OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14250369

B E & K CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC

CANTON, NC· 1986-07-09T15:00:00

Event: RESPIRATORY, TOXIC ATMOSPHERE, CONSTRUCTION, INHALATION, CHLORINE, GAS LEAK, CHEMICAL, RESPIRATOR
NAICS: 000000
Inspection type: Accident-driven
Activity number: #3026846
Employer profile: B E & K CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC
Summary number: 14250369
Report ID: 453710

Event description

CHLORINE GAS LEAK

Investigation abstract

ON JULY 9, 1986, AT APPROXIMATELY 3 PM, A LOW PRESSURE SENSING DEVICE WHICH HAD UNDERGONE METAL FATIGUE BROKE OFF AT THE CANTON PLANT OF CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL. ABOUT 300 POUNDS OF CHLORINE ESCAPED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE B.E. & G. CONSTRU CTION COMPANY HAD BEEN CONTRACTED BY CANTON TO BUILD A FIVE STORY BOILER AT THE PLANT SITE. THE CHLORINE GAS SPREAD RAPIDLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE WHERE 50 B. E. & G. EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED. THE 50 EMPLOYEES DONNED THEIR ESCAPE RESPIRATORS AND WERE ABLE TO LEAVE THE AREA. THEY WERE ALL TAKEN TO HAYWOOD COUNTY HOSPITAL , WHERE 40 WERE TREATED AND RELEASED AND THE OTHER 10 KEPT OVERNIGHT FOR OBSERVA TION.

Victims (50)

#1 Non-hospitalized injury Age 20 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#10 Non-hospitalized injury Age 25 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#11 Hospitalized Age 28 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#12 Hospitalized Age 37 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#13 Hospitalized Age 59 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
553

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#14 Hospitalized Age 28 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#15 Non-hospitalized injury Age 32 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#16 Hospitalized Age 32 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
585

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#17 Hospitalized Age 24 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#18 Hospitalized Age 30 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#19 Hospitalized Age 21 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
576

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 27 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
569

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#20 Non-hospitalized injury Age 29 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#21 Non-hospitalized injury Age 26 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#22 Non-hospitalized injury Age 22 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
569

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#23 Non-hospitalized injury Age 38 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
585

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#24 Non-hospitalized injury Age 22 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#25 Non-hospitalized injury Age 21 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
587

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#26 Non-hospitalized injury Age 42 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#27 Non-hospitalized injury Age 32 F

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
207

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#28 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#29 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
585

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 45 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#30 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#31 Non-hospitalized injury Age 25 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#32 Non-hospitalized injury Age 24 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#33 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
567

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#34 Non-hospitalized injury Age 24 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
869

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#35 Non-hospitalized injury Age 29 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
569

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#36 Non-hospitalized injury Age 28 F

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
869

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#37 Non-hospitalized injury Age 25 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
869

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#38 Non-hospitalized injury Age 43 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
567

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#39 Non-hospitalized injury Age 23 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#40 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#41 Non-hospitalized injury Age 28 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#42 Non-hospitalized injury Age 49 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#43 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#44 Non-hospitalized injury Age 36 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#45 Non-hospitalized injury Age 28 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#46 Non-hospitalized injury Age 29 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#47 Non-hospitalized injury Age 37 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#48 Non-hospitalized injury Age 20 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#49 Non-hospitalized injury Age 22 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#5 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#50 Hospitalized Age 32 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#6 Non-hospitalized injury Age 31 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#7 Non-hospitalized injury Age 32 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
643

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#8 Non-hospitalized injury Age 30 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
575

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

Task assigned
1
#9 Non-hospitalized injury Age 25 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
9

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
0640

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.