CSB Releases Safety Video on Fatal Explosion at Optima Belle Facility
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a new safety video May 22 detailing findings from its investigation into a fatal 2020 explosion at the Optima Belle facility in Belle, West Virginia.
The incident killed one worker, injured several others and prompted a shelter-in-place order for residents within a two-mile radius. Property damage was estimated at $33.1 million.
Titled “Outsourcing Responsibility: Explosion at Optima Belle,” the video includes animation of the events leading to the explosion and features commentary from a CSB board member and investigators.
Optima Belle is a toll manufacturer that provides chemical processing services under contract to other companies, typically using its own equipment. On Dec. 8, 2020, the company was dehydrating a reactive chemical called CDB-56 for Clearon Corporation using a rotary double cone dryer. Neither company had used this type of pressurized dryer for the substance before, said the CSB in a press statement.
CSB found that Clearon did not provide Optima Belle with sufficient information about the chemical’s properties, and neither company conducted a thermal hazard assessment. As a result, they did not anticipate that CDB-56 could decompose at lower-than-expected temperatures, leading to a pressure build-up that caused the dryer to explode, according to the statement.
CSB released its final report in July 20233. The video highlights five key issues identified in the investigation: process knowledge management, thermal hazard assessment, equipment selection and design, tolling of hazardous materials and regulatory coverage of reactive hazards. It also outlines recommendations made to Optima Belle, Clearon, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The report notes that reactive chemicals like CDB-56 are not currently covered by OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard or the EPA’s Risk Management Program rule. The CSB has recommended that both agencies revise their regulations to better address hazards from reactive chemicals.
“Our report identifies several factors that led to this tragedy,” said CSB board member Sylvia Johnson in the video. “In particular, we have found that gaps in the existing regulations do not adequately protect against hazards presented by reactive chemicals. This longstanding safety gap must be addressed.”
The new video has already received more than 224 views since its release. It is part of the CSB’s broader safety video program, which aims to inform the chemical industry and public about how to prevent serious chemical incidents. The agency operates a YouTube channel, @USCSB, with over 364,000 subscribers. Since 2007, it has released nearly 100 safety videos with more than 65 million views combined. Chemical engineers and safety professionals frequently use the videos for training and education.
