Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 170181812 - EMPLOYEES ARE EXPOSED TO ETHYLENE OXIDE GAS

Accident Summary Nr: 170181812 -- Report ID: 0950643 -- Event Date: 03/04/1992
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
112024583	03/10/1992	8062	0	Northridge Hospital Medical Center

Abstract: AT APPROXIMATELY 6:50 P.M. ON MARCH 4, 1992, AN ACCIDENTAL ETHYLENE OXIDE RELEASE OCCURRED AT NORTHRIDGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER. EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 WERE REPLACING TWO ETHYLENE OXIDE GAS CYLINDERS IN THE CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY REMOVING A VALVE PROTECTION DEVICE FROM ONE OF THE CYLINDERS. A CHANNEL LOCK WRENCH WAS USED TO LOOSEN THE VALVE PROTECTOR. WHEN THE WRENCH WAS TURNED, PART OF THE WRENCH PROTRUDED THROUGH THE VALVE PROTECTION CAP AND CAUGHT THE VALVE HAND WHEEL, PARTLY OPENING IT AND RELEASING ETHYLENE OXIDE GAS. THE FLOW OF GAS WAS STOPPED BY TURNING THE CHANNEL LOCK WRENCH IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WHICH CLOSED THE VALVE.

Keywords: WRENCH, MAINTENANCE, VAPOR, ETHYLENE OXIDE, INHALATION, VALVE, OVEREXPOSURE, ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	112024583			Non Hospitalized injury	Burn(Chemical)	Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
2	112024583			Non Hospitalized injury	Burn(Chemical)	Supervisors, mechanics and repairers

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.