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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 115273443 - Goldendale Aluminum Company
Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Tumwater Service Location, Tumwater, Wa
Site Address:
Goldendale Aluminum Company
85 John Day Dam Rd
Goldendale, WA 98620
Mailing Address:
, , 00000
Union Status: Union
SIC:3341
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Health
Close Conference: 06/09/1997
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 10/23/1997
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 361211956 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
| Current Violations | 4 | 1 | 5 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $6,100 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $6,100 |
| Current Penalty | $6,100 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $6,100 |
| 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. | 01001A | Serious | 0670002101 | 07/07/1997 | 10/08/1997 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | - | ||
| 2. | 01001B | Serious | 0670001703 D | 07/07/1997 | 10/08/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 3. | 01002 | Serious | 02463109 | 07/07/1997 | 10/08/1997 | $1,300 | $1,300 | $0 | - | ||
| 4. | 01003A | Serious | 0620311206 E | 07/07/1997 | 08/09/1997 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | - | ||
| 5. | 01003B | Serious | 0620711501 B 02 | 07/07/1997 | 07/20/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 6. | 01004A | Serious | 0620311203 D | 07/07/1997 | 07/20/1997 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | - | ||
| 7. | 01004B | Serious | 0620710702 C | 07/07/1997 | 07/20/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 8. | 01004C | Serious | 0240002001 C | 07/07/1997 | 07/20/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - | ||
| 9. | 02001 | Other | 0620311002 | 07/07/1997 | 08/09/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | - |
Investigation Summary
At approximately 9:30 a.m.. on April 14, 1997, Employee #2 began to put furnace #3 on flux. Adhering to established procedure, he opened the main upstream chlorine valve first, intending to open the downstream chlorine control valve to control the flow. With no outlet for the gas, which was flowing at 30 psi, the pressure dead-ended in the flowrator and sent the metal float in the flowrator shooting to the top of the Pyrex tube. The float broke through the glass tube, releasing chlorine gas into the face of Employee #2. Employee #1 was approximately 25 ft away, and helped Employee #2 to a safe place. Employee #1 then went to activate the nearest chlorine alarm. On the way, he donned an emergency respirator, but was unable to get it to function, and passed through the chlorine cloud twice again without respiratory protection. Employee #3, in the pit area near the furnace, also was unable to get a nearby respirator to function, and was exposed to chlorine gas. The primary causes of the accident were the employer's failure to implement in sufficient detail the requirements of PSM, failure to perform a hazard analysis of the furnace fluxing procedure, and failure to develop a safe written operation procedure. Factors contributing to employees' injuries included the poor location and inaccessibility of the manual-activation alarms and emergency respirators, and the fact that the respirators did not function properly.
Keywords: PPE, WORK RULES, INHALATION, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, GAS, CHLORINE, CHEMICAL VAPOR, ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE, RESPIRATOR
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 115273443 | Hospitalized injury | Other | Occupation not reported | ||
| 2 | 115273443 | Non Hospitalized injury | Other | Occupation not reported | ||
| 3 | 115273443 | Hospitalized injury | Other | Occupation not reported |