[Federal Register: November 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 214)]
[Notices]               
[Page 67388]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05no02-29]                         

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CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD

 
Sunshine Act Meeting

    In connection with its investigation into the cause of the hydrogen 
sulfide gas leak at the Georgia-Pacific Naheola Mill in Pennington, 
Alabama on January 16, 2002, the United States Chemical Safety and 
Hazard Investigation Board announces that it will convene a Public 
Meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. local time on November 20, 2002, at 
2175 K Street, NW, Suite 400 Conference Room.
    At the meeting CSB staff will present to the Board the results of 
their investigation into this incident, including an analysis of the 
incident together with a discussion of the key findings, root and 
contributing causes and draft recommendations. In addition, the Chair 
will present a preliminary outlook for FY 2003.
    Recommendations are issued by a vote of the Board and address an 
identified safety deficiency uncovered during the investigation, and 
specify how to correct the situation. Safety recommendations are the 
primary tool used by the Board to motivate implementation of safety 
improvements and prevent future incidents. The CSB uses its unique 
independent accident investigation perspective to identify trends or 
issues that might otherwise be overlooked. CSB recommendations may be 
directed to corporations, trade associations, government entities, 
safety organizations, labor unions and others.
    At the conclusion of the staff presentation the Board will consider 
whether to vote to approve the final report and recommendations. When a 
report and its recommendations are approved, this will begin CSB's 
process for disseminating the findings and recommendations of the 
report not only to the recipients of recommendations but also to other 
public and industry sectors. The CSB believes that this process will 
ultimately lead to the adoption of recommendations and the growing body 
of safety knowledge in the industry, which, in turn, should save future 
lives and property.
    All staff presentations are preliminary and are intended solely to 
allow the Board to consider in a public forum the issues and factors 
involved in this case. No factual analyses, conclusions or findings 
should be considered final. Only after the Board has considered the 
staff presentation and approved the staff report will there be an 
approved final record of this incident.
    The Georgia-Pacific incident left two persons dead and injured 
eight. In addition, Choctaw County paramedics who transported the 
victims to the hospitals reported symptoms of hydrogen sulfide 
exposure.
    The meeting will be open to the public. Please notify CSB if a 
translator or interpreter is needed, at least 5 business days prior to 
the public meeting. For more information, please contact the Chemical 
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board at (202)-261-7600, or visit our 
Web site at: http://www.csb.gov.

Christopher W. Warner,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 02-28193 Filed 11-1-02; 11:52 am]

BILLING CODE 6350-01-P