Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101486231 - Mill-Max Mfg. Corp.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Island Area Office

Investigation Summary

AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A LAB ROOM WHERE METAL ANALYSIS IS PERFORMED. THE ROOM IS 8 FEET BY 15 FEET, HAS NO CEILING AND ONE DOOR. A DAY SHIFT EMPLOYEE LEFT A 250-MILLILITER GLASS BEAKER OF METHANE SULFURIC ACID SOLUTION (90% WATER) ON A HOT PLATE THAT HAS A TEMPERATURE RISE OF 300 DEGREES. THE ACID SOLUTION HAS A BOILING POINT OF 212 DEGREES. ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER THE NIGHT SHIFT EMPLOYEES ARRIVED, EMPLOYEE #1 WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND SMELLED THE VAPORS. HE LEFT TO OBTAIN A RESPIRATOR AND RETURNED TO REMOVE THE BEAKER AND TURN OFF THE HOT PLATE. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER, EMPLOYEE #1 COMPLAINED OF NAUSEA, HEADACHE, AND TROUBLE BREATHING. EMPLOYEES #2 THROUGH #5 COMPLAINED OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS. 911 WAS CALLED. AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM, AND CHANNEL 12 NEWS, EMPLOYEES #1 THROUGH #5 WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY WERE TREATED AND RELEASED ON THE SAME NIGHT.

Keywords: HEADACHE, INHALATION, NATURAL GAS, NAUSEA, TOXIC FUMES, OVEREXPOSURE, SULFURIC ACID, ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE, INATTENTION, RESPIRATOR