OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #694737
RIGGS DISTLER AND COMPANY INC
FRONT ROYAL, VA·
Event description
EMPLOYEES INJURED BY RUPTURED SULFURIC ACID PIPE
Investigation abstract
At 3:00 p.m. on March 29, 1989, Employee #4 was signaling the crane operator of a 75 ton P & H hydraulic truck crane from the doorway of the third floor of the anhydrous car barn. Employees #1, 2 and 3 had walked out from the mezzanine leve l to get some fresh air. Old polyvinyl chloride pipe and scrap steel, 28 inches by 13 inches by 2 inches, on the roof of the anhydrous car barn fell approximate ly 25 to 30 feet, striking and rupturing a 4 inch cast iron line containing a 93 percent solution of sulfuric acid, releasing it. Employee #4 walked into the so lution. All employees received chemical burns. Employee #1 and #2 have not retur ned to work.
Victims (7)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 31 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn(Chemical) (4)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Structural metal workers (597)
- Human factor
- MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
- Environmental factor
- OVERHEAD MOVING/FALLING OBJ AC (6)
- Hazardous substance
- 2310
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 32 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn(Chemical) (4)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Plumber, pipefitter and steamfiter apprentices (587)
- Human factor
- MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
- Environmental factor
- OVERHEAD MOVING/FALLING OBJ AC (6)
- Hazardous substance
- 2310
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#3 Hospitalized Age 30 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn(Chemical) (4)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Structural metal workers (597)
- Human factor
- MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
- Environmental factor
- OVERHEAD MOVING/FALLING OBJ AC (6)
- Hazardous substance
- 2310
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#4 Hospitalized Age 42 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn(Chemical) (4)
- Part of body
- FOOT/ANKLE (11)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (585)
- Human factor
- MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
- Environmental factor
- OVERHEAD MOVING/FALLING OBJ AC (6)
- Hazardous substance
- 2310
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#981
-
#982
-
#983
Labels are OSHA's own, from the code dictionary published with the accident-investigation file. The raw code is shown beside each one so this page can be reconciled against OSHA's bulk data. OSHA notes that nature of injury, part of body, source of injury and accident type in this file are not coded to the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, and that the occupation titles are not standardised — so these values are not directly comparable with the OIICS-coded severe injury reports.