American Acryl Plant Explosion; Toluene May Be Cause
Posted by proforma on December 9, 2009
A tank exploded at an American Acryl chemical plant in Pasadena, Texas, on December 9, 2009, that is reported by media outlets to have contaned toluene, a petroleum byproduct. American Acryl is a joint venture between Arkema Inc. and NA Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Nippon Shokubai, Ltd. Here is their statement.
Two workers were injured. Further details on the incident are available here.
Exposure to toluene can cause breathing problems, skin irritation and nausea. Aromatics Online, published by the Aromatics Producers Association, provides useful information on how toluene is used. NIOSH’s description of toluene and protection requirements are here.
Proforma Safety staff are trained in the hazards related to and proper handling of toluene. Proforma recently completed a project that included fire prevention, HAZMAT response and HSSE oversight for a well intervention project involving the use of Toluene to remove asphaltine.
Filed Under: Workplace Safety
