A Thatcher Chemical safety manager who said the company hadn't had a serious accident in 30 years of business ignored a 1991 chemical disaster that injured hundreds of people.
Tom Thatcher, in charge of safety procedures at Thatcher Chemical, was commenting last month on a study by two environmental groups when he said there never had been a serious accident at the Salt Lake plant.The study, released by the National Environmental Law Center and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, identified Thatcher Chemical as one of four Utah companies that could pose a danger to the public if a chemical disaster occurred.
Asked to comment, Thatcher stressed his company is safe and has taken special precautions in handling toxic substances.
What he didn't mention was the company's sulfur dioxide leak four years ago that forced evacuation of at least 1,300 people and created a toxic cloud that drifted for miles. More than 300 people were taken to hospitals and another 200 were treated at an emergency medical command post.
The incident occurred Nov. 24 when a hose coupling to a railroad tanker car broke loose at the plant, spilling thousands of gallons of the chemical.
Thatcher said he did not consider the incident a "serious chemical accident" because it was not life-threatening.
"I guess the situation is (that) in the 30 years of business, we haven't had anybody die," he said.
Thatcher added that any chemical release is significant, but "just by merely smelling the stuff and coughing is not something that would cause peril."
The study by the environmental groups coincided with the anniversary of the 1984 chemical disaster in Bhopal, India, where 2,000 people died when methyl isocyanate leaked from a Union Carbide plant.
The report - which found that more than 44 million Americans are at risk of being injured or killed by toxic chemical releases, plant fires or industrial explosions - was based on the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory data.
Warren Alford, U.S. PIRG state campaign director, was not aware of the Thatcher spill when he released the report but said the company's apparent nonchalance about it demonstrates the need for such studies.
"The main thing is that the standard industry response is first to downplay the actual accident and then to downplay the risks to the community," he said. "They are going to say whatever makes them sound good."
Salt Lake fire Battalion Chief Jeff Rylee, who was the department's hazardous materials coordinator at the time of the Thatcher spill, said it was the worst chemical accident he has handled in his 16 years on the job.
"It never ceases to amaze me what some industrial people consider serious," said Rylee, chairman of the city's Emergency Planning Committee. "It's something you have to live with in the chemical industry. It is an attitude that is pervasive."
What compounded the problem in 1991 was that local emergency officials were notified late and the gas was allowed to spread.
"If you had any kind of pre-existing condition like asthma it had a serious effect," Rylee said. "It (sulfur dioxide) cuts your air off so you can't breath, and most human beings get real upset when they can't breath."
Rylee said that after the spill, government officials even considered closing the plant but decided it would be an economic blow to the community. The Occupational Safety and Health Division of the Utah Industrial Commission did cite Thatcher Chemical for 12 safety violations and $49,500 in fines.
"Since that spill in 1991, they have been under a magnifying glass and they are very well aware of that," Rylee said.
The state alleged that a hose used to transfer the sulfur dioxide was not checked properly for defects, an alarm system was not working properly and that Thatcher employees who responded to the leak were not adequately trained or given protective clothing and equipment to safely handle dangerous chemicals.
Rylee said both the company and state have since implemented more rigorous safety standards. For example, the portion of the plant where the leak occurred is now enclosed and a remote-controlled emergency shutdown system was installed.