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Jan 17, 2024Chemical Safety Board: OSHA, EPA Should Revise Chemical Hazard Rules
Aug 23, 2023Updated: May 9, 2023
In its final report on a chemical fire and toxic gas release at a Westlake, Louisiana, chemical facility, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) suggested that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and EPA revise their regulations for reactive chemical hazards.
On August 27, 2020, over 1 million pounds of trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) were on-site at the Bio-Lab Lake Charles facility. TCCA is used throughout the country in pool care and, when put in large bodies of water such as a pool, breaks down slowly, releasing chlorine in the water.
That day, Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall, and strong winds damaged buildings at the facility, including tearing off roofs. Rainwater contacted the TCCA stored inside the buildings, starting a chemical reaction and subsequent decomposition.
A fire started, and a large plume of hazardous gases, including toxic chlorine, escaped the facility. A portion of Interstate 10 was closed for over 28 hours, and local officials issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding community because of the release of hazardous gases.
"With powerful storms and other extreme weather occurring more frequently, companies and regulators must take action to prevent weather-related releases of hazardous chemicals that can cause substantial damage to facilities and threaten surrounding communities," CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said in an April 24 board statement.
The CSB reiterated two of its earlier recommendations to OSHA and the EPA related to reactive chemicals. The CSB called on OSHA to amend its Process Safety Management (PSM) standard to mandate more comprehensive control of reactive hazards, such as TCCA, that could have catastrophic consequences. The board called on the EPA to revise its Accidental Release Prevention Requirements to cover additional reactive hazards that have the potential to seriously impact the public.
In its investigation of the fire and toxic gas release in Westlake, the board identified five safety issues:
The board's recommendations to Bio-Lab include:
Updated: May 9, 2023