Yesterday the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) updated their Recent Recommendation Status Updates page, closing six recommendations with acceptable alternative actions. These actions left 122 of 1019 recommendations open. Additionally, the CSB updated the open status of nine recommendations. The CSB took all of these actions on September 6th, 2025. The previous update was published on July 25th, 2025.
The six recommendations recently closed recommendations are:
Loy Lange Box Company Pressure Vessel Explosion, 2017-04-I-MO-R8, National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NBBI),
Bio-Lab Lake Charles Chemical Fire and Release, 2020-05-I-LA-R1, Bio-Lab Lake Charles,
Bio-Lab Lake Charles Chemical Fire and Release, 2020-05-I-LA-R2, Bio-Lab Lake Charles,
Aghorn Operating Inc. Waterflood Station Hydrogen Sulfide Release, 2020-01-I-TX-R4, Aghorn Operating Inc.,
Aghorn Operating Inc. Waterflood Station Hydrogen Sulfide Release, 2020-01-I-TX-R5, Aghorn Operating Inc., and
Aghorn Operating Inc. Waterflood Station Hydrogen Sulfide Release, 2020-01-I-TX-R6, Aghorn Operating Inc.
The nine recommendations for which the CSB updated their open statues are all associated with the Didion Milling incident in 2017 and were assigned to Didion Milling. Last month, the CSB publicly chastised the company for not taking any action on the nine incident recommendations published by the board. That action apparently had the desired effect, since yesterday the Board updated the status on all nine recommendations to “Acceptable Response or Alternate Response”, noting that:
“Didion has notified the CSB that they either have or intend to implement the recommendations they have been issued. Didion has provided a description of the actions they have taken or intend to take to implement the recommendations and have committed to full implementation of all recommendations, including providing supporting documentation, by September 30, 2025, thus meeting the requirement for this status change without making a determination regarding actual recommendation implementation. The final determination regarding Didion’s implementation of the CSB Recommendations will be based upon the supporting documentation they provide.”
Loy Lange Box Company Pressure Vessel Explosion
Incident Date: April 3, 2017 Report Date: July 29th, 2022
2017-04-I-MO-R8, NBBI
“The Board appreciates the work of the leadership and staff of NBBI, the Committee on Qualifications, and the NBIC Committee in updating these critical industry resources. NBBI added language to NB-263 which met the objective of the recommendation. Additionally, NBBI also revised or added language to Part 3 of the NBIC and conducted extensive outreach to share the learnings from the Loy Lange investigation which surpassed the objective of the recommendation. Their work in updating these documents and broadly publicizing the circumstances of the incident are truly commendable”
Closed – Exceeds Recommended Action
Bio-Lab Lake Charles Chemical Fire and Release
Incident Date: August 27th, 2020 Report Date: April 24th, 2023
2020-05-I-LA-R1, Bio-Lab Lake Charles
“Bio-Lab has notified the CSB that they have analyzed the hurricane related hazards at their Lake Charles facility and have designed the buildings of their rebuilt facility to withstand such hazards. Upon review of the documentation submitted by Bio-Lab, the CSB concluded that BioLab has met the objective of the recommendation.”
Closed – Acceptable Action
2020-05-I-LA-R2, Bio-Lab Lake Charles
“Bio-Lab has notified the CSB that they have developed and implemented an improved process for managing PHA action items. Upon review of the documentation submitted by Bio-Lab, the CSB concluded that Bio-Lab has met the objective of the recommendation.”
Closed – Acceptable Action
Aghorn Operating Inc. Waterflood Station Hydrogen Sulfide Release
Incident Date: October 26th, 2019 Report Date: May 21st, 2021
2020-01-I-TX-R4, Aghorn Operating Inc.
“Aghorn’s initial and follow-up responses provided a tremendous amount of documentation, including but not limited to new and revised health, safety, and environmental (HSE) manual chapters, purchase receipts, training records, calibration and inspection records for their fully automated H2S monitoring and alarm systems that include personal, portable, and fixed H2S monitors. The information and supporting documentation provided by Aghorn demonstrated the use of a safety management program that focuses on protecting workers and non-employees from H2S that addressed all of the requirements of the recommendation”
Closed – Acceptable Action
2020-01-I-TX-R5, Aghorn Operating Inc
“Aghorn installed an updated H2S detection and alarm system which is regularly maintained in accordance with good industry practice. Aghorn provided purchase receipts, training records, calibration and inspection records for their fully automated H2S monitoring and alarm systems that include personal, portable, and fixed H2S monitors. The information and supporting documentation provided by Aghorn demonstrated an effective H2S monitoring and alarm program that addressed all of the requirements of the recommendation.”
Closed – Acceptable Action
2020-01-I-TX-R6, Aghorn Operating Inc.
“Aghorn installed an updated H2S detection and alarm system which meets manufacturer specifications and is regularly maintained in accordance with good industry practice. Aghorn provided purchase receipts for their fully automated H2S monitoring and alarm systems that employs multiple layers of alerts unique to H2S and includes both audible and visual mediums so that workers and non-employees within the perimeter of the facility will be alerted to a significant release. The information and supporting documentation provided by Aghorn demonstrated an effective H2S monitoring and alarm system that addressed all of the requirements of the recommendation.”
Closed – Acceptable Action