This two-DVD collection contains 16 individual video programs produced by the Chemical Safety Board. The video programs were released between December 2005 and November 2008.

Disc One

Death in the Oilfield:

Runs 8:46 Minutes. Released July 2008.

On June 5, 2006 there was a fatal explosion at a rural oil production field in Raleigh Mississippi. Three contractors died and one contractor suffered serious injuries in an explosion and fire at the Partridge-Raleigh Oilfield. The contractors, all employees of Stringer Oilfield Services, were standing on top of a series of four oil production tanks. They were preparing to weld piping to the tanks when a welding tool likely ignited flammable vapors from the tanks.

Fire From Ice:

Runs 13:29 Minutes. Released July 2008.

On February 16, 2007, a propane fire erupted at the Valero McKee Refinery in Sunray, Texas, north of Amarillo. Three workers suffered serious burns, and the refinery was forced to shut down. The fire began following a leak in the propane deasphalting unit and spread quickly, in part because of the rapid collapse of a major pipe rack carrying flammable hydrocarbons. Some of the rack's support columns had not been fireproofed.

Static Sparks Explosion in Kansas:

Runs 10:54 Minutes. Released June 2008

On July 17, 2007, explosions and fire erupted at the Barton Solvents facility in Valley Center, Kansas, north of Wichita. The incident led to the evacuation of thousands of residents and resulted in projectile damage offsite, as well as extensive damage to the facility.

Emergency in Apex:

Runs 16:49 Minuntes. Released April 2008

Hazardous Waste Fire and Community Evacuation. Late in the evening of October 5, 2006, a fire broke out, followed by dozens of explosions, at a hazardous waste transfer facility in Apex, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. This CSB video features a computer animation depicting the origin and spread of the fire, and includes descriptions of the evacuation and firefighting effort by Apex officials, including Mayor Keith Weatherly, Fire Chief Mark Haraway, and Police Chief Jack Lewis. Residents describe their reaction and concerns over the accident and aftermath.

Anatomy of a Disaster:

Runs 55:29 Minutes. Released March 2008

Anatomy of a Disaster tells the story of one of the worst industrial accidents in recent U.S. history--the March 23, 2005, explosion at the BP refinery in Texas City, Texas, which killed 15 workers, injured 180 others, and caused billions of dollars in economic losses. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, an independent federal agency, investigated the accident. The CSB produced this video in March 2008 based on its comprehensive 341-page public report issued in 2007.

The video includes a nine-minute animation detailing the events leading up to the blast. It features interviews with members of the CSB investigative team who spent two years studying the causes of the accident. Outside safety experts Prof. Trevor Kletz (Texas A&M University and Loughborough University, UK), Prof. Andrew Hopkins (Australian National University), and Mr. Glenn Erwin (United Steelworkers) provide insightful commentary on the significance of the accident to the world's petrochemical industry.

The CSB believes that an understanding of the key findings, recommendations, and lessons from this investigation will help prevent future accidents.

Reactive Hazards: Dangers of Uncontrolled Chemical Reactions

Runs 20:21 Minutes. Released July 2007

Four major accidents illustrate the dangers from uncontrolled chemical reactions.

Public Worker Safety: Wastewater Plant Explosion:

Runs 7:45 Minutes. Released March 2007.

Public Worker Safety: Wastewater Plant Explosion Daytona Beach Florida January 11, 2006.

Two public employees burn to death performing unregulated hot work.

Vinyl Chloride Explosion at Formosa Plastics (Illinois):

Runs 10:45 Minutes. Released March 2007

Explosion and Fire at Formosa Plastics Corporation, USA, Illiopolis, Illinois

A preventable human error leads to a vinyl chloride explosion, killing five.

Hazards of Nitrogen Asphyxiation:

Runs 12:06 Minutes. Released November 2006

Fatal Accident at Valero Refinery. Delaware City, DE, November 5, 2005

Two contract employees were overcome and fatally injured by nitrogen as they performed maintenance work near a 24-inch opening on the top of a reactor. One of the workers died attempting rescue.

Fire at Formosa Plastics (Texas):

Runs 8:34 Minutes. Released July 2006

Without safeguards, a small collision leads to a massive process fire.

Dangers of Propylene Cylinders:

Runs 8:20 Minutes. Released June 2006

Dangers of Propylene Cylinders in High Temperatures: Fire at Praxair, St. Louis, Missouri

Gas Cylinders, rocketing from a fire endanger a St. Louis neighborhood

Ethylene Oxide Explosion:

Runs 9:25 Minutes. Released March 2006

Ethylene Oxide Explosion at Sterigenics, Ontario, California

At a sterilization plant, bypassing a safety interlock has catastrophic results.

Dangers of Flammable Gas Accumulation:

Runs 6:49. Released January 2006

Acetylene Explosion at ASCO, Perth Amboy, New Jersey

When acetylene explodes inside a shed, three coworkers lose their lives.

Preventing Harm from Sodium Hydrosulfide (NaHS) :

Runs 6:41. Released December 2005.

Sodium hydrosulfide may create deadly hazards at pulp mills, mines, and tanneries.

Disc Two

Half an Hour to Tragedy:

Runs 23:28 Minutes. Released November 2008

Four people were killed and five others were seriously injured when propane vapors from a storage tank ignited and exploded at the Little General convenience store and gas station in Ghent, West Virginia. Propane was used as fuel inside the building, which was completely destroyed.

Blast Wave in Danvers:

Runs 19.36 Minutes. Released August 2008

During the early morning hours of November 22, a powerful explosion destroyed the CAI/Arnel ink and paint manufacturing facility in Danvers, Massachusetts. Scores of nearby homes and businesses were damaged, some beyond repair. A number of residents were hospitalized. There were no injuries in the plant, which was unoccupied at the time.