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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 300489846 - K. P. C. Southern Industries, Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office
Site Address:
K. P. C. Southern Industries, Inc.
600 Ne 28th St.
Pompano Beach, FL 33364
Mailing Address:
P O Box 1210, Pompano Beach, FL 33061
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:3471
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Complaint
Scope: Complete
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Health
Close Conference: 07/26/1996
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 06/08/1999
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 100670082 | ||
| Complaint | 76828995 | Yes | |
| Complaint | 200663672 | Yes |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | |
| Current Violations | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | |
| Initial Penalty | $12,300 | $42,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $54,800 |
| Current Penalty | $8,105 | $31,520 | $375 | $0 | $0 | $40,000 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001A | Serious | 5A0001 | 12/03/1996 | 01/22/1997 | $3,155 | $4,200 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 2. | 01001B | Serious | 5A0001 | 12/03/1996 | 04/17/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 3. | 01002A | Serious | 19100094 D09 V | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $2,250 | $3,000 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 4. | 01002B | Serious | 19100094 D09 IV | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 5. | 01002C | Serious | 19100094 D09 VII | 12/03/1996 | 12/30/1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 6. | 01002D | Serious | 19100094 D11 I | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 7. | 01003 | Serious | 19100212 A03 II | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | Citation has been deleted. |
| 8. | 01004A | Serious | 19100219 E01 I | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $1,575 | $2,100 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 9. | 01004B | Serious | 19100219 E03 I | 12/03/1996 | 12/11/1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 10. | 01005 | Serious | 19100242 B | 12/03/1996 | 12/06/1996 | $1,125 | $1,500 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 11. | 02001 | Willful | 19100151 C | 12/03/1996 | 12/30/1996 | $31,520 | $42,000 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 12. | 03001 | Repeat | 19101200 F05 II | 12/03/1996 | 12/30/1996 | $375 | $500 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 13. | 04001 | Other | 19100095 C01 | 12/03/1996 | 01/22/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 14. | 04002 | Other | 19100132 D01 | 12/03/1996 | 01/22/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission | |
| 15. | 04003 | Other | 19101200 F05 I | 12/03/1996 | 12/30/1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 12/30/1996 | R - Review Commission |
Investigation Summary
On the morning of June 4, 1996, Employee #1 was performing a neutralization process on nitric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric waste acids. Approximately 2 1/2, 55 gallon drums of 50 percent sodium hydroxide were added to a 1,000 gallon polypropylene tank containing 700 to 750 gallons of waste acid water. Compressed air was used to agitate the solution inside the tank. This area was delivered from a compressor through PVC pipes to the outside of the tank and into the tank to the sparger through CPVC piping. On the day of the accident, the connector between the PVC and CPVC piping kept rupturing. The plant manager and Employee #1 tried several times to make repairs. Since the connector did not hold, air could not be introduced into the bottom of the tank to initiate the agitation process. Employee #1 had used a hoe to mix the solution inside the tank several times earlier. He took samples from an outside valve on the tank to check the pH and see if the process was complete, which occurred when the pH was between 9.0 and 10, with a temperature between 150 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. At approximately 4:00 p.m., Employee #1 had still not gotten the air working. He took an air hose from near the nickel plating line and injected air into the CPVC pipe inside the tank. He was checking the pH of the tank when it ruptured and a hot alkaline solution poured onto Employee #1. He ran to a shower near the first tin plating line to wash it off, but the water supply had been disconnected during a previous roofing job. His coworkers saw him running and washed him down with a water hose. Employee #1 sustained chemical burns and was hospitalized; he died on July 17, 1996, of complications from his original injuries. The compressors generated air into the facility at 100 psi. The air pressure in the hoses near the plating lines were between 80 and 90 psi.
Keywords: AIR PRESSURE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, CAUSTIC, WORK RULES, RUPTURE, WASTE PROC FAC, HIGH PRESSURE, CHEMICAL BURN, TANK, MECH MALFUNCTION
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300489846 | Fatality | Burn(Chemical) | Water and sewage treatment plant operators |