Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), EPA and OSHA have worked together to investigate certain chemical accidents. The fundamental objective of this joint effort is to determine and report to the public the facts, conditions, circumstances, and causes or probable causes of any chemical accident that results in a fatality, serious injury, substantial property damage, or serious off-site impacts, including large scale evacuation of the general public. The ultimate goal is to determine the root causes in order to reduce the likelihood of recurrence, minimize the consequences associated with accidental releases, and to make chemical production, processing, handling and storage safer. On April 21, 1995, an explosion and fire took place at the Napp Technologies (Napp) facility in Lodi, New Jersey, resulting in deaths, injuries, public evacuations, and serious damage both on and off site. The accident occurred when Napp employees were attempting to blend sodium hydrosulfite, aluminum powder, potassium carbonate and benzaldehyde, in order to make a gold precipitating agent.

"EPA 550-F99-004." "August 1999." "www.epa.gov/ceppo/"