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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 107630774 - Air Liquide America Corporation
Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office
Site Address:
Air Liquide America Corporation
57805 Evergreen Rd.
Plaquemine, LA 70764
Mailing Address:
, , 00000
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:2813
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Health
Close Conference: 09/23/1994
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 09/21/1995
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 360333264 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | ||
| Current Violations | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $9,000 | $49,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $58,500 |
| Current Penalty | $2,250 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,250 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 19100038 A02 I | 10/05/1994 | 10/20/1994 | $0 | $2,250 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 2. | 01002 | Serious | 19100038 A02 III | 10/05/1994 | 10/20/1994 | $2,250 | $2,250 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 3. | 01003 | Serious | 19100147 C04 II | 10/05/1994 | 10/13/1994 | $0 | $2,250 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 4. | 01004 | Serious | 19100147 C07 I | 10/05/1994 | 10/20/1994 | $0 | $2,250 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 5. | 02001A | Willful | 19100120 Q01 | 10/05/1994 | 10/13/1994 | $0 | $49,500 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 6. | 02001B | Willful | 19100120 Q06 | 10/05/1994 | 10/18/1994 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 7. | 03001 | Other | 19100020 G02 | 10/05/1994 | 10/20/1994 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 8. | 03002 | Other | 19101030 H02 IC | 10/05/1994 | 10/20/1994 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 11/08/1994 | F - Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
Investigation Summary
At approximately 4:50 a.m. on April 6, 1994, an automatic control valve operating on an oxygen letdown station at a liquid air handling plant appeared to become inoperative. It was a Masoneilan 3 inch split body globe valve with a domotor actuator and was operating at about 700 pounds of pressure. The plant manager decided that he and two operators, Employees #1 through #3, could throttle the flow at the letdown station by closing the manual block valve. They had closed the manual block valve about two rounds when the automatic control valve unexpectedly slammed shut. This forceful closing was followed by a fire/explosion. The intense reaction of pure oxygen at 700 pounds of pressure consumed/vaporized all material in its vicinity, including the schedule 80 piping system. The three employees received severe burns over most of their bodies. Employee #1 died, and complete recovery of Employees #2 and #3 may not be possible.
Keywords: BURN, OXYGEN, FIRE, EXPLOSION, HIGH PRESSURE, VALVE, MECH MALFUNCTION
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 107630774 | Fatality | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Occupation not reported | ||
| 2 | 107630774 | Hospitalized injury | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Occupation not reported | ||
| 3 | 107630774 | Hospitalized injury | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Occupation not reported |