A pot of grease caught fire on a stove, and, in a panic, the person poured water into it. This caused the kitchen itself to catch fire! Water literally explodes and spreads the burning grease further. NEVER PUT WATER ONTO A GREASE OR OIL FIRE!!! Instead, smother the flames by putting a lid on the pot and turning off the burner or unplugging the appliance. Do not move it to a sink or try to throw it out the window!

BCHAZMAT is holding a Fire Extinguisher Safety training session on February 16, 2012. Cost per person is $70.00 + HST. At the end of the seminar, each participant gets to practice what they have learned with our Laser operated fire extinguisher simulators. No chemical or water is discharged, making for a completely safe and environmentally friendly way to learn to properly use a portable fire extinguisher.

Space is still available, so phone or email NOW to reserve a seat. This may be the most important training session you’ll ever take – for you and your family’s safety! 

The View Royal Fire Department has made a demonstration video of just what happens when water is put onto a kitchen grease fire.

http://www.bcdailybuzz.com/media/9668/View_Royal_grease_fire_demo/

A Metro Vancouver employer who repeatedly exposed unprotected workers to asbestos has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for disobeying a court order, but labour leaders say justice won’t be served unless he’s criminally charged.

  The B.C. Supreme Court ordered contractor Arthur Moore to halt all demolition projects in August 2010 after WorkSafe BC discovered employees as young as 14-years-old were handling the deadly carcinogen without protective clothing.

 Within 24 hours of receiving the order, Moore’s employees were back on the job, according to court documents. He operated by issuing fake certificates claiming homes were asbestos-free before sending workers inside.

 Despite multiple orders and court hearings, Moore continued to operate under various company names such as “Tri City Hazmat,” “Surrey Hazmat” and “BC Hazmat.” The Workers’ Compensation Board launched contempt of court proceedings against him, and he was found guilty in October 2011.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120124/bc_employer_asbestos_teenager_120124/20120124/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

Statement of CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso Following Fatal Fire at Eastern Ohio Hazardous Waste Storage and Processing Facility – Tragedy Emphasizes Importance of an National Fire Code for Hazardous Waste Handling

 December 26, 2011

Investigation Details:
EQ Hazardous Waste Plant Explosions and Fire
Veolia Environmental Services Flammable Vapor Explosion and Fire 

 STATEMENT: 

Today as many people enjoy a holiday season spent with friends and family, I would like to call attention to a recent tragedy that occurred late last week in eastern Ohio. On December 17, 2011, a chemical fire occurred at Heritage-WTI, Inc. which resulted in two workers being seriously burned, one of whom succumbed to his injuries days later. Heritage-WTI, Inc, is hazardous waste storage and processing facility located in East Liverpool, Ohio.

According to company officials a flash fire occurred when workers were splitting a large solid waste drum of hazardous flammable inorganic material into smaller storage drums. 

Unfortunately accidents at hazardous waste processing facilities are all too common. The CSB investigated a major fire in 2006 at the Environmental Quality Company (EQ), a hazardous waste facility located in Apex, North Carolina, which resulted in the evacuation of thousands of residents for two days. The CSB’s EQ case study found 21 other fire and chemical release incidents at hazardous waste facilities in the United States that occurred from 2002 – 2007. These incidents resulted in two fatalities, 16 injuries, and eight community evacuations, shelter-in-place events, or transportation disruptions.

The CSB also investigated a 2009 explosion and fire at the Veolia ES Technical Solutions L.L.C. facility in West Carrollton, Ohio. The accident occurred when flammable vapor was released from a waste recycling process, ignited, and violently exploded. The blast seriously injured two workers and damaged 20 nearby residences and five businesses. 

As a result of these two investigations, the Chemical Safety Board issued recommendations to the Environmental Technology Council (ETC), a hazardous waste industry trade group. Specifically, one of the recommendations is to petition the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a developer of U.S. fire prevention codes, to issue a standard specific to hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities. The standard would provide guidance to prevent the occurrence of fires, explosions, and releases at these types of facilities. This recommendation has still yet to be implemented.

