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The boom is carried back to its storage site upon completion of the drill.
The team at our plant in Neville Island, Pa., knows what it takes to address a serious chemical release or spill situation. As part of Ashland's commitment to Responsible Care, employees hosted a training drill that simulated a material leak into the nearby Ohio River following a barge unloading. We partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, local fire and police departments, and Specialized Professional Services Inc., a spill response contractor.
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The drill started with a kickoff meeting, detailing expectations for the day. The drill scenario was that an unknown quantity of 2-ethylhexanol, a key ingredient in plasticizers, had spilled from a barge into the river. First responders at the plant would need to deploy a boom. A spill-containment boom serves as an immediate response tool by creating a floating barrier to protect shorelines. The team practiced deploying the boom with the help of the Ohio Township Police, then pulled it back in and deployed it themselves. Then, they replaced the boom with a new version. |
The boom is deployed into the Ohio River. |
“The point of the drill was to ensure that we are familiar with how to deploy the boom, so we can provide immediate spill response until our spill-response contractor could arrive to provide a higher level of response,” said Ben Caudill, plant manager.
Some team members opted to observe the boom deployment from an upper observation area, and the drill was broadcast through the plant’s security camera to the conference room. Following the drill, the team noted comments and recommendations from the spill response partners.
“The drill was very successful, and showed us that while we are prepared, some questions and tips from the Coast Guard representative gave us some ideas for improvement,” said Caudill.
The Neville Island plant produces Aropol™ unsaturated polyester resins and also operates a terminal business that distributes plasticizers for a third party. The site received a Responsible Care Facility Safety Certificate earlier from the American Chemistry Council.
