OSHA cites Basic Grain Products after 2 workers injured at Coldwater, Ohio, rice-cake plant

OSHA cites Basic Grain Products after 2 workers injured at Coldwater, Ohio, rice-cake plant

Dec. 18, 2014

 

COLDWATER, Ohio – In response to a complaint of an electrical shock injury, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that a 20-year employee was injured while he performed service work on an electrical panel at a Coldwater rice-cake manufacturer. Following the investigation, OSHA has cited Basic Grain Products Inc. for two repeated and five serious safety violations.


The employee missed two days of work due to the electrical shock injury which occurred Aug. 18, 2014. OSHA also learned that another employee missed 20 workdays and was on restricted duty for an additional 22 days after part of his ring finger was amputated on June 19, 2014, as he adjusted a machine used to make rice cakes.


"Basic Grain Products must ensure that its workers are not exposed to dangerous machinery and are never expected to conduct maintenance without shutting down electrical and energy sources," said Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Those actions can prevent severe injuries like those suffered by these workers."


OSHA's investigation determined that the employee who suffered the amputation injury while servicing the rice-cake machine was exposed to the operating parts of the machinery because it had not been properly powered down before maintenance.

The investigation also found Basic Grain Products failed to implement electrical safety-related work practices, which included no use of personal protective equipment; untrained workers; and inadequate clearance in front of electrical panels. These violations resulted in five serious safety citations. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.


OSHA also cited the company for exposing workers to unguarded rice-cake machines that had been improperly powered down to prevent them from starting up during maintenance. These violations exposed workers to amputation* and laceration hazards. Similar violations were found at the company in 2013. OSHA issues repeated citations when a company has been cited previously for the same or a similar violation at any facility within federal enforcement states in the past five years. 


Based in Coldwater with about 130 employees, Basic Grain Products is one of the largest private-label manufacturers and suppliers of rice cakes and other healthy snacks to supermarkets nationwide. The company faces proposed penalties of $58,410.


The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 


To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Toledo Area Office at 419-259-7542. 


Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

THE PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE TOLL OF THE TRUCK ACCIDENTS: IT IS EVERYDAY WAR OUT THERE

THE PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE TOLL OF THE TRUCK ACCIDENTS:  IT IS EVERYDAY WAR OUT THERE

Here is a list of the latest headlines involving the toll of truck accidents.  It is really stagering: over 2,000 people dead, 60,000 injured and billions in property damage.

[12/27/2014|3:9]. Families grieve for victims of fatal crash near Paso Robles - KSBY San Luis Obispo News
[Saturday] San Miguel residents killed in Christmas Eve crash Cal Coast News



[12/27/2014|1:28]. Road reopened after train vs. tanker truck accident - WKYC-TV
[Saturday] Road reopened after train vs. tanker truck accident
WKYC-TV
EATON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol says a tanker truck was struck by a train about 2:15 p.m. Friday. Troopers confirm that the tanker was empty when it was struck. The tanker had stalled on the tracks. No one was injured when the ...



[12/26/2014|22:59]. 4 killed in car vs. truck accident on U.S. 31 - WSBT-TV
[Friday] 4 dead in crash on US 31 in Tipton County WTHR



[12/26/2014|22:36]. Motorist killed in I-275 collision with semitruck in Romulus - Southgate News Herald
[Friday] Ohio man killed in crash with semi on I-275 WDIV Detroit



[12/26/2014|20:21]..Michigan man killed in Christmas Eve car vs. pedestrian accident
[Friday] A Michigan man was killed when a truck hit him on M-140 in Pipestone Township. A news release from the Berrien County Sheriff's Department said the accident happened just before 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

[12/26/2014|19:57]..1 dead, 1 critical after wreck involving fleeing truck
[Friday] ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis police are searching for two men involved in a Christmas Day accident that killed one person and left another hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

[12/26/2014|19:48]..Woman injured in wreck on Four Seasons Blvd.
[Friday] An 86-year-old Hendersonville woman was injured Friday when her vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 64 in front of Denny's.

