On Dec. 17, 2011, a chemical fire occurred at a Heritage-WTI
Inc. hazardous waste storage and processing facility in East Liverpool, OH,
resulting in two workers being seriously burned, one of whom died days later.
According to the company, a flash fire occurred when workers were splitting a
large solid waste drum of hazardous flammable inorganic material into smaller
storage drums.
Following the tragedy, CSB issued a statement
emphasizing the importance of a National Fire Code for hazardous waste
handling. CSB’s investigation
and subsequent case
study of a 2006 fire at an Apex, NC, hazardous waste facility, as well as
its investigation
of a 2009 explosion at a West Carrollton, OH, facility resulted in the
board issuing recommendations calling for a standard specific to hazardous
waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities to provide guidance to prevent
the occurrence of fires, explosions and releases at these types of facilities.
According to CSB, if followed, its recommendations will lead
to the development of a national standard that will improve safety practices at
hazardous waste treatment plants across the country.