The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) published a final rule on Accidental Release Reporting, 40 C.F.R. Part 1604, in February of 2020. This rule requires the owner or operator of a facility with stationary sources of air pollution (i.e. factories, refineries, power plants, etc.) to report – within 8 hours of the event or 30 minutes after reporting to the National Response Center – any accidental release of a regulated substance [listed in 42 U.S.C. 7412(r)(3)] or extremely hazardous substance [at or below any threshold quantity set under 42 U.S.C. 6412(r)(6)] resulting in a fatality, serious injury, or substantial property damage​s (equal to to or greater than one million dollars).

The purpose of this rule is to require prompt notification of any accidental release within the CSB’s investigatory jurisdiction.  

The CSB’s Accidental Release Database includes all accidental release incidents reported since March 23, 2020, the effective date of the Accidental Release Reporting regulation. The first event was reported under this rule on April 10, 2020, with a total of 224 events resulting in one or more of the three negative consequences reported through January 25th, 2023. Of the 231 events reported, 31 resulted in fatalities, 129 involved serious injuries (requiring inpatient hospitalization), and 106 caused substantial property damage.

Rixio Medina, R.E.M Founding Member Emeritus and former member of the CSB, believes that the prompt reporting of accidental releases of regulated or extremely hazardous substances that cause fatalities, hospitalizations or substantial property manage, helps the CSB fulfill its mission of conducting prioritized root cause independent investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities to recommend effective preventive measures to protect people and the environment.

The database is revised quarterly and may include revisions or corrections to events previously reported and events that were not timely reported to the CSB in accordance with the regulation. The current list of reportable events is mapped below.