The USA Disaster Situation Report
The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For March 29, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
=> Special Notes
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or Significant
Icing Forecast
=> USA Flood Report
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
=> USA Earthquake Report
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
=> Guest Column-
=> Sponsored by The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
**** ARTICLES ****
=> Article National Drought Summary --
=> Article Study Issued on Property Value Loss from Cerro Grande Fire
=> Article New Cerro Grande Fire Assistance Act Rule Speeds Final
Settlements
=> Article US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory -- Update
=> Article Federal Investigation of Tosco Refinery Fire Finds Flawed
Management
Supervision
=> Classified Ads
=> Links Area
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
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Sponsored by the The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
http://www.disastercenter.com/Rothstein/
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=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For March 29, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
National Temperature Extremes
High Wed...97 At Death Valley CA
Low Thu...4 Below Zero At Saranac Lake CA
=> Special Notes
Protons Event >10 MeV {at} GTorEQ 10pfu BEG 29 Mar 2001 1635 UT
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
Active Warnings:
Updated Thu Mar 29 11:58:42 2001
Flash Flood
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
FLOOD WATCH FOR FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FOR NORTHERN
CONNECTICUT...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED FROM LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 4 OR EVEN 5 INCHES IN
IN MASSACHUSETTS
EASTERN HAMPDEN...WORCESTER...ESSEX...MIDDLESEX... SUFFOLK...
NORFOLK... BRISTOL AND PLYMOUTH.
IN CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD... TOLLAND AND WINDHAM.
IN RHODE ISLAND
PROVIDENCE...KENT...BRISTOL...NEWPORT AND WASHINGTON
Delaware
A FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
NEW CASTLE.
Maryland
A FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...CECIL.
New Jersey
New York
A FLOOD WATCH FOR THE
ENTIRE TRI-STATE REGION FROM 700 PM TONIGHT THROUGH 700 PM FRIDAY...
TOTAL RAINFALL FROM THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 2 TO 3 INCH
RAINFALL RANGE. THIS RAINFALL WILL BE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
RISES ON THE AREA RIVERS AND SMALL STREAMS.
THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NEW YORK...
ORANGE...PUTNAM...ROCKLAND...WESTCHESTER...BRONX...
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)...RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)...
KINGS (BROOKLYN)...QUEENS...NASSAU...SUFFOLK
IN NEW JERSEY...
PASSAIC...BERGEN...UNION...HUDSON...ESSEX
Pennsylvania
A FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
BERKS...BUCKS... CARBON...CHESTER... DELAWARE...LEHIGH... MONROE...
MONTGOMERY... NORTHAMPTON... AND PHILADELPHIA.
Flood
Georgia
South Carolina
RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR THE OHOOPEE RIVER IN GEORGIA...
FOR THE OHOOPEE RIVER, INCLUDING REIDSVILLE GA, MINOR FLOODING IS
FORECASTED.
South Dakota
A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...FOR THE JAMES RIVER... INCLUDING
COLUMBIA... MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURING AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.
Special Marine
Florida
* SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FOR... COASTAL WATERS FROM ALTAMAHA
SOUND TO FLAGLER BEACH OUT TO 60 NM...* UNTIL 1245 PM EST
* SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM... MIDNIGHT
PASS TO ST. PETERSBURG BEACH AND OUT TO 60 NM. THIS INCLUDES THE
TAMPA BAY WATERS.* UNTIL 1230 PM EST.
* SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FOR... COASTAL WATERS FROM ALTAMAHA
SOUND TO FLAGLER BEACH OUT TO 60 NM...* UNTIL 1245 AM EST
Non Precipitation
California
STRONG WINDS CONTINUE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA...
Severe Thunderstorm
Florida
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... ORANGE COUNTY IN EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA * UNTIL 100 PM EST.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... SEMINOLE COUNTY IN EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA* UNTIL 1245 PM EST.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...POLK COUNTY IN FLORIDA.
EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN FLORIDA. * UNTIL NOON EST.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... OSCEOLA COUNTY IN EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA * UNTIL 1215 PM EST.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... WESTERN ORANGE COUNTY IN
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA* UNTIL NOON EST.
Georgia
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... CHATHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA.* UNTIL 1230 PM EST.
South Carolina
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN
SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA. JASPER COUNTY IN SOUTHERN SOUTH
CAROLINA.* UNTIL 100 PM EST.
Tornado
Florida
* TORNADO WARNING FOR... SOUTHEASTERN DUVAL COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
FLORIDA THIS INCLUDES THE SOUTHSIDE AND JACKSONVILLE BEACH...* UNTIL
NOON EST
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...SOUTHEASTERN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
FLORIDA THIS INCLUDES CRESCENT BEACH...MARINELAND * UNTIL NOON EST
* TORNADO WARNING FOR... NASSAU COUNTY IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA THIS
INCLUDES...CALLAHAN...HILLIARD... * UNTIL NOON EST
* TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHERN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
FLORIDA* UNTIL NOON EST
Winter Storm
Idaho
Utah
WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS/IDAHO
PORTION-...SNOW ADVISORY THIS MORNING...
WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-WASATCH PLATEAU/BOOK CLIFFS-
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-...SNOW ADVISORY THIS MORNING...
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-
..SNOW ADVISORY THIS MORNING NORTH OF I-70...
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
The forecast probability of an event is by the stated percentage or greater
for the event, within 25 miles of any point for the area described.
Tornado Risk - Slightly Moderate
There is a 2% probability of a tornado over southeast Georgia, and Florida
except the panhandle.
The 5% probability area covers Florida except the north northwest area, and
the southeast area.
Hail Risk - Slight
There is a 5% probability of hail 3/4 inch or larger over central west Texas
and Florida except the
north northwest area.
Wind Risk - Slight
There is a 5% probability of winds in excess of 50 knots over central west
Texas and southeast
Georgia, and Florida except the panhandle.
The 15% probability area covers Florida except the north northwest area, and
the southeast area.
Tomorrow's Risk - Slight
There is a 5% probability of any severe weather tomorrow over the north
northwest 1/4 of Kansas,
and over central, central south, through southeast Nebraska. Also over
Florida except the
panhandle, and southern areas, southeast georgia and southern South
Carolina.
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or
Significant
Icing Forecast
Precipitation Forecast
The 24 hour precipitation forecast is calling for 2 inches of precipitation
over the southeast 1/2 of
South Carolina except the extreme southeast area, the southeast 1/2 of North
Carolina except the
southeast area, and southeast Virginia.
Over an inch of rainfall is forecast over the northern 3/5 of Florida except
the western panhandle, the
southeast 3/4 of Georgia, South Carolina except the far northwest area,
North Carolina except the
northwest area, the southeast 3/4 of Virginia, Maryland except the far
northwest area, southeast
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southeast New York, and southwest Connecticut.
The 24 - 48 hour precipitation forecast is calling for 2 inches of
precipitation over the western
portion of Long Island, southeast Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts
except the far
northwest area, southeast New Hampshire, and the southeast 1/3 of Maine.
Over 1 inch of precipitation is forecast over
Excessive Rainfall Forecast
Rainfall is not expected to exceed flash flood values
USA heavy snow and/or significant icing
>From noon to midnight today EST the probability of snow exceeding warning
thresholds is less than
20%
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
>From midnight to noon tomorrow EST the probability of 4 inches or greater of
snow is low over
northeast New York, Vemont except the extreme southern area, New Hampshire
except the
extreme southern area, and the southern 1/3 of Maine except the coastal
area.
