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Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 128789.015 - Employee is severely burned during line break

Accident Summary Nr: 128789.015 -- Report ID: 0418300 -- Event Date: 08/12/2020
Inspection NrDate OpenedSICNAICSEstablishment Name
1488744.01508/18/2020326199Polyplex Usa Llc

Abstract: At 11:45 a.m. on August 12, 2020, an employee was pulling on a dosing nozzle to remove it from an isolated line between two reactors. A coworker had closed the two hand valves to isolate the line, drilled a hole up into the drain valve discharge opening to unplug the monomer that had solidified in the line due to valve leakage, and attempted to open the drain valve but could not get it to open. The employee said he saw a resin drain from the line then waited about 45 minutes to an hour before breaking the line. Another coworker had removed the flange over the nozzle and attempted to pull the nozzle out of the line but had to take a break due to overheating. The employee was only wearing heat gloves and an aluminized hood with a face shield when they took over to try to pull on the nozzle. When the nozzle came unstuck, the employee was sprayed with the monomer consisting of approximately 85% Terephthalic Acid and 15% Ethylene Glycol, Polyester Grade and at a temperature of approximately 500 degrees F, or 260 degrees C. The employee was admitted and treated at the hospital for third degree burns running along the right forearm and second degrees burns to the stomach and knee.

Keywords: Abdomen, Arm, Burn, Chemical Burn, Chemical Exposure, Chemical Reaction, Chemical Vapor, Flowing Material, Forearm, Heat-related illness , Knee, Leak, Overheated, Reactor, Sprayed, Stomach, Stuck, Valve

Employee Details
Employee # Inspection Nr Age Sex Degree of Injury Nature of Injury Occupation
1 1488744.015 50 M Hospitalized injury Technicians, n.e.c.

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