[12/26/2014|19:3]. University senior killed after truck falls off closed overpass - WXYZ
[Friday] Early morning crash claims Holly man's life Fenton Tri County Times



[12/26/2014|18:47]. 2 children, 2 adults killed after crash in Tipton County - Fox 59
[Friday] 2 children, 2 adults killed after crash in Tipton County
Fox 59
A semi truck in the northbound lane moved to the outer shoulder to avoid the car, but the front of the semi hit the Jaguar on the driver's side. There were five people inside the Jaguar. All had to be extricated from the vehicle. Four of the five ...



[12/26/2014|17:40]. Overpass damaged from semi crash - WOODTV.com
[Friday] An Ottawa County Bridge is Open after Closing from a Friday Morning Crash News Radio Wood



[12/26/2014|17:34]. Off-duty Dothan police officer dies, passenger injured in truck crash - AL.com
[Friday] Troopers Investigating Second Crash Involving DPD Officer Killed in Friday ... WTVY, Dothan



[12/26/2014|12:52]. 1 dead, 1 critical after wreck involving fleeing truck - fox2now.com
[Friday] 1 dead, 1 critical after wreck near downtown St. Louis involving fleeing pickup Greenfield Daily Reporter



[12/25/2014|21:48]..Firefighter accused of taking fire truck on drunken joy ride
[Thursday] A volunteer firefighter allegedly took a fire truck on a drunk joy ride and then apparently called dispatchers to complain about another firefighter following her.

[12/25/2014|16:23]..Henderson man in stable condition following Nacogdoches wreck
[Thursday] A Henderson man is listed in stable condition following a wreck involving two 18-wheelers in Nacogdoches Wednesday morning.

[12/25/2014|7:38]..Truck Accident Stallings Drive
[Thursday] Crews clean up following a two-vehicle accident between a pair of semi-tractor-trailer trucks early Wednesday on Northwest Stallings Drive south of the Nacogdoches County Civic and Expo Center in Nacogdoches. Sgt. Greg Sowell of the Nacogdoches Police Department said the accident happened shortly after 7 a.m. Southbound traffic on a section of Stallings Drive on the west side of Nacogdoches was ...

[12/25/2014|1:57]..Breaking News: FM 51 South wreck slows traffic for an hour
[Thursday] Traffic slowed down at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 51 South and County Road 3170 from 6 p.m. to around 7 p.m. tonight after a Toyota Camry struck an 18-wheeler trying to turn north onto FM 51. Texas State Trooper Patrick Alonzo said the accident was likely caused by the Camry driver’s failure […]

[12/24/2014|22:28]..7 injured in SEPTA bus, trash truck accident in Spring Garden
[Wednesday] At least seven people are injured after an accident involving a SEPTA bus and a trash truck.

[12/24/2014|21:16]. Families affected by recent cement truck accidents speak out - WHAS 11.com (subscription)
[Wednesday] Families affected by recent cement truck accidents speak out
WHAS 11.com (subscription)
11 Damon's mother, Anita Duvall, was hit by an Advance Ready Mix cement truck, pinned underneath the wheel, and then a week and a half later died in the hospital. "They just went out to lunch and she didn't come back," Anita Duvall's boss, Rick Herndon ...



[12/24/2014|18:52]..VIDEO: Truck vs. car accident on Interstate 691
[Wednesday] MERIDEN — Taking risks on the road never ends well. That’s the point a truck driver attempts to make in a video posted to the video sharing site LiveLeak on Monday. The video shows an accident the afternoon of Dec. 16 involving a car and tractor-trailer truck on Interstate 691 eastbound.

[12/24/2014|17:30]..Crash On Central Texas Highway Leaves Teen Dead, Brother Injured
[Wednesday] A crash involving a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler Wednesday morning on a rural Central Texas highway left a teenager dead and his younger brother injured.

[12/24/2014|16:28]..18-wheeler rollover accident blocking traffic on Nacogdoches loop
[Wednesday] Nacogdoches Police officers are working to clear a major rollover wreck on the loop near the Expo Center. At least one 18-wheeled log truck has rolled over.

