June 2012

• CROIERG presentation at HAZMAT 2012 in Melbourne
• TISC attends Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Year 2012 Convention at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney to promote the CROIERG Training Courses
• Presentation at HAZMAT 2012 Conference by Rich Martyn. USA Federally appointed on-scene emergency response coordinator (An Actual Incident)
• Emergency Responder Training Courses
• NATO’s fuel run truckers washed up on Karachi promenade (Pakistan)
• Tanker rollover closes road (QLD)
• Three train tanker cars rollover in Provo (Utah)
• Small drone used to catch polluting Mafioso in the act (Italy)
• Truck wreck results in toxic spill on Highway 92 (Mississippi)
• 18 wheeler catches fire after hit by train (Texas)
• I-75 reopens after fuel tanker accident (Florida)
• Tanker truck crash sparks fire. Closes I-35W in Alvarado (Texas)

CROIERG PRESENTATION AT HAZMAT 2012 IN MELBOURNE

The CROIERG Secretary (Brian O’Connor) was a speaker at the well-attended HAZMAT 2012 Conference in Melbourne on 9^th& 10^thof May

His presentation was titled:

"CHEMICAL EMERGENCIES – ROAD TANKER SPILLS – BROADENING THE CROIERG CANBERRA EXPERIENCE"

The presentation covered the CROIERG/NBTA Training Courses, with special emphasis on the National Accreditation status, and an overview of the Canadian Emergency Response System and the possible implications of it being adopted in Australia?

This PowerPoint Presentation can be viewed by going to the following link: -

TISC ATTENDS AUSTRALIAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION (ATA) YEAR 2012 CONVENTION AT ROSEHILL GARDENS IN SYDNEY TO PROMOTE THE CROIERG TRAINING COURSES

Our training partners the Transport Industries Skills Centre (TISC) of Canberra attended the 3-day Australian Trucking Association Annual Convention at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, from May 17^thto 19^thto promote the our Emergency Responder Training Courses.

TISC Manager Training Paul Harrison and TISC Dangerous Goods Lecturer Roger Van Cornwell manned a display area and answered lots of queries in regard to the two courses.

We are very appreciative of the work put into this effort at the ATA Convention by Paul and Roger

On Saturday the 19^thMay they displayed the two CROIERG Training Trailers and other equipment to demonstrate the quality equipment used in the training

CROIERG acknowledges the great amount of work put into this promotional effort by TISC

PRESENTATION AT HAZMAT 2012 CONFERENCE BY RICH MARTYN FEDERALLY APPOPINTED ON-SCENE EMERGENCY RESPONSE CO-ORDINATORFONON-SCENE CO-OTDINATORUSA

CROIERG appreciates Rich Martyn giving us permission to use material from his presentation

At the HAZMAT 2012 Conference in Melbourne on May 10^ththe international Guest Speaker was Rich Martyn of the USA EPA. Rich gave presentations on two actual incident responses.

Both were presented in a very professional manner and were both interesting and fascinating

One featured a train derailment in California in a remote area where the derailment of rail tank cars resulted in a massive fire that burnt for three days

One rail tank cars contained a product called butyl acrylate (UN2348), which was in a double-skinned rail car. (That’s how dangerous the product was!). After it was safe to do so emergency responders got to the car and found it wasn’t leaking but could hear a loud rumbling noise inside. Investigations were made into the product (Butyl Acrylate) and it was determined that it was very, very,very dangerous

Rich said if it exploded it would have driven the rail car at least 15 feet into the ground and caused havoc over a wide area.

His graphic account of the incident and response had the audience well and truly on the edge of their seats

The Cajon Pass Train Derailment (February 1996)

A freight train, en route from Barstow to Los Angeles derailed near Cajon Junction, California.

After the derailment and resulting rail car pileup, which involved five cars containing hazardous materials, a fire ignited and engulfed the train and the surrounding area. The conductor and the brakeman sustained fatal injuries; the engineer suffered serious injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the train derailment was an inadequate train braking force and inadequate industry and federal government regulations, policies, procedures, and standards to consistently use a redundant braking system to protect trains from catastrophic brake system failure.

Other major safety issues were the lack of federal government and industry oversight in the use of two way end-of-train devices, the inadequacy of training operating personnel in the use of two-way end-of-train devices, the carrier compliance with Federal regulations for event recorders, and the inadequacy of wreckage removal operations for tank cars containing hazardous materials.

