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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 303394639 - Hi-Temp Specialty Metals, Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Marlton Area Office
Site Address:
Hi-Temp Specialty Metals, Inc.
Industrial Drive Po Box 2188
Willingboro, NJ 08046
Mailing Address:
, , 00000
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:3339
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Complete
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Health
Close Conference: 07/02/2002
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 02/05/2003
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 101771707 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 13 | 1 | 3 | 17 | ||
| Current Violations | 11 | 5 | 1 | 17 | ||
| Initial Penalty | $22,500 | $28,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $50,500 |
| Current Penalty | $11,250 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $22,400 | $33,650 |
| 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. | 01001 | Serious | 5A0001 | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 2. | 01002 | Other | 19100022 A01 | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $0 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 3. | 01003 | Serious | 19100024 H | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $500 | $1,000 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 4. | 01004 | Serious | 19100134 C01 II | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $500 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 5. | 01005 | Serious | 19100147 C04 II | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $1,250 | $2,500 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 6. | 01006 | Serious | 19100147 C07 I | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $500 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 7. | 01007 | Serious | 19100151 C | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $500 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 8. | 01008 | Serious | 19100157 G02 | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $1,000 | $2,500 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 9. | 01009A | Serious | 19100212 A01 | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $500 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 10. | 01009B | Other | 19100219 C04 I | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 11. | 01010 | Serious | 19100305 B01 | 07/22/2002 | 08/06/2002 | $250 | $750 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 12. | 01011 | Serious | 19100305 B02 | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $250 | $1,250 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 13. | 01012 | Other | 19100305 J01 II | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $0 | $750 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 14. | 01013 | Serious | 19101200 H | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $1,000 | $2,500 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 15. | 02001 | Unclass | 19100212 A03 II | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $22,400 | $28,000 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 16. | 03001 | Other | 19100134 K01 | 07/22/2002 | 08/09/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 17. | 03002 | Other | 19100134 F01 | 07/22/2002 | 08/06/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 18. | 03003 | Other | 19100303 G01 II | 07/22/2002 | 07/25/2002 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 07/23/2002 | F - Formal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
A small steel process tank was filled with multiple metal baskets of tantalum capacitors cooked overnight in hot nitric acid. The hot nitric acid was used to remove some of the epoxy resin encapsulant from a tantalum anode. The nitric acid was drained each morning after the capacitors were cooked. The baskets of cooked capacitors were removed and rinsed in water. Mostly tantalum anodes remained. Employee #1 was killed and five other employees were seriously injured as a residue, containing picric acid, exploded, when Employee #1 placed a basket back into the drained tank, presumably to remove more encapsulant. Picric acid (trinitrophenol), and possibly other unstable nitrated compounds, formed in a nitration reaction between nitric acid and the bisphenol moiety of the epoxy resin. These nitrated compounds precipitated out of the nitric acid solution. Over time, as the spent nitric acid was drained from the tank after each batch, the precipitated nitrated compounds would accumulate on the inside surface of the tank. The spent nitric acid was typically used for multiple batches further concentrating unstable nitrated compounds on the tank's surface. Placement of the basket was likely the source of ignition. The explosion was estimated to be of a magnitude similar to an explosion involving more than 5 pounds of trinitrotoluene. The five seriously injured employees were treated for burns and bruises at a local hospital.
Keywords: BURN, EXPLOSION, CHEMICAL REACTION
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 303394639 | Fatality | Other | Laborers, except construction | ||
| 2 | 303394639 | Hospitalized injury | Burn(Chemical) | Laborers, except construction | ||
| 3 | 303394639 | Hospitalized injury | Burn(Chemical) | Laborers, except construction | ||
| 4 | 303394639 | Hospitalized injury | Burn(Chemical) | Laborers, except construction | ||
| 5 | 303394639 | Hospitalized injury | Bruise/Contus/Abras | Laborers, except construction | ||
| 6 | 303394639 | Hospitalized injury | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Laborers, except construction |