[12/24/2014|13:45]. Charlotte Fire Department chief: Mechanical failure caused firetruck to crash - Charlotte Observer
[Wednesday] Fire chief: Mechanical failure caused NC fire truck to overturn myfox8.com



[12/24/2014|12:4]..Los Angeles cracks down on tow truck bandits
[Wednesday] Residents of Los Angeles and some other major cities have another headache to add to their commuting woes — tow truck "bandits" who arrive unsolicited at an accident scene, tow away cars and ...

[12/24/2014|8:42]..Truck accident snarls traffic on SLEx
[Wednesday]       MANILA, Philippines---Motorists experienced heavy traffic on Wednesday afternoon after a truck figured in an accident at South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), Radyo Inquirer 990AM reported. A container truck rammed into the concrete barriers along the northbound lane of SLEx near Magallanes interchange, the report said. The accident snarled traffic causing vehicles to pile up all the way to the ...

[12/24/2014|0:31]..Traffic on Route 2 After 18-Wheeler Accident
[Wednesday] A tanker accident has caused some traffic on Route 2 South in McMechen.Marshall County EMA Director Tom Hart said an 18-wheeler crashed into a fiber optic telephone pole near 12th and W. Baltimore Streets Tuesday night, causing the pole to fall onto nearby train tracks.Hart said there were no injuries and no HAZMAT crew has been called, but crews are cleaning up the wreckage.McMechen Police said ...

[12/23/2014|23:1]. I-10 crash involving semi truck injured 3 - The Desert Sun
[Tuesday] I-10 crash involving semi truck injured 3
The Desert Sun
The crash was reported at about 5:10 p.m. on eastbound I-10, east of Cook Street. Lemer was driving a 2014 Freightliner tractor-trailer in the right lane and Rojas was driving a 2006 GMC Envoy in the left lane. A second tractor-trailer was in the ...



[12/23/2014|22:22]..UPS driver taken off road after truck hits woman in Evanston
[Tuesday] The UPS driver who struck and seriously injured a female pedestrian in Evanston Monday evening has been taken off the road pending the outcome of an internal company investigation, a UPS spokeswoman said Tuesday.

[12/23/2014|18:56]..VIDEO: Car cuts off semi, trucker teaches lesson
[Tuesday] A truck driver who hit a car that cut him off uses the crash as a reminder to give trucks plenty of room on the highway.

[12/23/2014|17:44]..Truck wreck snarls Arkansas interstate traffic
[Tuesday] (AP) — The morning commute has been a tough one for motorists who travel Interstate 440 in North Little Rock. Arkansas State Police say all three lanes of the highway were blocked after the multiple-vehicle wreck shortly before 9 a.m. Westbound traffic was not affected.

[12/23/2014|16:43]. Truck wreck snarls I-440 traffic - Arkansas Online
[Tuesday] Truck wreck snarls Arkansas interstate traffic Greenwich Time



[12/23/2014|16:18]. 6 killed in Scottish garbage truck crash are ID'd - USA TODAY
[Tuesday] BBC News


[12/23/2014|7:22]..18 Wheeler Driving Academy 3D
[Tuesday] are you fond of playing parking games? then get ready to take on the challenge. this is an ultimate heavy duty truck driving simulator18...

[12/23/2014|1:36]. Food for People Truck Destroyed in Fiery Accident Today - Lost Coast Outpost
[Tuesday] Man killed in two-vehicle crash near Benbow identified Eureka Times Standard



[12/22/2014|16:12]. Semi-truck driver killed in Snoqualmie Pass rollover crash - Q13 FOX
[Monday] Truck driver killed as semi overturns on Snoqualmie Pass KOMO News



[12/22/2014|14:16]. 18 Wheeler Wreck on I77 Slows Morning Commute - WLTX.com
[Monday] 18 Wheeler Wreck on I77 Slows Morning Commute
WLTX.com
Columbia, SC (WLTX)- Columbia Fire and Highway Patrol worked to clean up a morning wreck involving an 18-wheeler. The accident happened a little before 7 Monday morning on I-77 near mile marker 6, by the Shop Road exit. Our crews at the scene ...