The freight train was comprised of 49 rail cars and four diesel locomotive engines. The five tank cars carrying hazardous materials including, butyl acrylate, trimethyl phosphate and denatured alcohols caught fire and sent a plume of toxic smoke across the freeway and into surrounding communities.

Drinking water wells near the scene were in jeopardy of being contaminated and there was concern regarding the uncontrolled fire reaching the adjacent high pressure mixed product fuel pipelines. T

The fire burned for three days as firefighting and hazardous materials crews attempted to extinguish the blaze. There were 37 federal, state and local agencies who responded to this derailment.

The fire and hazardous materials release response was directed by the coordination of the California Department of Forestry, US EPA and the rail company.

The main lesson learned from this incident was that complete and timely communication

between response personnel, incident command, the rail company and the shippers of dangerous goods is paramount to ensuring the safety of the public and response community.

POINTS FROM RICH MARTYN’S PRESENTATION

WHAT MAKES CAJON PASS UNIQUE?

• Two 14 inch high pressure mixed product fuel lines run parallel to tracks – 2 to 6 feet below surface
• Major California (I-15) Freeway follows train tracks
• Major overhead Utilities power Lines feeding power from Hover Dam to Los Angeles
• Ground Water Recharge Zone .5 miles from Tracks
• 3 % grade, very remote, high elevation area of the State
• Non-Existent Telecommunications
• 3 main train tracks carrying dangerous goods and people
• High Volume of Trains – 150 per day
• Runaways have been common due to steep grade

CAJON PASS SUMMARY

• Wreckage makes it impossible to ascertain which tank cars contain specific dangerous goods
• Three days into fighting the fire it is determined that one tank car, the Butyl Acrylate Car, is continuing to gain internal temperature
• Command is briefed by shipper that internal pressure could cause the car to explode from over pressurization
• An Explosives Contractor was flown into the scene and vented the tank car using plastic explosive shape charges (Top and Bottom)

Rich explained that the explosives contractor was engaged to attend the scene, evaluate the situation and take whatever measures he believed could be used to make the area safe

His terms:

• One million dollars before he left for the area
• And another million dollars if the steps he would take were effective

They were and he was paid two million dollars

He placed two plastic explosive charges.

One on top of the tank to vent it and the other at the bottom for the product to drain out.

1. He set the charges.
2. He activated them: and
3. They worked!

EMERGENCY RESPONDER TRAINING COURSES

The CROIERG/NBTA Training Courses and a schedule of applicable dates are listed below:

CROIERG / NBTA TRAINING COURSE DATES (2012)

TWO TRAINING COURSES HELD IN MAY AT TISC COMPLEX

Two Training Courses were held in May at the Transport Industries Skills Centre (TISC) training complex on the Sutton Road, Canberra

1. A Stage 1 (Managers with emphasis on TERP’s) Course was held on May 14^th to 16^th
2. A Stage 2 (Practical) Course was held on May 21^st to 23^rd

CROIERG member company TransPacific Industries had a large contingent at this Stage 2 Course

TRAINING COURSE BOOKINGS

ALL TRAINING COURSE BOOKINGS SHOULD BE MADE TO:

Trish Mooney. Business Administration Manager
Transport Industry Skills Centre (TISC)

Sutton Road, Canberra ACT

Mail: TISC PO Box 6074 Queanbeyan NSW 2620

Phone: (02) 6297 7187

Email: TrishMooney@SRDTC.com

TRAINING COURSES INFORMATION

1. Stage1 (Managers)- Course in Fuel Transportation Emergency Planning and Response
2. Stage 2 (Responders) Course in Transport Emergency Recovery Operations

For detailed information on the two programs go to the link below

• Emergency Response Program Information [pdf]

FOR INFORMATION ON ENROLMENTS AND ACCOMMODATION

• Emergency response course enrolment form [pdf]
• Course Accommodation form [pdf]

NATO'S FUEL-RUN TRUCKERS WASHED UP ON KARACHI PROMENADE (Pakistan)

DRIVERS WHO RUN THE TALIBAN GAUNTLET ON ROAD TO AFGHANISTAN HALTED BY RETALIATION FOR US KILLING OF PAKISTANI TROOPS

April 24, 2012 Karachi Pakistan

On the fifth-floor balcony of an exclusive apartment block in Karachi, Iqbal Amlani glares out at what he calls his "million-dollar view": the Arabian Sea lapping at a shoreline that includes nearby Clifton beach, where city dwellers wade in the shallows. "It used to be a million-dollar view," he corrects himself.

Spoiling his vista are hundreds of fuel tankers cluttering up the road outside his block and every other building nearby.

