Abstract: On March 13, 1992, Employee #1 was removing toluene from a sodium phenate slurry by centrifugation. The employee was looking through a sight glass on the cover of the centrifuge while filling it. Toluene vapors were ignited and the overpressure threw the centrifuge cover off and into the head of the employee, knocking him backward. He struck his head and died of head trauma. An investigation revealed that a nitrogen line, used to inert the centrifuge, had been closed. Without the nitrogen, an explosive mixture was formed and ignited, most probably by static electricity generated by the filling and spinning action of the centrifuge.