The second recommendation to ETC was to develop its own guidance document for its members on the safe processing, handling and storage of hazardous waste. Heritage-WTI, Inc as well as all ETC members would receive this document.

It is the CSB’s view that the ETC’s petition to the NFPA will lead to the development of a national standard that will improve safety practices at hazardous waste treatment plants across the country.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical accidents. The agency’s board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. 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 Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, http://www.csb.gov/.

 Link to Veolia Investigation Page: http://www.csb.gov/investigations/detail.aspx?SID=80&Type=2&pg=1&F_All=y

Link to EQ Investigation Page: http://www.csb.gov/investigations/detail.aspx?SID=15&Type=2&pg=1&F_All=y

The danger posed by lithium batteries to the safety of passenger aircraft was highlighted today by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as it issued advice on sending Christmas presents by airmail or carrying them in luggage on flights. The aviation safety regulator reminded anyone posting gifts, or taking them on board an aircraft as either hand or hold baggage, that certain items are dangerous in the confined, pressurized surroundings of an aircraft.

Lithium batteries, in particular, are a growing safety concern to the aviation industry. This follows a number of incidents in which batteries that had not been treated appropriately are believed to have started fires on aircraft. Such batteries are used in the majority of portable electronic devices, such as MP3 players, digital cameras, electronic readers, camcorders and laptop computers.
Last month a mobile phone caught fire on a Boeing 747 inbound to London Heathrow after being crushed by a seat as a passenger reclined. Cabin crew were able to extinguish the fire before any serious damage occurred.
When installed correctly, lithium batteries are unlikely to cause a problem, but they do pose a serious risk of short circuiting – which can lead to a fire – if packed loose. Overheating can also occur if the device in which they are installed activates inadvertently in-flight.
Lithium batteries, even when contained in equipment, are not permitted in airmail and, since letters and parcels sent in the post will often be carried on aircraft even for relatively short domestic journeys (particularly ‘next day’ services), such items are not permitted at all by Royal Mail. Counterfeit batteries, without the necessary inbuilt safety features, are also a serious and growing concern.
Geoff Leach, Manager of the Dangerous Goods Office at the CAA, said: “Over the coming weeks many people will be sending gifts in the post. If these presents are electronic devices, we urge the sender not to include any lithium batteries. We have seen a number of serious incidents in the last couple of years in which these batteries are believed to have started fires in cargo shipments. Some lithium batteries are permitted in passenger baggage, but specific conditions apply; details of these can be found on the CAA web site.”

The three operators of the A-1 Mushroom Substratum operation, Ha Qua Truong, Van Thi Truong and Phinh Hwu Doan, pleaded guilty earlier this year to ten of 29 charges under the Workers Compensation Act and occupational health and safety regulations.

Three men died at the mushroom farm after inhaling fatal doses of toxic fumes in September, 2008. Two other workers were left with brain damage.

 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/11/25/bc-mushroom-farm-deaths-fine.html

 I was looking for disposal information when people or businesses arrive at a Landfill Site with paint coated wood for disposal.  I wanted to know if you test for it, or need lab reports etc.

 A. 

When people or businesses go to dispose of wood  at a Landfill Site, the  operator should refuse waste that they suspect may be painted with lead based paint.

The wood may need to be treated as a controlled waste and diverted away from the active face or perhaps treated as Hazardous Waste.

When  a request for disposal of painted wood (with potential lead) into a controlled waste site they should require a core be taken of the wood (including paint) and that core sample then tested for TCLP metals. A permit may be given if the lab results show the lead level is below 5ppm, anything higher is considered to be a hazardous waste and is not acceptable at most BC Landfills.

Landfills don’t do the sampling or the testing of the wood but they do require the lab results.

Delivered and set up on your site 24/7/365.

   * Complete Spill Response Training also available *

More info on Spill Kit Rental here

More info on Emergency Spill Response Trailers here

The answer is in Section 79 of the Environmental Management Act.  We have underlined the pertinent info which requires both a plan and equipment for spill response.  The specifications for the plan and equipment are left up to the “person” responsible – requiring their due diligence to choose appropriately.

