In Iowa---annual inspections aren’t required at most sites--Re fertilizer explosion in TX

[IADEMO2004]

http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/04/19/explosion-at-texas-fertilizer-plant-raises-questions-about-safety-in-iowa/

Cut

The deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas is prompting questions about regulatory oversight there. In Iowa, officials say fertilizer is only produced at a handful of sites across the state, but many others store fertilizer.

Workplace safety in Iowa is overseen by Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement. Administrator Steve Slater says annual inspections aren’t required at most sites that handle fertilizer.

“If we have a complaint or a serious injury, they’d certainly fall under our inspection list. But they’re not on a general scheduled inspection list as being a high-hazard industry unless there’s an issue like I just mentioned,” Slater says. Depending on the circumstances, Slater says the rules may be tighter for plants that process fertilizer.

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Now I wish I hadn't looked for an answer to "Could it happen here?"

[susanr516]

1. Lots of the smaller places

Are probably custom mixing fertilizer for farms in the immediate area. It looks like a lot of the smaller plants have very little oversight by any regulatory agency. Scary.

[exboyfil]

2. News article about huge fertilizer facility

New fertilizer facility towers over Rock Island, river
http://qctimes.com/news/local/ask-the-times/new-fertilizer-facility-towers-over-rock-island-river/article_c81c86fc-27ea-5562-b06b-a0d4e13c09fa.html

Google map 700 Mill St., Rock Island, IL and see what is around 40,000 tons of fertilizer. Lots of buildings named after prominent African Americans - figures. Thurgood Marshall Learning Center 0.5 miles away. Houses about .25 mile. A church a little over 0.5 mile as is the Martin Luther King Jr. Community. Lots of parks. Skip along Child Development Services less than a mile away. Businesses right next door include Honeywell Safety Products , Premeir Computer Services.

Rest easy Rock Island.

[IADEMO2004]

3. Move along, nothing to see here

4.6 richter scale?