Abstract: At 8:08 a.m. on October 4, 2010, Employee #1, a packer, and a driver were emptying residential trash cans into a garbage truck in Reno. Both employees were at the back of the truck, while the blade was cycling to compact the trash in the truck. However, only Employee #1 was behind the truck, in an area known as the "red zone". While cycling the blade, a pop was heard, and then liquid sprayed into the direction of the hopper and into the air. The liquid sprayed into the "red zone" and struck Employee #1 in the face, legs, and boots. The liquid, which was later discovered to be hydrochloric acid (pH 1), burned Employee #1 upon contact. Employee #1 was hospitalized.