Want more transparency from your government agencies? How about learning of their work via a webcast?

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazardous Investigation Board (CSB) will make its public meeting in Washington, D.C. on Thursday available to all, through a webcast.

At the meeting, CSB investigators will present the findings and formal safety recommendations into the April 8, 2011, explosion and fire that killed five workers at a storage facility used by Donaldson Enterprises (DEI) near Honolulu, Hawaii. The explosion took place during the disposal of professional grade fireworks that had been illegally labeled for consumer use by a manufacturer in China and then seized by federal customs agents when they were brought into the U.S. DEI had been hired by a federal prime contractor, the VSE Corporation of Alexandria, VA, to dispose of the fireworks.

Investigation Details:
Donaldson Enterprises, Inc. Fatal Fireworks Disassembly Explosion and Fire

Registration for attending the webcast public meeting can be done online at: http://bit.ly/XqwC3e

During the public meeting viewers can email comments or questions to questions@csb.gov. 

CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso said he welcomes questions and comments from a variety of viewers.

People can also attend in person. The meeting will begin at 2:30 p.m. EST in the Horizon Room of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required to attend the public meeting in person; to register for the event, email publicmeeting@csb.gov. Members of the audience will have an opportunity to comment on the draft report and new safety recommendations, as presented by the investigative staff.

At the conclusion of the public comment period, the Board will consider whether to approve the final report and recommendations.

The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.

The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.