U.S. Chemical Safety Board Approves New Rule on Chemical Incident Reporting

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has approved a final rule on accidental release reporting. The CSB has posted a prepublication version of the final rule available HERE. The official version should be published early next week in the Federal Register.

The rule requires prompt reports to the CSB from owners or operators of facilities that experience an accidental release of a regulated substance or extremely hazardous that results in a death, serious injury or substantial property damage.  The CSB anticipates that these reports will provide the agency with key information important to the CSB in making prompt deployment decisions.

The rule is required by the CSB’s enabling legislation, but was not issued during the first 20 years of CSB operations. Last year, a court ordered the CSB to finalize a rule within a year. 

CSB Interim Executive Dr. Kristen Kulinowski said she is "confident that the rule will achieve its intended purpose in a manner that will help improve the CSB’s safety mission. The CSB intends to work cooperatively with various stakeholders to ensure that affected parties understand and comply with the rule."

About the CSB

The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency whose mission is to drive chemical safety change through independent investigations to protect people and the environment. The agency’s board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The CSB's investigations look into all aspects of chemical incidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems. For more information, visit www.csb.gov.