RED BARN RESTAURANT she always hit a ditch that would send me and Suzanne flying into the air! It was better than being in the back car of a rollercoaster. One time Suzanne flew so high she hit her head on the roof of the school bus and cried all the way to school.
We had a great bus stop. We would play chase every morning and when we would see the school bus coming the last one to base would be "it" first the next morning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