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
Current USA Snow and Ice Cover
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/surface/us_NESDISsnow.gif
=> USA Flood Report
Not updated
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
Not updated
=> USA Earthquake Report
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION CENTER
GOLDEN, COLORADO
LISTS OF U.S. EARTHQUAKES IN THE LAST 30 HOURS
Prepared by USGS/NEIC 2001 MAR 29 at 00:15 UTC
EARTHQUAKES IN NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES
(40.3 TO 50.0 N, 102.0 TO 125.0 W)
Date Time (UTC) Lat Long Depth Magnitude
2001 MAR 28 20:33:36.00 40.6 N 124.9 W 0 km 3.4
45 miles WSW of Eureka, California
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
Note: All data is considered preliminary
Tornado Reports
No reports received
Hail Reports
Time Size Location County State Lat Lon Comments
1545 88 FOWLERTON TX 2848 9884 SHERIFF REPORT OF NICKEL SIZED HAIL. THE
HAIL WAS REPORTED TO BE WET AND SLUSHY. (CRP)
1705 75 5 N THREE RIVERS LIVE OAK TX 2854 9818 SHERIFF REPORT OF DIME
SIZED HAIL ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 37. (CRP)
1723 75 BEEVILLE BEE TX 2839 9774 NWS SPOTTER REPORT OF DIME SIZED HAIL.
(CRP)
Wind Reports
No reports received
Fields marked UNK are unknown
All Times UTC
Wind Gusts in MPH
Hail Sizes in 1/100 of an Inch (75 = 0.75")
=> Guest Column
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**** ARTICLES ****
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=> National Drought Summary --
The Southeast: Significant precipitation (1 to locally 3 inches) fell on
parts of central and northern
Georgia, most of the Carolinas, and Virginia during the last 7 days. The
rest of the region recorded
less than an inch. These totals brought most locations outside central
Florida, the southern
Appalachians, and eastern Tennessee to near or above normal for the 30 days
ending March 27.
On the other hand, most areas remained below normal for the 90-day period
ending March 27, and
those areas demonstrating a 90-day surplus (much of Georgia and eastern
Alabama) were also areas
where dryness dates back the longest (to May 1998) and accrued long-term
deficits were very
large. Therefore, only limited reductions in dryness and drought
categorizations were noted.
Specifically, one-category reductions were introduced in former D0(W) to
D1(W) areas of
west-central Georgia and the western Florida Panhandle, former D3 to D4
areas in a small section
of northern peninsular Florida, and former D1 areas of central North
Carolina.
The Central Appalachians and Ohio Valley: Moderate precipitation (1 to 2
inches) in north-central
Pennsylvania and adjacent New York eliminated D0 conditions. Farther south
and west, about an
inch of precipitation fell on the western slopes of the Appalachians and
interior eastern Kentucky,
0.2 to 1.0 inch was measured in the central Appalachians and the rest of
central and eastern
Kentucky, and less than 0.2 inch was recorded elsewhere.
As a result, 90-day precipitation deficits exceeding an inch prompted the
expansion of D0 conditions
into large portions of the central Appalachians and Ohio Valley, and the
reclassification of D0(W)
conditions near the Ohio/Mississippi Rivers' confluence to D0. In scattered
areas north of the central
and lower Ohio River, 30-day deficits topped 2 inches, and 90-day deficits
exceeded 4 inches.
Furthermore, streamflows were among the lowest 10% of historical occurrences
for this time of year
in much of a broad area from northeastern Ohio southwestward across Indiana,
southern Illinois, and
southeastern Missouri on March 27.
The Plains: A rather nondescript week was observed in those areas affected
by dryness and
drought, with generally light precipitation (up to an inch) falling on
south-central Nebraska, adjacent
Kansas, and much of west-central Iowa. Farther west, little or none was
observed in the
west-central Plains. Given the relatively small totals, no changes were
introduced to D0(W) areas in
the central Plains.
Farther south, moderate precipitation around the middle of last week
prompted a reduction to the
eastern extent of the D0(W) area in western Texas. However, only scattered
light precipitation was
recorded in the remainder of southern and western Texas and adjacent New
Mexico, keeping D0 to
D1 and D0(W) to D2(W) conditions intact in those regions.
