Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 14480602 - EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN REACTOR BEING CLEANED; WORKERS HURT

Accident Summary Nr: 14480602 -- Report ID: 0214200 -- Event Date: 10/08/1986
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
2273910	10/10/1986	2891	0	National Starch And Chemical Corporation

Abstract: ON OCTOBER 8, 1986, EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 BEGAN TO WASH OUT A HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL REACTOR VESSEL, 8 FEET BY 8 FEET. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING FROM A PLATFORM LOCATED 13 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR. EMPLOYEE #2 LIFTED A 55 GALLON DRUM CONTAINING ABOUT 30 GALLONS OF TOLUENE ONTO THE PLATFORM. EMPLOYEE #1 THEN POURED THE TOLUENE THROUGH A FUNNEL DIRECTLY INTO THE VESSEL. THERE WAS A SUDDEN FIRE AND EXPLOSION, CAUSING EMPLOYEE #1 TO JUMP FROM THE PLATFORM AND BREAK HIS LEG. EMPLOYEE #2 DRAGGED EMPLOYEE #1, NOW BADLY BURNED AND UNABLE TO WALK, OUT OF THE BUILDING. BOTH EMPLOYEES WERE HOSPITALIZED. THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY THE FREE FALL OF LIQUID TOLUENE INTO THE VESSEL CONTAINING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE.

Keywords: BURN, FRACTURE, STATIC ELECTRICITY, PRESSURE VESSEL, CLEANING, FIRE, EXPLOSION, COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID, FALL, CHEMICAL

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	2273910			Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
2	2273910			Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.