Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112073390 - Mc Gean Rocho, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At 6:45 a.m. on April 6, 1990, Employee #1 and a coworker were using a rotary pump and 20 ft of 1/2 in. line to off-load methylene chloride paint stripper from 55-gallon drums into a bulk container truck. After completing the job, Employee #1 closed the transfer valve before shutting down the rotary pump, creating some pressure in the 1/2 in. line. When he went to disconnect the line, the excess pressure caused the residual chemical to spray into his face. The coworker flushed Employee #1's face and eyes with water from a hose, even though they were only 30 ft from an emergency eyewash station. Employee #1 sustained chemical irritation to both eyes and was hospitalized for treatment. Not using the eyewash/shower station did not increase the severity of his injury; the water hose was adjacent to the incident site and therefore used first. Employee #1 did not normally work in this area, but was helping out; both he and the coworker were wearing coveralls, gloves, and face shields. The cause of the accident was a procedural failure, of closing the transfer valve prior to shutting down the pump. The employer has stopped using this process and chemical transfer has been made completely automatic. Specific procedures for manual transfer have also been put in place should the need arise. The employer was cited for a violation of T8CCR 5162(e) for not maintaining the emergency eyewash/shower station on a monthly basis.

Keywords: EYE, CAUSTIC, METHYLENE CHLORIDE, WORK RULES, INEXPERIENCE, CHEMICAL BURN, ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE, PRESSURE RELEASE, CHEMICAL