EPA issues first chemical safety alerts

Under Superfund section 104(e) and the Clean Air Act, EPA is authorized to conduct chemical accident investigations. Additionally, in January 1995, the Administration asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and EPA to jointly investigate chemical accidents and to issue public reports containing recommendations to prevent similar accidents. EPA created a chemical accident investigation team to work jointly with OSHA in these efforts. Before releasing a full report, EPA will publish Chemical Safety Alerts as promptly as possible to increase awareness of potential hazards. EPA issued its first four alerts on May 30, 1997. These Alerts address rupture hazards of …