Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 951210 - Employee killed after falling into caustic chemical

Accident Summary Nr: 951210 -- Report ID: 0355111 -- Event Date: 04/28/1997
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
126638907	04/28/1997	1791	0	Atlantic Metal Products, Inc.

Abstract: At approximately 8:15 a.m. on April 28, 1997, Employee #1 was setting up a work area atop a 20 ft diameter by 45 ft high metal storage tank. It was filled to within 5 ft of the top with a chemical known as black liquor because it had the consistency of molasses. Employee #1 came from ground level with an oxyacetylene hose and was going to lower the ends with the gauges to the ground for a coworker to attach to the compressed gas cylinders. As he stepped on the metal walkway, it collapsed under his weight and he fell into the storage tank. Due to the tank's configuration--a covered top--and the consistency of the chemical, it took approximately 45 minutes to extract Employee #1. He died as a result of chemical burns suffered during his exposure to and ingestion of the chemical.

Keywords: CAUSTIC, COLLAPSE, PPE, WALK PLATFORM, CONSTRUCTION, STORAGE TANK, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CHEMICAL BURN, FALL, CHEMICAL

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Manufacturing plant		Maintenance or repair		$20,000,000 and over		45	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	126638907			Fatality	Burn(Chemical)	Construction trades, n.e.c.	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: 45 feet Cause: Steel Erection Of Solid Web-Connecting Fatality Cause: Fall, other

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