A disaster within a disaster is always the greatest threat to ongoing chaos. Prevailing vulnerability and panic can only make a dire situation worse, despite the best of intentions. In the throes of responding to a national emergency, government officials will sometimes lift longstanding safeguards and vanquish norms to reduce a sense of calm over…
No one likes leaks. From a leaky faucet that slowly erodes your patience and nerves, to a broken pipe unleashing a torrent of destruction, leaks can wash away stability and normalcy. What makes chemical leaks so dangerous is they often occur without any prior warning. Compromises to structural integrity almost never self-resolve and often get…
What do you do when you can’t extinguish a raging fire with water? Firefighters faced this paradox during a chemical fire at a Spokane, Washington paper mill last week. Relying on experiences and an abundance in caution, firefighters were successfully able to curtail further damage. The fire began under a storage container around 1 p.m.…
Everyone is obsessed with profits and the bottom line. And why wouldn’t you be? With inflation and the price of goods impacting sales, you can’t afford any unforeseen expenditures. Customers will continue to tighten their belts to save money. To counteract rising infrastructure costs, project managers will scour spreadsheets to see what they can do…
Spill containment is one of the most important considerations when renting a chemical storage locker. Chemical spills and accidents account for the majority of hazardous material related incidents in the US. Environmental incursions and contaminations can pose serious threats to wildlife and municipal drinking water. Most of these attacks on our vulnerable ecosystem often go…
Last month’s chocolate factory explosion in West Reading, Pa., sounds like a devious plot twist from an M. Night Shyamalan film if he was given creative control of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Unfortunately, the confectionary nightmare was all too real for afflicted factory workers and residents. Seven workers were killed and almost a dozen…
After decades of legal wrangling, the federal government will finally pass down legislation regulating PFAS or forever chemicals. What are PFAS? Known as forever chemicals due to their length of degradation, PFAS can be found in everything from nonstick pans and food packaging to fire-fighting foam. While common in modern manufacturing, forever chemicals can pose…
University campuses and educational laboratories lead the way in research. Major corporations and industries rely on these scientific incubators to keep them abreast of recent breakthroughs and innovations. Universities also teach and train the future leaders of tomorrow while guiding public policy, including the effects on climate change. What makes university research labs so unique…
Ohio can’t seem to catch a break as a second violent chemical incident has rocked the state in a span of less than three weeks. On Monday, an explosion at a metals plant near Cleveland killed one person and injured a dozen more, as community leaders press the company for answers and more accountability from…
Ever feel like you’re living in a simulation? Do you have times in your life when sudden intrusive thoughts become real life manifestations the next day? For one Ohio community, silver screen theatrics became a startling reality following the forced evacuation of a local town following a train derailment that eerily follows the plot of…