Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1465683.015 - University Of California San Diego

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 11:25 a.m. on February 10, 2020, an employee, was working as a Principal Technician in a chemical storage room located within the Environment Management Facility (EMF) at a university. The department temporarily stores hazardous chemicals and materials after use in university labs and shops until the hazardous waste is packed and shipped to a storage, treatment and disposal facility. The employee was packing a 1-liter bottle of phosphorus oxychloride when the glass bottle over-pressurized and the glass shattered. The employee was struck with glass shards from the bottle and inhaled chlorine gas and phosphoric acid. The phosphorus oxychloride came from a lab cleanout where the lab had requested that a variety of hazardous chemicals be removed after use. The lab had performed a quenching process which involved adding water to the phosphorus oxychloride, which is water reactive, and phosphoric acid and chlorine gas is produced. The quenching process was not communicated to EMF personnel, and they were not aware of the potential of the chemical to over pressurize within the glass bottle. EMF personnel were unable to accurately track when the bottle was collected and when it arrived to the chemical room because the online tagging system was not used. The online tagging system provides more accurate chemical waste tracking and a higher degree of communication between the pick-up site and EMF personnel. The employee was wearing impact-resistant safety glasses, a fire-resistant lab coat and safety boots but was not wearing and had not been provided with a face-shield or goggles, which are both recommended by the Safety Data Sheet. The employee suffered cuts and a puncture wound to his torso from shards of glass and also suffered burn injuries to his respiratory system and extremities. The employee was admitted to the hospital on February 10, 2020, where he was treated until his release on February 12, 2020.

Keywords: Break, Chemical, Chemical Burn, Chemical Exposure, Chemical Reaction, Chemical Vapor, Chlorine, Container, Gas, Glass, Hazardous Waste, High Pressure, Laceration, Phos Oxychloride, Phosphoric Acid, Phosphorous, Puncture Wound, Respiratory Tract, Waste Proc Fac, Water