Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 202542296 - Employee Is Asphyxiated by Deficient Oxygen Levels in Vessel
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
300874211 | 01/21/2011 | 2834 | 325412 | Baxter Healthcare Corp Dba Baxter Bioscience |
Abstract: At approximately 3:50 a.m. on January 21, 2011, Employee #1 entered a 6,000 liter reaction vessel, Vessel Number 23 (Mueller Products part number P3388), which was located in plasma fractionation Room Number 404. He accessed the reaction vessel using a stainless steel ladder routinely used by employees entering this vessel during cleaning operations. However, no cleaning operations were taking place in the vessel. At that time, the vessel contained 257 liters of a mixture of 40 percent ethanol, buffers and human plasma. Air in the vessel had been displaced by nitrogen gas, which had been bubbled through the product for 20 hours. Employee #1 entered the reaction vessel to measure the temperature of the plasma ethanol mixture. While in the vessel, he collapsed because of an oxygen deficient atmosphere and was discovered by his supervisor. The supervisor left the room to summoned emergency medical personnel. As the supervisor sought help, two coworkers entered the vessel to attempt to rescue the first employee. All three employee were extricated from the vessel by the fire department. Employee #1 was asphyxiated, another employee was in a coma and in critical condition and a third employee was not injured. Note: The injury line only identified the asphyxiated employee.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 300874211 | Fatality | Asphyxia | Biological technicians |