WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS—
Westfield Electroplating Company
Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue · Poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect, unspecified
Final narrative
An employee from the blasting department was working on top of a cart that was oily and dirty. He took a bottle containing hydrofluoric acid (HF) (49%) thinking it contained acetone, MEK, or some other cleaning agent. He poured some of the HF on a cloth rag and started cleaning the cart. The dermal absorption of HF changed the employee's blood chemistry composition and the employee was hospitalized.