One contractor remains hospitalized after fire at BASF
Posted: Saturday, September 5, 2015
ERINN CALLAHAN erinn.callahan@thefacts.com
FREEPORT, TEXAS
A contractor is in the hospital following a fire and chemical release in the 700 block of the BASF Freeport facility on Copper Road Thursday night.
The fire started at about 9 p.m. Thursday when a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol escaped from a vent stack at the site’s Anone 1 plant due to a failed reactor tube, BASF spokeswoman Cindy Suggs said.
The facility’s fire brigade responded immediately, containing the fire to the unit and extinguishing the flames by 9:15 p.m., Suggs said.
“They were there within less than 60 seconds,” Suggs said. “We took immediate action.”
BASF also notified the Freeport Fire Department as a courtesy, Suggs said, although they don’t typically respond.
Of the 28 contractors working at that site, 20 were taken to U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group in Freeport for evaluation and released with no issues, Suggs said.
“It was more precaution than anything else,” she said.
Seven contractors were taken by ambulance to Brazosport Regional Health System in Lake Jackson, and six were released with no issues, Suggs said. One contractor remained in the hospital Saturday morning.
Suggs said that people on site at BASF are working with the contract company to monitor the contractor.
“We cannot speak to the contractor’s medical condition,” she said.
The facility’s environmental health and safety group is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and the amount of chemicals released, but Suggs said BASF is confident that the release was less than 500 pounds.
“We are confident it did not impact our nearby neighbors or our community,” Suggs said. “An investigation is already underway to put measures in place to make sure something like that doesn’t happen again.”
The environmental health and safety group and BASF’s operating team are also working to monitor the air, Suggs said, and the fire brigade monitored the site for several hours after the flames were extinguished.
“The main thing is the health and safety of our employees, our contractors, our environment and our community, and I think our quick response in containing and extinguishing the fire demonstrates that commitment,” Suggs said.
Reporter Erinn Callahan is working on the story. Anyone who can provide firsthand information on the incident can contact her at 979-237-0150 or erinn.callahan@thefacts.com.
Some info from BASF's web pages:
BASF: Working safely and responsibly
Welcome to BASF in Freeport Texas
The BASF Freeport site was founded in Southeast Texas in 1958 as BASF’s first manufacturing site outside Europe. The Freeport site employs more than 770 employees and almost 600 contractors. Currently, the Freeport facility produces 23 different products in 25 plants.
The BASF Freeport site has a long history of strong safety performance. The facility has received the Texas Chemical Council’s Award for Distinguished Service and the Sustained Excellence in Caring for Texas Award numerous times for accomplishments in safety performance, environmental stewardship and community outreach.
In 2013, the Freeport site set records in safety performance, production and environmental performance. The site was awarded the Pinnacle Award by Union Pacific for chemical transportation safety, and, in two instances, worked more than 1 million man-hours without a recordable injury.
BASF attributes these results to highly-trained, motivated employees who understand the expectations and accept responsibility for working safely.
Employees are actively involved in all aspects of the safety process, from writing safety procedures, to conducting inspections, participating in special projects and promoting safe work habits. Site spotlight: Freeport, Texas An integrated approach to manufacturing