Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3010873 - Stratford Metal Finishing, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30 PM ON JULY 6, 1987, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS TOLD BY HIS SUPERVISOR TO ADD SODA AND ANOTHER MATERIAL TO A CLEANING TANK IN THE COMPANY'S AUTOMATIC PLATING LINE. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD NEVER DONE THIS TASK BEFORE, AND WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS ADDING TO THE CLEANING TANK. HE FOUND THAT HE NEEDED TO BREAK UP THE MATERIAL (IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN A POWDERED FORM). HE LOADED AND CARRIED A 5 GALLON BUCKET OF THE MATERIAL FROM THE STORAGE AREA TO THE PLATING AREA. HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO ADD THE MATERIAL WITH A SCOOP, BUT NEITHER HE NOR HIS SUPERVISOR COULD FIND ONE. HE WAS TOLD TO ADD THE MATERIAL SLOWLY, BUT WAS NOT SHOWN EXACTLY WHAT "SLOWLY" MEANT. AS HE WAS ADDING THE MATERIAL TO THE TANK A CHUNK THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL FELL INTO THE TANK. THE TANK STARTED SPEWING OUT HOT CAUSTIC CHEMICALS. HE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO ESCAPE THE AREA, BUT WAS HELD UP BY THE BARRELS STORED AROUND THE TANK, AND WAS STRUCK BY THE VENTING CHEMICALS. THE MATERIAL IN THE TANK WAS HEATED TO 180 DEGREES . THE EMPLOYEE SUFFERED BOTH CHEMICAL AND THERMAL BURNS TO 40% OF HIS BODY (ON HIS RIGHT SIDE).

Keywords: BURN, CAUSTIC, WORK RULES, CHEMICAL REACTION, CHEMICAL BURN, STRUCK BY, POWDER, UNTRAINED