The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a new safety video concerning the dangers of uncontrolled chemical reactions (CLICK HERE对于CSB视频室）。该视频具有计算机化的动画和CSB研究的四起主要反应性化学事故的描述以及两位著名的化学过程安全专家的评论。
Entitled “Reactive Hazards: Dangers of Uncontrolled Chemical Reactions,” the video is being released simultaneously with the CSB’s final report on the Synthron accident which killed one worker and injured 14 others in Morganton, North Carolina, on January 31, 2007. The video features a computer animation of that tragedy narrated by lead investigator Jim Lay. The CSB Synthron report is being released at a news conference this morning at 11:30 a.m. in Charlotte, NC.
Other accidents discussed in the video are MFG (Dalton, Georgia); BP Amoco (Augusta, Georgia); and First Chemical Company (Pascagoula, Mississippi).
Reactive hazards include those involving uncontrolled chemical reactions, with significant increases in temperature or pressure. The CSB released a study of reactive hazards in 2002 and made numerous safety recommendations. The agency has investigated several such accidents since that time. The video was made to create a heightened awareness of the dangers of these types of uncontrolled chemical reactions.
The video begins with news footage of the Bhopal reactive chemical accident tragedy of 1984 which killed thousands.
CSB Chairman Carolyn Merritt, whose 5-year term as chair of the CSB expires this week on August 2, said, “Much progress has been made in chemical process safety since Bhopal but deaths and injuries continue to occur from uncontrolled chemical reactions in this country. Significant gaps remain in federal regulations and industry programs to control reactive hazards. It’s time to redouble our efforts to prevent these tragedies. We hope the chemical industry will find this video useful in promoting prevention of these kinds of accidents.”
Animations of the accidents are narrated by CSB investigators. Also featured in this video is commentary on the recognition and prevention of reactive hazards by Dennis Hendershot, a chemical industry process safety consultant, and Dr. Daniel A. Crowl, a professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University.
The production of “Reactive Hazards” marks the 13th safety video produced by the CSB. The videos may be viewed online in the Video Room of the agency’s website, www.CSB.gov. Free DVD copies may also be obtained by filling out a request form on the website.
CSB是一个独立的联邦机构，负责调查工业化学事故。该机构的董事会成员由总统任命，并由参议院确认。CSB的调查研究了化学事故的各个方面，包括设备故障以及法规，行业标准和安全管理系统等物理原因。
董事会不发出引文或罚款，而是对OSHA和EPA等工厂，行业组织，劳动团体和监管机构提出安全建议。邀请您访问CSB网站，www.csb.govfor more background on the agency.
For more information, contact: Public Affairs Specialist Kate Baumann 202-261-7612.