The West: Near- or above-normal precipitation fell on interior eastern
Washington, the central and
southern Cascades, much of central and eastern Nevada, and a few sections of
western Montana
and central Idaho during the 7 days ending March 27, but subnormal totals
allowed deficits to
continue increasing in other areas affected by dryness and drought. In
addition, warmer-than-normal
weather contributed to unseasonably-early high mountain snowmelt in some
areas, further increasing
concerns about the chances for locally inadequate water supplies and
hydroelectric power
generation over the next several months. On March 27, snow water content was
less than half of
normal in much of Idaho, adjacent sections of northern Montana and
Washington, much of southern
and eastern Oregon, and the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe. In addition, some
locations in Idaho
and adjacent Montana may hold near record low snow water equivalents for
this time of year, with
records dating back 40 to 55 years. However, the changes in conditions noted
just during the last 7
days did not warrant any re-categorizations, for better or worse, of the
region's dryness and
drought.
Hawaii and Puerto Rico: Another week of significant rains (1.5 to locally
8.2 inches) in most of
eastern and southeastern Puerto Rico eliminated D0 conditions, but lesser
totals allowed abnormal
dryness to continue for a small part of southwestern Puerto Rico. Across
Hawaii, light to moderate
rains fell on many locations, but both year-to-date and longer-term
precipitation totals remained well
below normal in the D0 to D3 areas, thus dryness and drought categorizations
are unchanged from
last week.
Looking Ahead: Anticipated occurrences during March 28 - April 2 which could
affect areas
experiencing dryness and drought include: (1) Heavy precipitation (over an
inch) and subnormal
temperatures from central Alabama, eastern Tennessee, and the central Ohio
Valley eastward, as far
south as Lake Okeechobee. Between 3 and 5 inches are possible in the
southeastern Carolinas,
central and southern Georgia, and adjacent Alabama and Florida; (2)
Substantial precipitation (0.5
to 2.0 inches) in the central Plains, northwest Colorado, southern and
western Montana, the Idaho
Panhandle, and all but central and southeastern Washington; and (3) Little
or no precipitation in
southern Texas, the southern High Plains, and areas south and west of
central Nevada and
southeastern Oregon. For the ensuing 10 days (April 3 - 7) the forecast is
highly uncertain, but the
odds appear to be leaning toward: (1) Subnormal precipitation in much of the
West; (2)
Below-normal temperatures for the northern halves of the Rockies and High
Plains; (3) Surplus
precipitation in the central Plains and adjacent Rockies; and (4)
above-normal rainfall across
peninsular Florida.
Author: Rich Tinker
=> Study Issued on Property Value Loss from Cerro Grande Fire
The Final Report - Economic Study of the Los Alamos Post-Fire Residential
Real Estate Market
Santa Fe, NM, March 28, 2001 -- Office of Cerro Grande Fire Claims (OCGFC)
officials have
released the final report evaluating the loss of residential property value
in Los Alamos County
following the Cerro Grande Fire in May, 2000.
The independent analysis of the post-fire residential real estate market was
commissioned by
OCGFC officials and conducted by the consulting firm,
PricewaterhouseCoopers. The final report
shows that after the fire, the average sale price of single-family homes in
Los Alamos County
declined between 3 percent and 11 percent.
"Anyone who owned a home in Los Alamos prior to the fire and thinks they
have suffered
diminution(loss) of property value can make a claim for compensatory damages
through our office,"
said Don Erbach, OCGFC Director. Such a claim is initiated by filing a
notice of loss, which can be
obtained by telephone or in person at an Office of Cerro Grande Fire Claims
service center.
Based on the study, OCGFC is now developing policy that includes a mechanism
by which both
realized and unrealized property losses can be evaluated, Erbach explained.
Continuing analysis of
the housing market will be made until the real estate market returns to
price levels that would have
prevailed without the fire, or until the second quarter of 2002, whichever
is sooner.
