On November 22, 2006, an explosion at a Danversport, MA paint and ink factory caused the most serious community damage of any U.S. chemical accident since 1998. The blast damaged more than 250 buildings, some of which were hundreds of feet from the factory, and caused several injuries.

In order to make catastrophes like the Danversport explosion less likely in the future, a new inspection program involving agencies from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, working with local fire officials, will focus on facilities located in or near residential areas that handle dangerous materials.

Through the new Safe Neighborhoods Chemical Initiative, launched in May 2007,  teams of inspectors from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services will be joined by local fire departments in conducting hazard assessments at predominantly small to mid-sized facilities deemed to potentially pose a significant danger to populations in the event of a problem or accident. MassDEP and Fire Services have identified some 40 facilities across the Commonwealth for inspection based on proximity to densely populated areas or to sensitive populations, types or amounts of chemicals or waste materials used and stored, and past compliance history at the site.

Facilities will be targeted for inspection if, in the judgment of the partnering agencies, they show the following characteristics:

• Potential for accident causing injury, death, or destruction
• Flammable liquids or gas, reactive and water reactive chemicals, poisonous gases and liquids, explosives, or other highly hazardous materials present on site
• Densely populated areas located nearby.

Facilities will be approached in a collaborative manner, offering assistance in achieving compliance in materials handling. If they do not cooperate, access may be compelled though various means, including administrative search warrants.

For MassDEP, this pilot program is part of a first-in-the-nation initiative to inspect the hazardous waste storage and handling procedures of more small- and medium-sized manufacturing plants across the state. Based on past experience, MassDEP has found higher levels of regulatory noncompliance at smaller facilities than at larger facilities.

Inspections of the first facilities will be completed by July 2007. Results will be evaluated to determine future strategies that can be used by state and local officials to improve the safety of operations at all small- to medium-sized facilities.