The seafront road alone is crammed with roughly 500 trucks, each capable of carrying 60,000 litres, double-parked bumper to bumper, on both sides of a multi-lane road.

In total there are thought to be more than 1,000 in and around Clifton, a neighbourhood usually associated with Pakistan's most wealthy citizens.

Pashtun truck drivers from the north-west of the country began parking in the well-heeled streets, a short drive from Karachi's port and oil terminal, in November 2011last year when Islamabad banned the transport of NATO supplies through its territory.

The border closure was retaliation for the accidental killing by US forces of 24 Pakistani soldiers. Although Pakistan had previously closed the border in shorter protests, no one had expected the ban to drag on for so long this time.

The drivers, many of whom are sinking into debt, are desperate to get back to work even though some of the big Pakistani fuel suppliers fear the once hugely lucrative NATO logistics business will never recover.

For years Pakistan's truck drivers provided the vital fuels that powered almost every aspect of NATO's war effort in Afghanistan, from the diesel in the tanks of armoured vehicles to the fuel required for squadrons of aircraft and the countless generators powering air conditioners in austere military bases.

For months now the drivers have been idling away their time drinking tea and playing games. "Every day we look at the papers or go to the fuel company office to ask when the border is going to open," says Arif Shah, a 26-year-old driver who has been unable to pay five of the £345 monthly installments to service the loan on his tanker.

Read more.

TANKER ROLLOVER CLOSES ROAD (Queensland)

May 1, 2012 Gladstone Queensland

Gladstone commuters have experienced significant delays following a petrol tanker rollover last night on Port Curtis Way. Motorists are being advised that the only way in to Gladstone is via Calliope or Benaraby as the cleanup continues.

Police media reported that the truck driver had minor injuries and was transported to the Gladstone Base Hospital last night. Police are currently investigating the crash and have been pumping fuel from the tanker. This is expected to take place until 6pm.

Source www.gladstoneobserver.com.au

3 TRAIN TANKER CARS ROLLOVER IN PROVO (Utah)

May 1, 2012 Provo Utah

Three train tanker cars rolled over and off the tracks in a Provo industrial area on Tuesday

Police report that one of the tanker cars is leaking a fluid that smells of alcohol.

No injuries were immediately reported, and no evacuations were ordered.
Source www.abc4.com

SMALL DRONE USED TO CATCH POLLUTING MAFIOSO IN THE ACT (Italy)

This report from the International Spill Control Organisation (ISCO) Newsletter. CROIERG is an associate member of the ISCO

Environmental dumping is a major problem in Italy, and its source can often be tracked back to organized crime.

A new, small unmanned aerial vehicle is being tested to help not only catch polluters in the act, but track pollution back to its source.

May 21, 2012 Naples, Italy

Treading through marshes at dawn, Massimiliano Lega, an environmental engineer, is careful not to disturb the ground. As he walks, fumes escape from cracks in the earth. There’s a choking stench of gas, bleach and burnt tires.

This is the Naples countryside. Two truckloads of poisonous junk are buried here, just below Lega’s sneakers. He blames the Camorra mafia. Lega points his thermal camera at any smoking groove, as guard dogs bark from a distance.

Lega is here testing his latest creation. It’s called StillFly — a three-winged, five-pound, battery-powered drone that flies a few feet above the ground. The drone’s heat-sensing camera and gas sensors transmit data to a monitoring station, where Lega studies the images. Its sensors were designed to work as a small, portable lab.

"It’s like forensic police on the scene of a murder but re-adapted for environmental crime," Lega said.

StillFly is now being tested to zero-in on riverbeds, farmlands and industrial sites in several areas in Italy, according to Forest Ranger Marco Di Fonzo. He says this kind of technology could be much more economical and effective than doing surveillance in a helicopter.

In this region, environmental surveillance often leads back to organized crime.

No one knows this better than Donato Ceglie, a prosecutor who’s been investigating mafia environmental crimes since the late 1990s.

Ceglie says Italian companies from the north contract with the Camorra to dump their waste in the Naples countryside, cutting their disposal costs by up to 90 percent. Ceglie says StillFly can provide the evidence to nail eco-criminals in court.

"With a drone, you can detect a source of pollution, the route and the effects of that pollution," Ceglie said. "It’s very solid evidence that holds up in court."

Read more.

TRUCK WRECK RESULTS IN TOXIC SPILL ON HIGHWAY 82 (Mississippi)

May 11, 2012 Lowndes County, Mississippi USA

Emergency crews rushed to the Golden Triangle Airport exit on Hwy 82 East just before 9am Saturday in response to an overturned tanker truck.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol stated that Travoris Ashford, age 30, lost control of his 18-wheeler as he attempted to turn East onto the Hwy 82 on ramp.

