All MSD employees receive AIDS and Hazmat Level I training, where they are advised about Material Safety and Data Sheets (MSDSs) on substances they might encounter on the job. Based on job needs, 200+ other courses are provided to staff, e.g., advanced Hazmat, confined spaces, respiratory protection and first aid. Tailgate safety classes provide operations and maintenance personnel with reality-based training tailored to their needs and in context. A training van carries "pickle buckets" for seats, a TV/VCR, generator, snacks and coffee to job sites in the field. For example, weed cutters learn about avoiding eye injuries and construction inspectors about preventing trench cave-ins.

Federal OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) rules require MSD (and many other local industries) to do "process safety management" (PSM). PSM calls for preventing or reducing the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals. PSM must be done for any process involving a chemical at or above the certain "threshold quantities" listed in Appendix A of the rule.

The Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant (MFWTP) uses two 90-ton tank cars of chlorine for disinfection. The West County Wastewater Treatment Plant (WCWTP) uses one ton cylinders of chlorine for the same purpose. Both quantities exceed the threshold quantity of 1500 pounds for chlorine.

Exposure to chlorine can cause coughing and breathing difficulties. Heavy exposure can irritate, burn or severely damage skin, eyes and lungs, requiring prompt medical attention. Gross over-exposure can cause death.

MSD has safety systems in place at both MFWTP and WCWTP to prevent chlorine releases. We haven’t had an accidental release of chlorine beyond plant boundaries in over a decade.

Despite this exceptional safety record, MSD converted from chlorine to sodium hypochlorite for disinfection June, 1999. This conversion eliminated the potential of a catastrophic release of chlorine. Typical of pollution prevention strategies, this conversion provides many benefits: improved worker safety, eliminated public risk, improved "Good Neighbor" status, reduced energy costs and reduced air pollution.

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