A draft of the report was presented at a February 7, 2001 town meeting in
Los Alamos. Comments
were taken from those affected by the fire at that meeting and also by
electronic mail. After
considering public comments, PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted additional
research. From that
information, the report was more fully developed.
Those who wish to read the entire PricewaterhouseCoopers report can find a
copy on the FEMA
website, www.FEMA.gov/cerrogrande, or can obtain a copy at the OCGFC
services centers in Los
Alamos and White Rock. The policy related to diminution of Los Alamos
property value will be
posted on the same site on Monday, April 2.
=> New Cerro Grande Fire Assistance Act Rule Speeds Final Settlements
Santa Fe, NM, March 28, 2001 -- The Cerro Grande Fire Assistance Act (CGFAA)
mandates a
final determination of a claim by the Office of Cerro Grande Fire Claims
(OCGFC) within 180 days
of a fire survivor filing a Notice of Loss. To meet that deadline, the final
rule calls for claimants to
sign a Proof of Loss within 150 days-five months-of the date the Notice of
Loss was received and
logged in at the OCGFC.
"Our claims reviewers are working closely with fire survivors to help them
identify all compensable
losses and informing them exactly what documentation is required," said Don
Erbach, OCGFC
director. "The reviewers know how crucial their role is in helping claimants
through this process.
They are willing to answer all questions and eager to speed claimants
through the details of their
claims."
Claimants have 150 days or until June 19, 2001 to sign a Proof of Loss,
whichever date is later.
June 19, 2001 is 90 days following the effective date of the final rule for
the CGFAA. The OCGFC
director has the discretion to extend the 150-day deadline for good cause.
The final rule also requires OCGFC to respond to the claimant's Proof of
Loss within 30 days with a
Letter of Determination from the Authorized Official. The claimant then has
120 days to sign the
Release and Certification so they can receive their check. If they choose
not to accept the
Authorized Official's determination, they have the same 120 days to file an
appeal.
By close of business Monday, March 26, more than $60 million in full and
partial payments had
been approved for Cerro Grande fire survivors. More than 8,000 Notices of
Loss have been filed
and more than 280 claimants have reached their final settlement.
=> US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
KILAUEA Hawaii, USA 19.43°N, 155.29°W; summit elev. 1,222 m
Lava continued to flow down the Pulama Pali and across the coastal flat,
but has not yet entered the ocean. During the past few weeks, the flows
have covered about 230 m of the private access road to Royal Gardens and
are now farther east than any active flows since 1992. Activity is robust
on the coastal flat near the truncated road that formerly accessed Royal
Gardens but that has long since been cut off by lava. Flows in the area
were observed in the last few days to be feeding dozens of breakouts and to
be rapidly inflating. Ground observers can often hear methane explosions
from burning vegetation along the base of Pulama pali. This activity is
part of the "east flow," but lava in the old "west flow" reappeared on the
morning of 28 March. Overall, volcanic tremor near Pu`u `O`o was
low-to-moderate and tremor at Kilauea's caldera was low. For approximately
the previous 2 weeks, small low-frequency earthquakes occurred below the
caldera. Tiltmeters in the summit area and along the east rift zone are
showing no significant deformation.
Background. Kilauea, one of five coalescing volcanoes that comprise the
island of Hawaii, is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Historically
its eruptions originate primarily from the summit caldera or along one of
the lengthy E and SW rift zones that extend from the caldera to the sea.
The latest Kilauea eruption began in January 1983 along the E rift zone.
The Pu`u `O`o-Kupaianaha eruption is now in its 18th year and 55th eruptive
episode. Since 1986, flows have traveled 11-12 km from the vents to the
sea, paving about 80 km2 of land on the S flank of Kilauea and building 205
hectares of new land. Intensive monitoring and field research by staff of
the US Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, established in
1912, make Kilauea one of Earth's best studied volcanoes.
