Newsroom
All News Releases By Date
PA EPA AND OSHA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT RELEASED ON SURPASS CHEMICAL CO. SPILL
Release Date: 09/25/98
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1998
EPA AND OSHA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT RELEASED ON SURPASS CHEMICAL CO. SPILL
EPA and OSHA today issued a joint Chemical Accident Investigation Report on a hydrocholoric acid spill at the Surpass Chemical Co. in Albany, N.Y. A hydochloric acid storage tank ruptured and released its contents on April 8, 1997. Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive and toxic chemical. The release resulted in offsite injuries and evacuation. Forty people were treated at the hospital and a ten-block area was evacuated that included nearby businesses and residences. The EPA/OSHA investigation team determined that the immediate cause of the incident was the over pressurization of the storage tank. Accident investigators determined that: modifications to the storage tank’s venting system were not done within the tank manufacturer’s specifications; no hazard analysis of these modifications had been performed; and there was inadequate preventive maintenance of the scrubber system. In addition, there was no written standard operating procedures for air off-loading of deliveries to the storage tank and there was an inadequate method for determining that the delivery was complete. To prevent future accidents, the accident investigation team recommends that:
- •Surpass and other facilities should ensure that modifications to their equipment do not create new hazards or compromise safety;
•Surpass and other facilities should maintain environmental control systems to ensure continuous reliability and effective operation;
•EPA and OSHA should develop an alert to raise awareness about the need for thorough consideration of safety when designing equipment or processes for environmental control.
R-129 ###
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.
