Inspection Detail

Inspection: 122027444 - Praxair Distribution, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Allentown Area Office

Inspection Nr: 122027444

Report ID: 0317900

Date Opened: 09/19/1997

Site Address:
Praxair Distribution, Inc.
145 Shimersville Rd.
Bethlehem, PA 18015

Mailing Address:
, , 00000

Union Status: Union

SIC:2812

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Health

Close Conference: 03/03/1998

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 02/11/1999

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	361086846

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations		1				1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$0	$70,000	$0	$0	$0	$70,000
Current Penalty	$20,000	$0	$0	$0	$0	$20,000
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citation Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	5A0001	03/06/1998	03/13/1998	$20,000	$70,000	$0	03/26/1998	F - Formal Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 201320090

Event: 09/19/1997

EMPLOYEE DIES AFTER CHLORINE GAS CYLINDER BURST

Employee #1 was filling a chlorine gas cylinder (pressure rating 480 psi) with nitrogen gas from a storage tank (pressure rating 3,000 psi). Employee #1 was purging the chlorine cylinder to prepare it for hydro-testing. The chlorine gas cylinder became over pressurized and burst sending Employee #1 across the room and killing him. There was no pressure regulator or pressure relief device on the filling system between the 3,000 psi nitrogen system and the 480 psi chlorine cylinder. Employee #1 could only regulate the pressure by opening and closing a valve and watching a pressure gauge.

Keywords: CYLINDER, GAS, CHLORINE, EXPLOSION, PRESSURE RELEASE

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	122027444			Fatality	Other	Chemists, except biochemists

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