US EPA issues chemicals industry security alert

12 September 2002 19:50  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (CNI)--The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a security alert to the chemical industry, recommending that those who manufacture, distribute, transport, or store hazardous chemicals "should be especially vigilant regarding the physical security of those chemicals," CNI learned Thursday.

The chemical security advisory was issued by EPA after US Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the threat level for a terrorist attack has been elevated to "high."

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requests that you expeditiously report any threats or suspicious behaviour to your local FBI field office," EPA said.

The agency recommended that chemical companies review the EPA's chemical accident prevention and site security advisory, which the agency published in February 2000. It's available on the EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/swercepp/pubs/secale.pdf.

EPA noted that the US Department of Justice (DoJ), through Sandia National Laboratories, has developed a chemical facility vulnerability assessment methodology that companies can use to assess their security vulnerabilities. A report detailing the methodology can be accessed on the National Institute of Justice's Web site at http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/195171.pdf.

In addition, EPA said the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) has released guidelines for chemical site, process safety, and security managers responsible for conducting security vulnerability analyses and managing security at fixed chemical sites.

The document is available at the CCPS Web site at http://www.djbassoc.com/CCPSregister.asp.

By: Glenn Hess
+1 713 525 2653

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