OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #943043
ROWAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
CHINA GROVE, NC·
Event description
FOUR POLICE OFFICERS EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
Investigation abstract
On May 8, 1989, four police officers, Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 performing po cal for methylene chloride. lice response duties entered a chemical hot zone containing opened and scattered containers of hazardous chemical waste substances after a truck wrecked off of Interstate 85. Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 had delayed illnesses and were later observed at a hospital. Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 were examined on the suspi cion of methylene chloride in their bloodstream. Two employees had elevated leve ls of carbon monoxide in their bloodstream. Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 suffere d nausea, flushed face with some mucous discharges of blood. One employee felt l ike his skin was covered with fiberglass. The delay in system poisoning was typi
Victims (5)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 31 Male
- Nature of injury
- Poisoning(Systemic) (17)
- Part of body
- BLOOD (25)
- Accident type
- INHALATION (8)
- Source of injury
- WASTE PRODUCTS (40)
- Occupation
- Sheriffs, bailiffs, other law enforcement officers (423)
- Human factor
- INSUFF/LACK/RESPIRATORY PROCTECT (19)
- Environmental factor
- GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
- Hazardous substance
- 1730
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 26 Female
- Nature of injury
- Poisoning(Systemic) (17)
- Part of body
- BLOOD (25)
- Accident type
- INHALATION (8)
- Source of injury
- WASTE PRODUCTS (40)
- Occupation
- Sheriffs, bailiffs, other law enforcement officers (423)
- Human factor
- INSUFF/LACK/RESPIRATORY PROCTECT (19)
- Environmental factor
- GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
- Hazardous substance
- 1730
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#3 Hospitalized Age 35 Male
- Nature of injury
- Poisoning(Systemic) (17)
- Part of body
- BLOOD (25)
- Accident type
- INHALATION (8)
- Source of injury
- WASTE PRODUCTS (40)
- Occupation
- Sheriffs, bailiffs, other law enforcement officers (423)
- Human factor
- INSUFF/LACK/RESPIRATORY PROCTECT (19)
- Environmental factor
- GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
- Hazardous substance
- 1730
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#4 Hospitalized Age 24 Male
- Nature of injury
- Poisoning(Systemic) (17)
- Part of body
- BLOOD (25)
- Accident type
- INHALATION (8)
- Source of injury
- WASTE PRODUCTS (40)
- Occupation
- Sheriffs, bailiffs, other law enforcement officers (423)
- Human factor
- INSUFF/LACK/RESPIRATORY PROCTECT (19)
- Environmental factor
- GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
- Hazardous substance
- 1730
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#981
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.