[12/22/2014|9:19]..In brief
[Monday] Crash kills Winnipeg trucker A 49-year-old trucker from Winnipeg was killed in a collision between two semi-trailers on the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Winnipeg, Headingley RCMP said Sunday. RCMP closed the highway after the crash at 7:30 a.m. near St. François Xavier, and a forensic unit

[12/22/2014|4:7]. UPDATE: One dead after I-10 crash involving 18 wheeler - KPLC-TV
[Monday] UPDATE: One dead after I-10 crash involving 18 wheeler
KPLC-TV
LCPD said the Corvette was driving east on the ramp to enter Highway 171 when the car crossed the shoulder and crashed into the 18 wheeler which was traveling in the outside lane. Police said the Corvette was lodged underneath the trailer and was ...



[12/21/2014|21:51]. Cop narrowly escapes truck crash - WXIA-TV
[Sunday] Cop narrowly escapes truck crash
WXIA-TV
Officer Earls' voice is heard on the video describing the accident to a dispatcher – and then despite a gash to his leg, he sprints toward the stricken tractor trailer. "He was concerned about the truck driver that obviously had wrecked," Chief Esco said.



[12/21/2014|21:41]..Winnipeg trucker dies in semi-truck collision
[Sunday] A 49-year-old trucker from Winnipeg was killed in a collision between two semi-trailers on the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Winnipeg, Headingley RCMP said Sunday afternoon. RCMP closed the highway after the crash at 7:30 a.m. near St. Francois Xavier and a forensic unit remained in the

[12/21/2014|20:17]..Crash on U.S. 287 in Larimer County kills two
[Sunday] Two people died when the car they were traveling in slammed into the back of a semi-trail truck that was parked on the shoulder of U.

[12/21/2014|15:50]..Charlotte Firefighter Truck Overturns in Single Vehicle Accident
[Sunday] The Charlotte Fire Department is trying to figure out what caused a truck to wreck, sending one firefighter to the hospital.

[12/20/2014|3:31]..Wreck the halls: Festive wrecker truck a tradition for local family
[Saturday] When it comes to decorating for Christmas, one local body shop has taken it to another level to spread holiday happiness. The Mauldin wrecker truck can be seen all around town donning a Santa hat, ...

[12/19/2014|18:43]. Driver of 18-wheeler involved in crash that killed 3 charged turns himself in - myfox8.com
[Friday] UPDATED: Truck driver charged in collision on U.S. 52 that killed three Winston-Salem Journal



[12/19/2014|15:18]. Semi truck, passenger car crash on SR 15 kills one person - The Elkhart Truth
[Friday] Victim of deadly crash on SR15 in Elkhart County identified ABC 57 News



[12/19/2014|13:38]..One person killed in wreck involving 18-wheeler
[Friday] A 42-year-old woman was killed Thursday in a wreck on Interstate 20 in Vicksburg.  Authorities said an 18-wheeler ran off the road, crossed the median, crashed into a car and landed on top of it. The driver of the car, identified as Andrea Thomas, of Vicksburg, was killed, authorities said. Traffic was backed up for hours overnight. There's no word on what caused the crash.

[12/19/2014|12:21]. Jackknifed 18-wheeler cuased delays for nearly two hours on East Freeway - KTRK-TV
[Friday] Jackknifed 18-wheeler cuased delays for nearly two hours on East Freeway
KTRK-TV
A jackknifed 18-wheeler blocked all but one lanes on the I10 East Freeway westbound near the I45 interchange for nearly two hours. The accident scene was cleared just before 6:00am. Crews began working to clear the wreck since just after 4:00 this ...



[12/19/2014|12:5]. Two injured in semi-truck crash - Hibbing Daily Tribune
[Friday] Two injured in semi-truck crash
Hibbing Daily Tribune
AURORA — A semi-truck crash left a Chisholm man and Aurora woman injured Thursday morning near the intersection of Highway 135 and County Road 100 in Aurora. A 2014 Freightliner semi pulling a tractor driven by Mitchell J. Shoen, 57, was turning ...



[12/19/2014|11:58]..Jackknifed 18-wheeler causing delays on East Freeway
[Friday] The jackknifed 18-wheeler blocked all but one lane on the East Freeway just before the I45 interchange.

[12/19/2014|5:47]..Drivers: fatal logging truck wreck alerts community
[Friday] SAVANNAH, Tenn. -- The THP has identified the woman killed in a crash with a logging truck as Hollie Templeton, 27, of Savannah who was driving with her daughter on Highway 64 Wednesday evening.

