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 #14471031

WORK RULES,INHALATION,CHLORINE,EXPLOSION,CHEMICAL REACTION,ETCHING OPERATION,CHEMICAL VAPOR,TOXIC FUMES,TANK,LEG

Event
WORK RULES,INHALATION,CHLORINE,EXPLOSION,CHEMICAL REACTION,ETCHING OPERATION,CHEMICAL VAPOR,TOXIC FUMES,TANK,LEG
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14471031
Report ID
524200

Event description

Three employees injured by chlorine gas and explosion

Investigation abstract

Employees #1 and #2 added a peroxymonosulfate compound to a plating bath etching solution, resulting in the creation of chlorine gas. Employees #1, #2, and #5 e xited the area containing the bath and then reentered the building to dump the t ank. The tank exploded, and an unspecified worker had his left leg severed below the knee. Employees #1, #2, and #5 were hospitalized for exposure to chlorine g as. Employees #3 and #4 were not in the area and were not exposed to the chlorin e. The wrong chemical was added to the plating bath and its base of sodium chlor ide resulted in the creation of chlorine gas.

Victims (5)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 31 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    8
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 41 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    8
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1
  3. #3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 27 F

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    8
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1
  4. #4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 31 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    8
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1
  5. #5 Hospitalized Age 32 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    8
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    7
    Hazardous substance
    0640
    Task assigned
    1

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