Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 202457867 - Worker Mixing Chemicals Is Burned When Solution Erupts
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
313387680 | 09/18/2012 | 3479 | 332812 | Innovative Coatings Technology Corporation |
Abstract: At approximately 3:45 a.m. on or about July 20, 2012, Employee #1 was a full-time permanent employee of a firm that made anti-corrosive coatings for aircraft fasteners. Employee #1 was at tank #6. He was not just someone who happened to be nearby. Instead, he was placing a powder form of a compound known as Annro 101 into a 55-gallon (208-liter) PVC tank that contained approximately 50 gallons (189 liters) of chemical solution. The chemical solution's temperature was approximately 205 degrees Fahrenheit (96 degrees Celsius). When Employee #1 introduced the Annro 101 into the chemical solution, a nucleation occurred in the solution. The solution erupted and struck Employee #1, who was standing approximately 3 to 4 inches (76 to 102 millimeters) from the tank when the eruption occurred. Employee #1 sustained third-degree chemical burns on his head, face, and neck. The causal factors were these: 1) The tank's heating element was on all of the time. 2) The temperature indicator had malfunctioned. The indicator displayed a temperature of approximately 179 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius), when the temperature was actually 205 to 209 degrees Fahrenheit (96 to 98 degrees Celsius). 3) There was localized boiling around the unshielded heating element. 4) The proper way to move the chemicals around to keep them mixed was the use of compressed air bubbles. Instead, a circulation pump was being used. The employer reported the incident to the Division at approximately 3:20 p.m. on September 7, 2012.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 313387680 | Hospitalized injury | Burn(Chemical) | Occupation not reported |