[12/19/2014|3:2]..18-Wheeler Crosses Median in Vicksburg Accident; 1 Dead
[Friday] VICKSBURG, Miss. -An accident in Vicksburg claims one life.

[12/18/2014|20:9]. 18-wheeler crash causes traffic delays near Carondelet, Calliope in New Orleans - WDSU New Orleans
[Thursday] 18-wheeler crash causes traffic delays near Carondelet, Calliope in New Orleans
WDSU New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS —An 18-wheeler was involved in an accident Thursday afternoon off the Pontchartrain Expressway near the Carondelet-St. Charles Avenue exit. Images: Semi truck crashes, collapses in CBD after exiting Expressway · More. VIEW: Images ...



[12/18/2014|18:3]..Big-rig crash snarls I-45 downtown
[Thursday] Traffic was snarled Thursday morning on Interstate 45 in downtown after a big-rig trailer overturned, spilling its cargo onto the roadway.

[12/18/2014|2:58]. Lane change on I-75 NB led to wreck, spill, shutdown - Hamilton Journal News (subscription)
[Thursday] Lane change on I-75 NB led to wreck, spill, shutdown
Hamilton Journal News (subscription)
That caused the cab and trailer to fall onto its right side, ripping open the trailer and causing beer and glass to crash and spill all over the road. Sandy's Towing and Recovery was called to clear the road. ODOT crews were called to spread salt in an ...



[12/18/2014|0:21]. Traffic Alert: METRORail halted after 18-wheeler wreck in Medical Center - KHOU
[Thursday] Traffic Alert: METRORail halted after 18-wheeler wreck in Medical Center
KHOU
HOUSTON – The Fannin METRORail line is shut down for repairs after an 18-wheeler truck hit a telephone pole Wednesday morning in the Texas Medical Center. The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and ...



[12/17/2014|18:26]. Power outage near OST & Greenbriar after 18-wheeler crashes into pole - KPRC Houston
[Wednesday] Traffic Alert: METRORail halted after 18-wheeler wreck in Medical Center KHOU

[12/17/2014|13:48]..18-Wheeler Accident Causes Traffic Delays on Highway 6
[Wednesday] An 18-wheeler crash has caused traffic delays south of Navasota at Highway 6 and FM 2.

[12/17/2014|1:3]. Authorities investigate 18-wheeler wreck - WTVA
[Wednesday] Authorities investigate 18-wheeler wreck
WTVA
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- A traffic accident involving an 18-wheeler closed a southbound section of the Natchez Trace Parkway this afternoon. Chief Ranger Sarah Davis tells WTVA.com the accident happened when the driver of the big rig attempted to pass ...



[12/16/2014|21:0]. FedEx truck wreck spills packages on I-75 northbound in Monroe County - Macon Telegraph (blog)
[Tuesday] CBS46 News Atlanta


[12/16/2014|20:8]..Car runs underneath 18-wheeler in accident near Tomball
[Tuesday] Harris County Sheriff's deputies are investigating an accident involving an 18-wheeler near Tomball.

[12/16/2014|12:47]..Truck accident in Windsor ties up morning commute
[Tuesday] WINDSOR – A truck accident on I-91 North near exit 37 tied up traffic for the morning commute. One truck was off in the woods and hit the fence. A minivan was on its side as well, but both vehicles have been removed. Traffic was backed up to the Dexter Coffin Bridge. For more traffic […]

4 former chemical company executives indicted on pollution charges in West Virginia spill

Associated Press Dec. 17, 2014 | 2:56 p.m. EST + More

By JOHN RABY, Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Four former chemical company executives have been indicted on federal pollution charges over a January spill that triggered a ban on drinking water for days for 300,000 West Virginia residents.

The indictment unsealed Wednesday charged ex-Freedom Industries presidents Gary Southern and Dennis P. Farrell and two others with failing to ensure that the company operated the steel storage tank that leaked the coal-cleaning chemical in a reasonable and environmentally sound manner.