Spill prevention and reporting

79  (1) In this section, “polluting substance” means any substance, whether gaseous, liquid or solid that, in the opinion of the minister, is capable of causing pollution if it were to

(a) escape into the air,

(b) be spilled onto any land or into any body of water, or

(c) escape onto any land or into any body of water.

(2) If a person has possession, charge or control of any polluting substance, the minister may, if the minister considers it reasonable and necessary to lessen the risk of an escape or spill of the substance, order that person

(a) to undertake investigations, tests, surveys and any other action the minister considers necessary to determine the magnitude of the risk and to report the results to the minister,

(b) to prepare, in accordance with the minister’s directions, a contingency plan containing information the minister requires, and

(c) to construct, alter or acquire, at the person’s expense, any works, or carry out at the person’s expense any measures that the minister considers reasonable and necessary to prevent or abate an escape or spill of the substance.

(3) If an escape or spill occurs of a polluting substance for which a contingency plan was prepared, a director may order any person having possession, charge or control of the substance at the time it escaped or was spilled, or the person who prepared the plan or all of them to put the contingency plan into operation at their expense.

(4) The minister may order a person who prepared a contingency plan to test the plan.

The attached guide is useful too – more specific.  See section 9(3) for specific equipment.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/industrial/oil_gas/pdf/fuel_handle_guide.pdf

 AND

  This is from WorksafeBC –

 5.101 Procedures for spill cleanup and re-entry

If workers are required to control a release of a hazardous substance, to perform cleanup of a spill, or to carry out testing before re-entry, the employer must provide

(a) adequate written safe work procedures,

(b) appropriate personal protective equipment which is readily available to workers and is adequately maintained, and

(c) material or equipment necessary for the control and disposal of the hazardous substance.

Note: Other jurisdictions and agencies may require notification in the event of a spill.

5.102 Training and drills

The employer must

(a) provide training in the appropriate emergency procedures to all workers who may be affected, and

(b) conduct drills to test the adequacy of procedures and to ensure that workers and supervisors are familiar with their roles and responsibilities.

Date: Saturday Nov. 5, 2011 8:13 PM PT

 B.C. residents will get up to $5,000 off the sticker price of a qualifying clean energy vehicle starting Dec. 1.

 Environment Minister Terry Lake said Saturday that the rebate includes qualifying new vehicles that are battery electric, fuel-cell electric, plug-in hybrid electric and those that operate on compressed natural gas.

 Andrea Mercer, a spokeswoman for the ministry, said there are currently up to 30 such vehicles for fleets in B.C., and 10 to 20 for residential use.

 As part of the $17-million program, the province is also providing funding for new charging stations and upgrades to hydrogen fuelling stations at existing facilities.

 Homeowners who want to install a charging station will get a $500 mail-in rebate for eligible units, also beginning Dec. 1.

 Mercer said home charging stations cost up to $1,500 and that the Environment Ministry will be publishing a list of qualified vendors and eligible units.

 ”They can be installed in your garage or they can be put outside, depending on what your setup is.”

 Similar rebate programs on vehicles and charging stations are available in Quebec and Ontario, she said, adding both provinces offer only mail-in rebates for new clean energy vehicles.

 Blair Qualey, president of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C., said the sector has been working with auto manufacturers to attract new clean energy vehicles to the province’s market.

 ”Vehicles qualifying for the rebate are anticipated to cost as little as $300 per year in hydro costs compared to upwards of $1,500 per year to fuel a gas-powered car,” he said.

 On Saturday, the Scrap-It program was also expanded so more British Columbians can get rid of qualifying 1995 or older gas guzzlers in exchange for incentives such as bus passes, car-sharing memberships or $300.

 Cathy asks: Where can you recycle old batteries?

Millions of batteries get thrown out every year. In addition to being a waste, it’s also a hazard because those old batteries can leach dangerous chemicals into the soil.

But there are more than 1,200 collection sites in B.C.’s Call2Recycle program, which collect all household batteries and cell phones for recycling.

There are also lots of retail stores where you can drop them off in person, including most London drugs stores, Home Depot and Ikea.

So far this year Call2Recycle has saved more than 700,000 batteries from the landfill.

You can just type in your postal code on its website to find the recycling depots closest to where you live or work.