UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At 6:00 a.m. on November 13, 1985, Employees #1 and #2 were working in the plant of Nature Food, Inc., in Rio Pedras. Employee #1 was operating a Japanese system that processed raw material to make vegetable cheese; Employee #2 was his assistant. This involved mixing the ingredients, cooking them in a pressure cooker, and then transferring the mixture to another container to separate the liquids and solids. According to Employee #1, who was operating the second processing set, the amount of product obtained from the first set was less than expected and he added more ingredients. When this did not produce the expected amount of product, Employee #1 removed a safety device that kept the top of the pressure cooker shut. He then began to release the pressure in the cooker through valves on its lid and right side. The pressure in the oven caused the lid to open. Hot vapor and boiling ingredients came out, seriously burning the front and left side of Employee #1's face and Employee #2's back. Both were taken by police to a diagnostic center for first aid, then transferred to the intensive care unit at the hospital.