Southern also faces federal fraud charges related to the company's bankruptcy case. Freedom filed for bankruptcy eight days after the Jan. 9 spill of the chemicals into the Elk River in Charleston. West Virginia American Water uses the river for its water supply a mile and a half downstream.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement that the tank conditions at Freedom Industries "were not only grievously unacceptable, but unlawful. They put an entire population needlessly at risk. As these actions make clear, such conduct cannot, and will not, be tolerated."

The others charged are William E. Tis and Charles E. Herzing, who along with Farrell owned Freedom until December 2013. They sold it to Pennsylvania-based Chemstream Holdings for $20 million, after which Southern became president.
Farrell, 58, served as Freedom's president from October 2001 until the sale, after which he continued to work at the terminal in a management role.

Herzing, 63, also was Freedom's vice president and Tis, 60, served as secretary.
All four were indicted for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act.
In addition, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said the company, Freedom environmental consultant Robert J. Reynolds and tank farm plant manager Michael E. Burdette were charged in federal informations with Clean Water Act violations. A federal information typically signals a defendant's willingness to cooperate in the investigation.
"It's hard to overstate the disruption that results when 300,000 people suddenly lose clean water," Goodwin said at a news conference. "This is exactly the kind of scenario that the Clean Water Act is designed to prevent.

"This spill was completely preventable. And this spill happened to take place in my district, but it could have happened anywhere. If we don't want it to happen again, then we have to make it crystal clear that those who will commit violations like this are held accountable."

During their time as Freedom corporate officers, Farrell, Tis, Herzing and Southern "approved funding only for those projects that would result in increased business revenue for Freedom or that were necessary to make immediate repairs to equipment that was broken or about to break," the indictment said.

The men ignored or failed to fund other projects to repair, maintain and improve equipment and systems needed for compliance with environmental regulations, including addressing drainage problems in the containment area.

Southern's attorney, Robert Allen, said Wednesday that his client plans to plead not guilty and "vigorously fight the charges." Farrell referred questions to his attorney, who didn't immediately return a telephone message.

More than a dozen aboveground storage tanks at the facility were removed. The World War II-era tank that leaked had two holes, just a few millimeters each, and had subpar last-resort containment walls.

The federal Chemical Safety Board is conducting its own investigation.
According to health officials, after the spill, more than 400 people were treated at hospitals for symptoms that patients said came from exposure to the chemical, known as MCHM.

Report on Hanford nuclear waste storage tanks raises concerns on leaks of radioactive waste

Report on Hanford nuclear waste storage tanks raises concerns on leaks of radioactive waste

