February 2026
Hydrogen Incidents, US Regulatory Rollback, and R. Stahl's Restructuring
Fatal Hydrogen Truck Explosion in California
On February 24, a hydrogen transport truck exploded in Colton, San Bernardino County, killing one person and injuring another. The Colton Fire Department responded to the blast, which sent debris across a wide area and triggered a large hazmat response.
Hydrogen transport and storage incidents are increasingly in the news as the hydrogen economy scales up. The physics are unforgiving: gas group IIC, minimum ignition energy of 0.017 mJ, and an explosive range of 4-77% by volume. Transport vehicles carrying compressed or liquefied hydrogen present risks that differ from traditional hydrocarbon fuels, and the emergency response playbook is still being written.
Source: KTLA, Feb 24 2026
Trump Administration Moves to Gut Chemical Safety Regulations
The Guardian reported on February 27 that Trump administration officials are moving to dismantle the EPA's chemical disaster prevention system. The rules being targeted require hazardous facilities to use newer prevention technology, implement backup safety measures, and consider replacing dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives.
For the Ex industry, this is significant. The US Risk Management Program (RMP) rules directly affect how chemical plants design and maintain their hazardous area protections. Weakening these requirements doesn't change the physics — it just changes who bears the consequences when something goes wrong.
Source: The Guardian, Feb 27 2026
R. Stahl Reports Weak 2025, Launches Restructuring
R. Stahl AG published preliminary 2025 results showing a challenging year. Group sales came in at €313 million with order intake dropping to €306.5 million (down from €327.6 million the year before). The company exceeded its EBITDA forecast, but attributed that to "temporary effects" rather than underlying improvement.
More telling: R. Stahl launched a "development program for the future" and withdrew from the employer association, with membership ending July 31, 2026. Translation: restructuring is coming, likely including headcount reduction and operational streamlining. The 150-year-old explosion protection specialist is adapting to a market where demand has softened and competition from Asian manufacturers is intensifying.
Source: TradingView / EQS, Feb 24 2026
Dow Plant Explosion Traced to Forgotten Work Lights
The CSB (Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board) released its report on the 2023 Dow Chemical plant explosions in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The cause: portable work lights were left inside a large processing drum for nearly two months. When the drum was put back into service, the non-Ex-rated lights provided the ignition source for a series of explosions.
This is a textbook example of why inspection and maintenance procedures exist. Certified Ex equipment, proper zone classification, and rigorous hot work / equipment control procedures — none of it matters if someone leaves a consumer-grade work light inside a vessel.
Source: WBRZ, Feb 26 2026
OSHA Cites US Steel Over Explosion That "Exposed" Workers
OSHA issued citations against US Steel following a valve rupture and explosion at one of its plants. Investigators found that safety shortcomings "exposed" employees to explosion hazards — a finding that carries both regulatory penalties and the weight of knowing it could have been worse.
Source: Insurance Journal, Feb 17 2026
Deer Park Refinery: Labeling Failures Behind Fatal H₂S Release
A new report on the 2024 fatal hydrogen sulfide release at the Deer Park refinery near Houston found that operators failed to clearly label equipment and didn't follow written procedures. H₂S is both toxic and flammable, falling under gas group IIB with an auto-ignition temperature of 260°C (T3).
The incident reinforces a pattern seen across decades of incident reports: the equipment and the rules were there, but the procedures weren't followed.
Source: Houston Public Media, Feb 23 2026
Manufacturing Facility Explosion in Oregon
A presumed gas explosion at a manufacturing facility in Canby, Oregon on February 4 injured one person and sent metal debris flying, prompting a Level 3 evacuation order. The blast was powerful enough to require hazmat response from Clackamas County emergency services.
Source: KPTV Portland, Feb 4 2026