Ashford’s rig jackknifed and flipped off of the ramp, crushing the back of his cab and throwing his load of Ferrous Chloride onto its side. According to some workers on scene (presumed to be from the nearby Severstal steel mill), Ferrous chloride is a byproduct of steel processing, otherwise called spent nickel, and it is considered mildly hazardous in liquid form.

Lowndes County Deputies arrived on scene within minutes and secured the scene, moving bystanders back more than 200 feet from the wreckage for safety. Columbus Fire and HAZMAT crews arrived to tend to the truck to ensure none of the chemical had leaked from the tanker. After suiting up in protective clothing, the HAZMAT team inspected the tanker and discovered no evidence of spillage.

Ashford was taken by paramedics to BMH-GT with mild injuries. A representative of the owner of the truck, B & R Transportation of Angola, Indiana, was on scene but unavailable for comment. The Mississippi Highway Patrol said that the investigation is still ongoing as of press time and no citations have been issued yet

Source http://packet-media.com/2012/05/11/truck-wreck-results-in-toxic-spill-on-highway-82

18-WHEELER CATCHES FIRE AFTER HIT BY TRAIN (Texas)

May 7, 2012 Crosby, Harris County, Texas USA

Harris County sheriff's deputies said an 18-wheeler broke down on the railroad tracks at the intersection of Ramsey Road and Crosby-Dayton Road in northeast Harris County about 11.45 AM Monday

A Union Pacific train hit the cab of the 18-wheeler and pushed it several yards down the tracks.

The cab caught fire and was destroyed by flames. The tanker part of the big rig was left at the intersection.

Deputies said the driver got out of the truck before it was hit. He was not hurt.

The train engineer was also not injured, officials said.

Read more and view a video.

I-75 REOPENS AFTER FUEL TANKER ACCIDENT (Florida)

May 3, 2012 Charlotte County Florida USA

It was a traffic disaster for thousands of people trying to make it through Southwest Florida Thursday. Officials say 4,500-gallons of fuel spilled on I-75, forcing the nine-hour shutdown.

The crash happened at I-75 and the Jones Loop Road exit around 6 a.m. Thursday.

Witnesses told officials on scene that a car was actually stopped in the merging lane from the Jones Loop exit of I-75. When the semi-truck approached, the driver swerved out of the way, rolling into the shoulder to avoid hitting that car.

"At approximately 6 a.m., Charlotte County Fire and EMS responded to a report of a vehicle rollover," said Dee Hawkins, with Charlotte County Fire and EMS. "It was carrying 6,600 gallons of gasoline as well as 1,400 gallons of diesel fuel."

That fuel leaked onto I-75 as well as the grass on the shoulder. But Charlotte County's HAZMAT team was able to patch the truck's leak.

"The next problem was to get the fuel out of the tanker and into another vehicle," Hawkins said.

The county had to call in a company from Tampa for that job – delaying the cleanup. But the job was completed in under and hour, allowing a tow truck to flip the semi right side up and remove it.

And while the situation caused a headache for others on the road, the driver of this truck is considered lucky.

"You have fuel that obviously is flammable and you have metal against concrete causing sparks."

"This driver was really very fortunate that the truck did not ignite and that he escaped without injury," said Hawkins. It could have been much, much worse."

Read more and view a video.

TANKER TRUCK CRASH SPARKS FIRE, CLOSES I-35W IN ALVARADO (Texas)

April; 27, 2012 Alvarado Texas USA

A crash between a tanker truck and a big rig on Interstate 35W in Alvarado sparked a massive fire and closed most of the highway Friday morning.

The collision took place at about 4:30 a.m. just north of U.S. 67 and has closed all northbound lanes of the highway. Northbound traffic is being diverted at Maple Road. The southbound lanes, which were closed for some time, reopened shortly before 6:45 a.m.

Val Lopez with the Texas Department of Transportation said due to the intensity of the fire and the volume of fuel, the fire was allowed to burn down before firefighters approached it. Lopez said the freeway will be closed for the better part of the day as TxDOT crews remove wreckage and inspect the road for damage.

Fire crews said the tanker was hauling methanol, a fuel additive, and jack-knifed. Another 18-wheeler then hit the tanker, setting it ablaze. That fire burned for almost three hours.

At least one person is believed to have been injured in the crash. The severity of the injuries is unknown

View a video.