Indianapolis Post Wednesday 17th December, 2014
• GAO was asked to report on the tank waste cleanup program at Hanford, located near Richland in eastern Washington
• From 2012 to 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) examined the condition of the tanks, actions taken or planned to respond to the recent tank leaks and water intrusions
• The underground site contains 177 nuclear waste tanks, the nation's largest collection of radioactive waste, some of which have leaked
SPOKANE - Nuclear waste is leaking from two of its underground storage tanks (T-111 and AY-102) at Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the water was intruding into AY-102 and other tanks raising questions among regulators, the public, and Congress about the risks posed by continuing to store waste in the aging tanks, according to a report released Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office.
Following recently reported leaks and intrusions, combined with construction delays, GAO was asked to report on the tank waste cleanup program at Hanford, located near Richland in eastern Washington.
From 2012 to 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) examined the condition of the tanks, actions taken or planned to respond to the recent tank leaks and water intrusions, and the extent to which DOE's tank management plans consider the condition of the tanks and the delays in completing construction of the WTP.
Based on site visit and interview with DOE officials and responsible contractors, the report states that "DOE has been experiencing delays in the construction of the WTP, a collection of facilities that are to treat the tank waste for disposal."
The underground site contains 177 nuclear waste tanks, some of which have leaked. The nation's largest collection of radioactive waste is left over from the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
The GAO report warns that the site in which it stores about 56 million gallons of nuclear waste, is in a "worse condition than it assumed in 2011" when plans were being formulated for emptying the tanks.
"For the 149 single-shell tanks (SST), DOE previously pumped nearly all of the liquid waste out of the SSTs into the 28 newer double-shell tanks (DST) to reduce the likelihood of leaks.
"However, after detecting water intruding into several SSTs, DOE reexamined them all and found that water was intruding into at least 14 SSTs and that 1 of them (T-111) had been actively leaking into the ground since about 2010 at a rate of about 640 gallons annually," the report states.
Regarding the DSTs, in 2012, DOE discovered a leak from the primary shell in tank AY-102. DOE determined that the leak was likely caused by construction flaws and corrosion in the bottom of the tank.
The report reveals that DOE found that 12 DSTs have similar construction flaws but has not determined the extent to which the other 27 DSTs are subject to the same corrosion that likely contributed to the leak in AY-102.
The report points out that the DOE's current schedule for managing the tank waste does not consider the worsening conditions of the tanks or the delays in the construction of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), a facility being constructed to treat the waste and prepare it for final, long-term disposal.
First, the leak in AY-102 combined with planned waste transfers from SSTs has reduced the available DST tank storage capacity. Future leaks and intrusions, which become more likely as the tanks' condition worsens, would place additional demands on the already limited DST storage space, and it is unclear how DOE would respond.
According to DOE, recent efforts to evaporate some of the water from the waste have already freed up 750,000 gallons of DST space.
In March 2014, DOE announced further delays in the construction of the WTP and that these delays will affect the schedule for removing waste from the tanks, many of which have long passed their designed lifespan.
According to the panel, that there are deficiencies in DOE's understanding of corrosion in all of the DSTs. DOE lacks information about the extent to which the other 27 DSTs may also be susceptible to corrosion similar to AY-102.
Without determining the extent to which the factors that contributed to the leak in AY-102 were similar to the other 27 DSTs, DOE cannot be sure how long its DSTs can safely store waste.
The Energy Department agreed with the report and its recommendations.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who requested the report, said the DOE was moving too slowly on the work.
"Agreeing to recommendations is one thing, implementing them is another thing entirely I'm asking for a schedule and a plan of action within 90 days," said Wyden, reported AP.
The state of Washington has demanded that the Energy Department build more double-walled tanks, but the agency has not included funding for that in its budget requests.

Weber Fire hazmat crews respond to diesel spill from unknown source(s) in Utah

WEST HAVEN — A sheen of diesel fuel on top of the slow-moving water in the Hooper Irrigation Canal had Weber Fire District hazardous materials response teams working out in the rain Saturday morning.

The origin of the fuel spill in the area of 4400 South and 4700 West was unknown, according to Weber Fire District Capt. Krista Horting.

When crews first arrived they could see the fuel spill on top of the water, Horting said.

Dispatch reported that the fuel spill call came in at 9:35 a.m.

Although the flow of the canal this time of the year is slow, the fire district’s hazmat team dropped absorbent booms into the canal around the inlet near where the fuel spill was most noticeable, and along the front of the under-road canal tunnels on the north side of 4400 South.

Crews suspect the diesel fuel spill of unknown volume came from somewhere upstream, Horting said.

“People need to be cognizant of where their fuels are going,” she said.

This is not the first time Weber Fire District hazmat crews have had to respond to this location, she said.

The absorbent booms placed in the canal will remain in place for a couple of days before being removed, as they collect any lingering hydrocarbons, officials said.

Weber County sheriff’s deputies also responded to the scene.

Train struck empty tanker in Ohio. Road reopened after train vs. tanker truck accident

Train struck empty tanker in Ohio.  Road reopened after train vs. tanker truck accident

WKYC Staff, WKYC 8:08 p.m. EST December 26, 2014

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says a tanker truck was struck by a train about 2:15 p.m. Friday

(Photo: @TMCNews on Twitter)

EATON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol says a tanker truck was struck by a train about 2:15 p.m. Friday.

Troopers confirm that the tanker was empty when it was struck. The tanker had stalled on the tracks.

No one was injured when the train collided with the tanker truck.

______________________________________________________

Dec. 26, 2014: The Ohio State Highway Patrol says a tanker truck was struck by a train about 2:15 p.m.(Photo: @TMCNews on Twitter)

State Route 83 between eastbound and westbound Capel Road was closed for several hours as a result of the accident.

The road was reopened by 7 p.m.

The train tracks have been cleared.