[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17602-17603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8918]


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CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD


Sunshine Act Meeting

    In connection with its investigation into the cause of chlorine gas 
release from a rail tank car unloading operation at DPC Enterprises, 
near Festus, Missouri on April 14, 2002, the United States Chemical 
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announces that it will convene a 
Public Meeting beginning at 9 a.m. local time on May 1, 2003, at the 
Holiday Inn Express, 1200 Gannon Drive, Festus, MO 63028.
    On the morning of August 14, 2002, 48,000 pounds of chlorine--a 
toxic gas--was released from a rail tank car unloading operation at DPC 
Enterprises, near Festus, Missouri. The facility repackages bulk dry 
liquid chlorine into one-ton containers and 150-pound cylinders for 
commercial, industrial, and municipal use in the St. Louis metropolitan 
area. Key issues involved in the investigation concern mechanical 
integrity, emergency management, and chlorine transfer hose supply.
    At the meeting CSB staff will present to the Board the results of 
their investigation into this incident,

[[Page 17603]]

including an analysis of the incident together with a discussion of the 
key findings, root and contributing causes, and draft recommendations.
    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 investigation 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.
    After the staff presentation, the Board will allow a time for 
public comment. Following the conclusion of the public comment period, 
the Board will consider whether to vote to approve the final report and 
recommendations. When a report and its recommendations are approved, 
this will begin CSB's process for disseminating the findings and 
recommendations of the report not only to the recipients of 
recommendations but also to other public and industry sectors. The CSB 
believes that this process will ultimately lead to the adoption of 
recommendations and the growing body of safety knowledge in the 
industry, which, in turn, should save future lives and property.
    All staff presentations are preliminary and are intended solely to 
allow the Board to consider in a public forum the 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 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, at least 5 business days prior to 
the public meeting. For more information, please contact the Chemical 
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board at (202)-261-7600, or visit our 
Web site at: http://www.csb.gov.

Christopher W. Warner,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 03-8918 Filed 4-8-03; 11:31 am]
BILLING CODE 6350-01-P