OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14538649
LEAK,RESPIRATORY,SAFETY RELIEF VALVE,AMMONIA,INHALATION,HIGH PRESSURE,TOXIC FUMES
Event description
EMPLOYEES EXPOSED TO AMMONIA FROM REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
Investigation abstract
AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER, WHICH CONTROLLED A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM, KICKED OFF . EXCESSIVE PRESSURE BUILT UP INSIDE THE COMPRESSORS, CAUSING AN AUTOMATIC SHUT DOWN. ONE MACHINE FAILED TO SHUT DOWN, EVENTUALLY RELEASING AMMONIA INTO THE ATM OSPHERE THROUGH A RUPTURED SAFETY RELIEF VALVE. THE LEAK WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATE LY 50 FEET SOUTHWEST OF THE SECOND FLOOR PROCESSING ROOM'S AIR INTAKE SYSTEM. (L OCATED ON THE PLANT ROOF.) THE PLANT WAS COMPLETELY EVACUATED BY MANAGEMENT.
Victims (4)
-
#1 Non-hospitalized injury Age 24 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- 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 Hospitalized Age 31 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 19
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 9
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Hazardous substance
- 0170
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 36 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- 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 Non-hospitalized injury Age 27 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 28
- Event type
- 8
- 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.