Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18812578 - 4 D Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING OVERTIME ON A SATURDAY, CLEANING THE INSIDE OF TANKER TRUCKS. HE HAD CLEANED ABOUT 15 TANKERS PREVIOUSLY, USING A PROCEDURE WHICH HAD BEEN ORALLY COMMUNICATED TO HIM. THE TRUCKS HAD PREVIOUSLY CONTAINED LIQUID POLYESTER OR A FORM OF SILICONE. NO MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET HAD BEEN PROVIDED FOR THE MATERIALS. HE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY TEST EQUIPMENT TO CHECK THE OXYGEN LEVELS BEFORE ENTERING THE TANK, NOR HE PROVIDED WITH AN EMPLOYEE MONITOR OR SAFETY LINE TO WHICH HE COULD ATTACH HIMSELF. HE HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO PLACE A STEAMER WAND INTO THE TANK, THEN ADD "ZEP" EMULSIFIER AND LET THE MIXTURE BUBBLE. THE TANKER WOULD THUS BE CLEANED BY STEAMING. THE EMPLOYEE WOULD LET THE STEAMER RUN FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, THEN RETURN AND DRY OFF THE INSIDE BY ENTERING THE TANK AND WIPING IT DOWN. HOWEVER, ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, THE EMPLOYEE WAS IN A HURRY BECAUSE HE HAD THREE TRUCKS TO CLEAN. THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND THE HEAD FOREMAN WERE NOT AT THE PLANT. TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE LEFT IN CHARGE. HE DECIDED TO GO INSIDE THE TANKER WITH THE STEAMER WAND AND STEAM THE WALLS DOWN BY HAND TO HASTEN THE JOB. AFTER WORKING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES HE BEGAN TO BE OVERCOME BY THE FUMES. BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS WET, HE WAS SLIPPING AND SLIDING. THE LADDER SLIPPED OUT OF THE HATCH HOLE. AFTER GETTING THE LADDER BACK IN THE HOLE, HE CLIMBED UP PARTIALLY, THEN CALLED FOR HELP. THE TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES PULLED HIM OUT. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT RELEASED THE NEXT DAY. THE EMPLOYER WILL BE CITED FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS.

Keywords: RESPIRATORY, TANK TRUCK, CONFINED SPACE, WORK RULES, CLEANING, INHALATION, TOXIC FUMES, POLYESTER RESIN