OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #1002153
FIREFIGHTER,LEAK,AGRICULTURE,EQUIPMENT FAILURE,CHEMICAL BURN,BURN,EMERGENCY RESPONSE,ANHYDROUS AMMONIA,PELVIS,ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE
Event description
Employees exposed to anhydrous ammonia from spill
Investigation abstract
At approximately 9:03 a.m. on February 13, 1989, an anhydrous ammonia (NH3) leak in the eyes by NH3-containing water from the ground; Employees #2 through #6 (f irefighters), who sustained NH3 burns under their bunker gear in the belt areas of the groin and legs; Employees #7 and #8, who sustained burns; Employee #9, wh o was directing traffic and was briefly exposed when the wind changed; and Emplo yee #10, who had brought a 3 in. pump to clean up water on the ground as directe d by DNR and received arm blisters, went to Mercy Hospital in Oelwein, from whic h they were released by February 14, 1989. due to a faulty snap valve occurred at Oelwein Soil Service, Oelwein, IA. Appro ximately 25,000 gallons of NH3 were in the stationary tank. Employee #1 called t he Oelwein Fire Department, which dispatched Employees #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6 (v olunteer fire fighters) to the scene. The Oelwein Fire Department called Hazelto n Fire Department, which sent Employees #7 and #8 (fire fighters). The Oelwein F ire Department acted as coordinator. Oelwein Fire Department volunteers, wearing SCBA and bunker gear, made attempts to close the valve, which was done at appro ximately 12:47 p.m. Employee #1, who was trying to prime a pump and was splashed
Victims (10)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 37 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 8
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 303
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#10 Hospitalized Age 31 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 17
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 599
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#4 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#5 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#6 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#7 Hospitalized Age 30 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#8 Hospitalized Age 32 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 23
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 417
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#9 Hospitalized Age 26 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 9
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 423
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.