EPA Chemical Accident Investigation Report: Surpass Chemical Co., Inc., Albany, NY

摘要

On Tuesday, April 8, 1997, a 5,700-gallon hydrochloric acid (HCl) storage tank ruptured while being filled at the Surpass Chemical Co., Inc. The spill of HCl, a corrosive and toxic chemical, resulted in injuries to employees and members of the public, as well as public evacuations. EPA and OSHA considered the impacts of the tank failure with respect to the MOU criteria and the potential for lessons-learned and decided to initiate a joint investigation. The scope of the investigation was to determine the immediate and root causes of the tank failure and to make recommendations that could assist Surpass and others to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.