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 #14435176

LEAK,ROOF,INHALATION,STORAGE TANK,EQUIPMENT FAILURE,ANHYDROUS AMMONIA,SKIN,TOXIC FUMES,OVEREXPOSURE,ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE

Event
LEAK,ROOF,INHALATION,STORAGE TANK,EQUIPMENT FAILURE,ANHYDROUS AMMONIA,SKIN,TOXIC FUMES,OVEREXPOSURE,ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14435176
Report ID
418600

Event description

Employees overexposed to anhydrous ammonia

Investigation abstract

At approximately 12:45 p.m. on September 13, 1989, Employees #1 through #6 were exposed to ammonia when a cylindrical-shaped, 995 gallon anhydrous ammonia stora ge tank, which was stored on the roof of a dairy, separated at the seams. Approx imately 786 gallons of anhydrous ammonia spilled onto the building's roof and en tered the atmosphere surrounding the plant. The employees suffered eye and skin irritation and Employee #2 twisted his knee while working on the roof after the accident. Employees #1 and #2 were hospitalized. The complete rupture of the ste el tank damaged the building roof and nearby equipment..

Victims (6)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 28 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0170
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 27 M

    Nature of injury
    20
    Part of body
    15
    Event type
    14
    Source
    42
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    8
    Hazardous substance
    0170
    Task assigned
    2
  3. #3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 50 M

    Nature of injury
    2
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0170
    Task assigned
    1
  4. #4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 28 M

    Nature of injury
    4
    Part of body
    8
    Event type
    10
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0170
    Task assigned
    1
  5. #5 Non-hospitalized injury Age 24 M

    Nature of injury
    4
    Part of body
    8
    Event type
    10
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0170
    Task assigned
    1
  6. #6 Non-hospitalized injury Age 24 F

    Nature of injury
    4
    Part of body
    8
    Event type
    10
    Source
    19
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    7
    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.