UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. Please be aware that the information shown may change, e.g. violations may be added or deleted. For open cases, in which a citation has been issued, the citation information may not be available for 5 days following receipt by the employer for Federal inspections or for 30 days following receipt by the employer for State inspections.

Inspection: 1488744.015 - Polyplex Usa Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Birmingham

Investigation Summary

At 11:45 a.m. on August 12, 2020, an employee was pulling on a dosing nozzle to remove it from an isolated line between two reactors. A coworker had closed the two hand valves to isolate the line, drilled a hole up into the drain valve disc harge opening to unplug the monomer that had solidified in the line due to valve leakage, and attempted to open the drain valve but could not get it to open. Th e employee said he saw a resin drain from the line then waited about 45 minutes to an hour before breaking the line. Another coworker had removed the flange ov er the nozzle and attempted to pull the nozzle out of the line but had to take a break due to overheating. The employee was only wearing heat gloves and an alu minized hood with a face shield when they took over to try to pull on the nozzle . When the nozzle came unstuck, the employee was sprayed with the monomer consi sting of approximately 85% Terephthalic Acid and 15% Ethylene Glycol, Polyester Grade and at a temperature of approximately 500 degrees F, or 260 degrees C. The employee was admitted and treated at the hospital for third degree burns runnin g along the right forearm and second degrees burns to the stomach and knee.

Keywords:abdomen, arm, burn, chemical burn, chemical exposure, chemical reaction, chemical vapor, flowing material, forearm, heat-related illness , knee, leak, overheated, reactor, sprayed, stomach, stuck, valve