OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14305122
ASPHYXIATED,SULFUR DIOXIDE
Event description
FOUR EMPLOYEES HOSPITALIZED DUE TO SO2 EXPOSURE
Investigation abstract
Employees #1 through #4 were working in the digester area of a pulp mill. The fo ur employees were overexposed to sulfur dioxide when the chemical started pourin g out of digester Number 5 along with wood chips. The sulfur dioxide release occ urred because the Number 5 acid fill valve on the Number 5 digester had not been closed and the lid to the digester was off allowing the acid to come past the v alve, up through the digester and on to the floor. The company did not have an a dequate lock out procedure in effect for electrically operated valves. The four employees all suffered from sulfur dioxide exposure of varying levels and were h ospitalized.
Victims (4)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 33 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 13
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2290
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 28 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 13
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2290
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Hospitalized Age 46 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 13
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2290
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#4 Hospitalized Age 28 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 699
- Human factor
- 13
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 2290
- Task assigned
- 1
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