=> Federal Investigation of Tosco Refinery Fire Finds Flawed Management
Supervision
(Martinez, Calif. - March 28, 2001) A fire at Tosco's Avon refinery in
Martinez, California, could
have been prevented by better management supervision of safety, according to
the final report of the
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The report
culminates an exhaustive
two-year investigation of the 1999 petroleum fire that claimed the lives of
four workers. The Avon
refinery was acquired by UDS Corporation last year.
According to Board Member Irv Rosenthal, speaking as the Board officially
released the report in
Martinez, Calif., "Better management of job planning and execution could
have prevented this
tragedy. Our investigation uncovered two root causes of the accident.
First, Avon refinery
management did not have an effective process for assessing the dangers of
maintenance operations
and implementing needed safeguards. Second, neither the parent Tosco
Corporation nor the facility
management had investigated or corrected a pattern of serious unsafe
practices at the Avon
refinery."
The incident occurred on February 23, 1999, two years after an explosion at
the refinery killed one
and injured 46 others. Management deficiencies were also a significant
factor in that incident,
according to a federal report.
The 1999 incident occurred as workers attempted to remove and replace a
leaky petroleum pipe,
which was attached to an operating oil distillation tower, known as a
fractionator. Over a 13-day
period prior to the accident, workers had repeatedly tried to isolate and
drain the pipe, but leaking
and corroded shut-off valves hampered their efforts. At the time of the
incident, the pipe still
contained a significant volume of pressurized naphtha, a highly flammable
petroleum mixture similar
to gasoline. While workers were in the process of replacing the pipe, the
naphtha was released and
burst into flame, killing the four workers. At the time of the fire,
workers were positioned on
scaffolding up to a hundred feet off the ground and had limited means of
escape.
According to the Board's Rosenthal: "The refinery's own procedures directed
that the piping should
be isolated and drained prior to attempting this kind of repair. This
procedure was not followed.
Opening a pipe containing naphtha in the presence of multiple ignition
sources was a formula for
disaster. The entire process unit should have been shut down, which would
have eliminated ignition
sources and allowed the naphtha to be fully and safely drained."
Rosenthal continued: "Management had a responsibility to see that work was
halted, and should not,
as has been suggested, have relied solely upon individual workers to stop an
unsafe activity. Worker
error was not a root cause of this accident. A satisfactory management
system is one that,
anticipating that humans will inevitably make mistakes, still ensures the
safe conduct of work.
Effective job planning, hazard review, and management oversight could have
prevented the Avon
tragedy."
The Board recommended that the refinery implement a comprehensive system for
safely managing
hazardous maintenance work. Key provisions include a process for evaluating
hazards before work
is started and increased management oversight of ongoing work. The Board
also recommended that
Tosco Corporation improve its safety auditing procedures and ensure that its
seven other refineries
do not have the safety deficiencies that were found at Avon.
The CSB is an independent federal agency whose mission is to ensure the
safety of workers and the
public by preventing chemical incidents. The CSB is a scientific
investigatory organization, not an
enforcement or regulatory body. The Board determines the root causes of
accidents, issues safety
recommendations, and performs special studies on chemical safety issues.
For more information visit
http://www.chemsafety.gov .
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=> Links Area
STORM SYSTEMS OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND SOUTH CENTRAL US
Plains US
This GOES-8 image shows a low pressure system over the south central US that
dumped
heavy rain over parts of Texas and Louisiana on Wednesday. Both Houston, TX
and Lake Charles,
LA reported rainfall totals near 3 inches. Flooding in Houston caused
several road closures that
hindered morning commuters. Also visible, is storm system over the northern
plains that has spread
snow across parts of Minnesota and South Dakota.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Storms/US_Plains/STMusPL087_G8.jpg
SNOW COVER OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND PLAINS STATS
Upper Midwest and Plains US
This GOES-8 image shows snow cover (off white) over the upper Midwest and
Plains states.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Snow/US_Plains/SNWusPL086_G8.jpg
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