CSB’s Safety Video on 2019 Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery Fire and Explosions Reaches One Million Views in Just a Week
Washington, D.C., November 7, 2002- The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board’s (CSB) safety video released on October 27th has reached one million views in just over a week, passing the one million mark on Friday, November 4. The video titled “Wake Up Call: Refinery Disaster in Philadelphia,” details a fire, explosions, and toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF) release that occurred at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 2019.
This video is the most recent release from the agency’s highly successful safety video program. With over 240,000 subscribers and 45 million views overall the agency’s safety video program is its most visible and successful program.
CSB’s Interim Executive Steve Owens said, “Our safety videos allow millions of viewers to learn about the CSB’s work and the important safety recommendations we make. While many people read our reports, millions more learn about our critical investigations of catastrophic chemical incidents by watching our videos on our YouTube Channel.”
The CSB’s PES video is its most recent and has gained the highest number of views ever in just the first days after its release, but the agency has produced a number of important videos that have reached millions of viewers, including:
Blowout in Oklahoma 2.5 million views: A training video for the onshore drilling industry detailing lessons learned from the January 22, 2018, blowout and fire at the Pryor Trust gas well in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, that fatally injured five workers
Fatal Exposure: Tragedy at DuPont 2.4 million views: Three accidents occur over a 33-hour period at the Dupont plant in Belle, WV.
Inferno: Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar 1.5 million views: On February 7, 2008, fourteen workers were fatally burned in a series of sugar dust explosions at the Imperial Sugar plant near Savannah, Georgia.
CSB Board Member Sylvia Johnson said, “The CSB’s safety videos enable a new and diverse audience to access our agency’s investigations – information is presented in ways that allow us to share important safety findings and reach a wide range of viewers. We are extremely proud of this unique program and hope to continue to expand its reach.”
The CSB’s core mission activities include conducting incident investigations; formulating preventive or mitigative recommendations based on investigation findings and advocating for their implementation; issuing reports containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations arising from incident investigations; and conducting studies on chemical hazards.
The agency's board members are appointed by the president subject to Senate confirmation. The Board does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA.
Please visit our website, www.csb.gov. For more information, contact Communications Manager Hillary Cohen at [email protected].