Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2273910 - National Starch And Chemical Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Parsippany Area Office

Inspection Nr: 2273910

Report ID: 0214200

Date Opened: 10/10/1986

Site Address:
National Starch And Chemical Corporation
225 Belleville Avenue
Bloomfield, NJ 07003

Mailing Address:
, , 00000

Union Status: Union

SIC:2891

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Health

Close Conference: 10/30/1986

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 02/05/1987

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360663470

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$420	$0	$0	$0	$0	$420
Current Penalty	$315	$0	$0	$0	$0	$315
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	19100106 H07 IA	12/16/1986	12/22/1986	$315	$420	$0		I - Informal Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 14480602

Event: 10/08/1986

EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN REACTOR BEING CLEANED; WORKERS HURT

ON OCTOBER 8, 1986, EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 BEGAN TO WASH OUT A HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL REACTOR VESSEL, 8 FEET BY 8 FEET. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING FROM A PLATFORM LOCATED 13 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR. EMPLOYEE #2 LIFTED A 55 GALLON DRUM CONTAINING ABOUT 30 GALLONS OF TOLUENE ONTO THE PLATFORM. EMPLOYEE #1 THEN POURED THE TOLUENE THROUGH A FUNNEL DIRECTLY INTO THE VESSEL. THERE WAS A SUDDEN FIRE AND EXPLOSION, CAUSING EMPLOYEE #1 TO JUMP FROM THE PLATFORM AND BREAK HIS LEG. EMPLOYEE #2 DRAGGED EMPLOYEE #1, NOW BADLY BURNED AND UNABLE TO WALK, OUT OF THE BUILDING. BOTH EMPLOYEES WERE HOSPITALIZED. THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY THE FREE FALL OF LIQUID TOLUENE INTO THE VESSEL CONTAINING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE.

Keywords: BURN, FRACTURE, STATIC ELECTRICITY, PRESSURE VESSEL, CLEANING, FIRE, EXPLOSION, COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID, FALL, CHEMICAL

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	2273910			Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
2	2273910			Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported

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