The corporations lessons from past hurricane-associated chemical incidents and ongoing investigations including reactive hazards and process safety failures.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is urging chemical manufacturers and processors to review emergency preparedness plans ahead of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which commenced June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
As per the CSB, intense weather events can cause catastrophic chemical releases if centers are not adequately set. Although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a below-normal hurricane season, the corporation stated facilities need to maintain preparedness efforts.
“Although the prediction is for a below-everyday hurricane season, it only takes one bad storm hitting one unprepared facility to result in a catastrophic chemical incident,” stated CSB Chairperson Steve Owens in a declaration.
The CSB acknowledged findings from two previous storm-associated investigations. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded the Arkema facility in Crosby, Texas, inflicting refrigeration and backup power failures that led to decomposition of organic peroxides, fires and community evacuations. In 2020, Hurricane Laura damaged the Bio-Lab facility in Westlake, Louisiana, where rainwater contacted saved trichloroisocyanuric acid, causing a chemical reaction and launching chlorine gas.
As per the agency, both incidents exposed vulnerabilities including backup power systems, dangerous material storage, emergency planning and facility design for extreme intense weather events.
The CSB urged facilities to prioritize securing dangerous materials, maintaining backup power for important safety systems, training personnel on emergency procedures and coordinating response plans with local emergency management corporations.
The agency also directed centers to technical resources inclusive of investigation reports and safety videos transforming the Arkema and Bio-Lab incidents, along with guidance from the Center for Chemical Process Safety on planning for natural dangers.
The preparedness caution comes as the CSB persists investigations into a fatal white liquor tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill in Longview, Washington. The board also currently launched its final report on the 2024 reactor explosion at the former Givaudan Sense Colour facility in Louisville, Kentucky, which killed two workers and was integrated to a runaway decomposition reaction and inadequate emergency pressure relief capacity.
