PAT RICH studies the

report

on the Hooker chemical plant

“The. shipping of
hazardous materials by
road, rail and marine
routes in The Cor-
poration of the District
of North Vancouver is
an unrecognized but
definite threat to the
people residing and
working in this area,”
says the Beak report.

Starting from that point,
the report, prepared for the
district in 1978 and finally
released to the public last
week, outlines the threat
posed specifically by a
chlorine spill at the Hooker
Chemicals plant, the factors
that add to the threat and
recommendations for
minimizing the dangers.

And while the report says
there has been no serious

chlorine spill involving
Hooker Chemical or in-
volving materials being

transporte from Hooker
Chemical in the 21 years the
plant has been in operation,
the report warns:

“There is no reason to
assume that such a disaster
could not happen in British
Columbia or North
America.”

HIGH RISKS

“The risks involved are
high for a_ resident of
Maplewood as would be
expected. As these are not
voluntary risks they must be
viewed with concern.”

Those risks, based on
Statistics of the whole
chlorine indastry and
assuming all probable in-
cidents will cause numerous
deaths relative to the
amount of chlorine released
are outlined ere in
the form of four potential
scenarios:
ean accident releasing |
pounds of chlorine
occur every eight years and
will kill 13 people in the
Maplewood area.
ean accident releasing 400
pounds of chlorine will
occur every eight years and
will kill 21 people in the
Seymour area, 29 in the
Maplewood area and 18 in
the Lynnmowr area.
ean earthquake causing the
release of 100 pounds of
chlorine will kill 53 people in
the Seymour area, 98 in the
Maplewood area, and 45 in
the Lynnmowr areca.
ea 16 ton puff of chlorine
and 1,000 pounds a minute
continuous release will
occur every 25 years and the
lethal area would) extend

downwind up to 50

BUSINESS

will

kilometres with a wind of
between 5 and 10 kilometres

Atmospheric conditions
do not make any scenario.
brighter, according to the
report.

“Low wind velocities
frequent in the area would
prevent the rapid dispersion
of an accidental release of
chlorine and extend high
chlorine concentrations for
considerable distances
downwind.”

SIGNS WARN of the
danger of tanks containing
liquid chlorine but the
report indicates greater
need for protection of the
tanks from the risk of

sabotage. (Ellsworth
Dickson photo)
“A major release of

chlorine or other gas at that
time would tend to remain in
the area for long periods.”

“The response of the
various governmental
agencies to an accidental
episode will likely determine
the degree of damage and
number of mortalities after
the initial event,” the report
says. ;

“Unfortunately,” the
report notes, “an effective
body does not exist either at
the administrative level or as
an emergency response team
to coordinate police and fire

fforts in an episode.”

Beak makes a number of
comments and recom-
mendations under the
section titled ‘Community
Response’.

“The normal (RCMP)
response to an emergency at
the Hooker Chemicals
Division plant is adequate
for most of the incidents that
may occur at the plant.”

“In a major plant disaster
where aerial surveillance 1s
required (helicopter), the
RCMP is at a disadvantage
as the nearest unit is on
Vancouver Island Wf not
employed elsewhere.

“The responsibilty of
effective action to handle
true accidental episodes and
protect the public normaly

BONDED
LICENSED
INSURED

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ARPEL SECURITY SYSTEMS 437-3317

rests on the local fire and
police authorities who are
not fully trained to carry out

the various actions
required.”

“This inability to fully
cope with the potential

scenarios that can occur,
particularly with in transit
emergencies, is not unique
in North Vancouver but is
the general rule in all North
American communities.”
“The capabilities of an

<— SECOND NARROWS BRIDGE

= ©

DISASTER AREA! Diagram shows the area that could
be affected in the result of the release of 100 pounds of
chlorine gas from the Hooker plant. Small ellipse
shows the lethal area assuming a westerly wind.
(Diagram from the Beak report) .

emergency response team to
direct police, fire and other
executing groups should
include:

ethe knowledge of methods
or procedures to contain,
neutralize and dispose of
hazardous materials
*immediate knowledge of
the physical, chemical and

downwind hazard
evacuation area’

@be equipped to obtain and
analyze air and _ other
samples taken in the area
be equipped to establish
meteorological parameters
such as wind velocity and
direction and estimate such
Parameters as atmospheric

or

A3-Sunday News, March 2, 1980

ALSO
INSIDE

Slat race
champion?
PAGE B4

NORTH VANCOUVER 136 E. 14th St.
WEST VANCOUVER RM 104, 585 16th St.

physiological characteristics stability. ”

of the hazardous material “Hooker's plant in
spilled

®provide estimates of the CONTINUEDON PAGEAI18

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