[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30355-30356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11287]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD


Sunshine Act Meeting

    In connection with its investigation into the cause of the vessel 
failure and fire at the BP Amoco Polymers Plant in Augusta, Georgia on 
March 13, 2001, the United States Chemical Safety and Hazard 
Investigation Board announces that it will convene a Public Meeting 
beginning at 10:00 a.m. local time on May 14, 2002, at 2175 K Street, 
Suite 400 Conference Room. The Board will also consider adopting final 
rule implementing Government and Sunshine Act.
    The incident left three plant personnel dead. The expulsion of 
material from the failed vessel initiated a secondary chemical fire 
that took five hours to bring under control. The incident occurred 
during maintenance operations on equipment used to produce Amodel, a 
high-temperature plastic used in automobile parts. Workers were 
unbolting a one-ton cover plate from a process vessel when the failure 
occurred. Two workers were killed instantly, and a third was pronounced 
dead later.
    At the meeting CSB staff will present to the Board the results of 
their investigation into this incident including an analysis of the 
incident together with a discussion of the key findings and root and 
contributing causes. The Board will consider carefully the 
presentations by the staff as it continues its review of the formal 
staff report.
    This period of review will also allow the Board to carefully review 
all proposed recommendations that may result from this investigation. 
Recommendations are issued by a vote of the Board and address an 
identified safety deficiency uncovered during the investigation, and 
specify how to correct the situation. Safety recommendations are the 
primary tool used by the Board to motivate implementation of safety 
improvements and prevent future incidents. The CSB uses its unique 
independent accident ivestigation perspective to identify trends or 
issues that might otherwise be overlooked. CSB recommendations may be 
directed to corporations, trade associations, government entities, 
safety organizations, labor unions and others. With the issuance of a 
final report and recommendations, the Board begins the process that 
promotes saving lives and property.
    All staff presentations are preliminary and are intended solely to 
allow the Board to consider in a public forum the

[[Page 30356]]

issues and factors involved in this case. No factual analyses, 
conclusions or findings should be considered final. Only after the 
Board has considered the staff presentation and thoroughly analyzed, 
reviewed and approved the staff report will there be an approved final 
record of this incident.
    The meeting will be open to the public. Please notify CSB if a 
translator or interpreter is needed, 10 business days prior to the 
public meeting. For more information, please contact the Chemical 
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Office of Prevention Outreach 
and Policy, (202)-261-7600, or visit our website at: www.csb.gov.

Christopher W. Warner,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 02-11287 Filed 5-6-02; 2:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 6350-01-P