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Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200571669 - Employee Dies from Chemical Burns

Accident Summary Nr: 200571669 -- Report ID: 0316700 -- Event Date: 09/01/2011
Inspection NrDate OpenedSICNAICSEstablishment Name
31588478309/01/20113053339991Skf Usa, Incorporated

Abstract: At approximately 8:30 a.m. on September 1, 2011, Employee #1 was working to repair a gantry crane. In close proximity to where Employee #1 was working, a heat treatment process was being performed that involved a robotic gantry crane, equipped with rectangular hollow metal arms, dipping metal parts into a molten salt solution. This heat treatment process (system) was built and designed by an overseas contractor in 2009. Over time, the upper left arm of the gantry crane used in this process filled up with water. When the upper left arm of the gantry crane was submerged in the liquid molten salt solution on this day, it expanded and pulled apart about seven inches. This caused a rapid steam/expansion to occur, projecting liquid molten salt over an approximate 30 feet. Employee #1 was struck by the molten salt solution, causing severe chemical burns. As a result of the severity of Employee #1's injury, he died several days later. The accident investigation revealed that the contributing factor of the incident was a result of the gantry-crane arm being hollow. If the arm would have been constructed of solid metal, water would not have leaked inside the arm. In addition, despite the final incident report not accounting for any additional employees being involved in the incident, the write-up reported that two other employees, both technicians, were also severely burned. These employees were employed by an overseas company assigned to perform warranty work on the heat treatment system.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, INADEQUATE MAINT, PPE, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, EXPLOSION, CHEMICAL BURN

Employee Details
Employee # Inspection Nr Age Sex Degree of Injury Nature of Injury Occupation
1 315884783 Fatality Burn(Chemical) Occupation not reported

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