CSB Finds Systemic Failures Behind Honeywell Hydrogen Fluoride Releases, Bio-Lab Fire
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has released findings from two incident investigations, detailing safety breakdowns at the Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies facility in Geismar, Louisiana, and at the Biolab, Inc. warehouse in Conyers, Georgia. The reports cite flawed safety management systems, inadequate equipment maintenance and improper chemical storage as contributing factors.
At the Honeywell site, three incidents involving toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) occurred between October 2021 and June 2024, including one fatality and more than $18 million in damages, said the CSB in a press statement. According to the agency, a corroded flange gasket failed during a startup in 2021, spraying HF on a worker who later died. In January 2023, a reboiler explosion released over 800 pounds of HF and caused a shelter-in-place order. A third incident in 2024 resulted in a serious injury when residual HF was released during maintenance.
The CSB’s final report released May 27 found that Honeywell failed to implement known safety improvements, such as replacing corrosion-prone gaskets identified as problematic as early as 2007. The company also failed to act on an approved project to replace a reboiler shell prior to its failure. Additionally, maintenance personnel were not informed that HF remained trapped in piping, resulting in a hazardous release.
The agency recommended Honeywell strengthen oversight and fully implement hazard management practices. It also urged the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to expand its Process Safety Management standard to include organizational change reviews and called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assess HF risks under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Meanwhile, the Biolab fire in September 2024 led to evacuations and shelter-in-place orders affecting more than 100,000 people in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The CSB’s second update on the incident describes how water inadvertently contacted reactive chemicals stored in bulk. The water contamination triggered a runaway reaction, multiple fires and toxic vapor releases, said the CSB in a May 23 press statement announcing the latest update.
According to the CSB, corrosion and failure in the fire suppression system may have led to an unintentional water discharge. Firefighters observed water flowing from the warehouse prior to their response. In addition, storage practices significantly deviated from original plans. By 2024, the facility held nearly 14 million pounds of oxidizers — more than double the projected inventory — packed in large “super sacks” and stored alongside other dry chemicals without adequate segregation.
The fire caused the structural collapse of the warehouse. No injuries were reported. The CSB continues to investigate the root cause of the water release that initiated the fire.
