A seven-person investigation team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) is deploying to the scene of a fatal chemical release at the La Porte DuPont Plant located near Houston, Texas. According to DuPont officials, there was a release of methyl mercaptan on November 15, four people were killed and a fifth was hospitalized.
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial 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.
CSB deploys team to fatal chemical release in La Porte, Texas
| By Dorothy Lozowski