105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14387419

RESPIRATORY,INHALATION,CHLORINE,CHEMICAL,INATTENTION

Event
RESPIRATORY,INHALATION,CHLORINE,CHEMICAL,INATTENTION
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14387419
Report ID
521700

Event description

FIVE EMPLOYEES EXPOSED TO CHLORINE GAS

Investigation abstract

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 AM ON JULY 8, 1987, EMPLOYEE #5 ARRIVED AT THE CAM PRODUCT IXED WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID, LEAKED OUT OF THE TANK TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH TH E VENT PIPES. EMPLOYEES #1 AND #3 WERE FABRICATING PIPE AT GROUND LEVEL APPROXIM ATELY 300 FEET EAST OF THE ACID TANK. EMPLOYEES #2 AND #4 WERE RUNNING AIR LINES 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200 FEET NORTHEAST OF THE ACID TANK. BETWEEN 8:30 AND 9 AM EMPLOYEES #1 THROUGH #4 APPARENTLY INHALED THE CHLORINE GAS. THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. EMPLOYEE #5 STATED TH AT HE WAS NOT OVERCOME BY THE GAS. NEVERTHELESS HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR XRAYS AND OTHER TESTS. THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF A DETAILED CHE CK SYSTEM OR LOCKOUT SYSTEM HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED. COMPANY WITH A LOAD OF ABOUT 1,000 POUNDS OF HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION. THE TRUCK W AS WEIGHED. THEN EMPLOYEE #5, FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, PROCEEDED TO BUILDING #61. HE ISSUED THE BILL OF LADING TO THE PROPER PARTY, THEN, FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, PROCEEDED TO THE ACID STORAGE AREA. THERE HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO OFFLOAD THE HYPO CHLORITE SOLUTION INTO A 22,000 GALLON CAPACITY HYDROCHLORIC ACID STORAGE TANK. APPROXIMATELY 400 GALLONS OF HYPOCHLORITE HAD BEEN UNLOADED INTO THE HYDROCHLORI C ACID TANK (WHICH CONTAINED ABOUT 6,000 GALLONS OF HCL) BEFORE ANYONE REALIZED THAT A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE. CHLORINE GAS, PRODUCED WHEN THE HYPOCHLORITE WAS M

Victims (6)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 46 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    18
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 36 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    18
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

  3. #3 Hospitalized Age 36 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    18
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

  4. #4 Hospitalized Age 33 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    18
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

  5. #5 Hospitalized Age 57 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    18
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

  6. #981 Degree 0 Age 0

    Nature of injury
    0
    Part of body
    0
    Event type
    0
    Source
    0
    Occupation code
    0
    Human factor
    0
    Environmental factor
    0
    Task assigned
    0

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