Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110343134 - Olin Corporation Chemicals Group

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on September 14, 1994, Employees #1 and #2 were working in the muriatic acid unit at Olin Corporation, attending to some pumps. There was a sudden overpressurization in the unit due to an apparent malfunction of a 3-way port valve. Instead of being directed away from the unit to the scrubbers, the flow came into the unit when it entered a fiberglass muriatic acid accumulation vessel V-07-13. This was a low pressure vessel (35 psig max). The pressure in the vessel increased dramatically (probably to less than 60 psig) and the vessel ruptured, spraying muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid (HCl), and liquid onto the surrounding work area. The bottom of the fiberglass tank blew off. Employee #1 as well as Employee #2 inhaled amounts of muriatic acid/HCl vapor and were splashed by liquid containing acid. They suffered respiratory distress and burns to the body. Employee #1 later died from respiratory and heart failure due to vapor inhalation. Employee #2 was hospitalized for respiratory difficulty and burns to his face and body. The vessel was equipped with a graphite rupture disc that ruptured at 25 lb pressure. Employees #1 and #2 were at least 35 to 40 ft away from the vessel.

Keywords: BURN, RESPIRATORY, HYDROCHLORIC ACID, WORK RULES, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, RUPTURE, EXPLOSION, HIGH PRESSURE, VALVE, TOXIC FUMES