Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314066812 - Sterling Transportation

Inspection Information - Office: Cleveland Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:24 a.m. on January 4, 2010, Employee #1 had just filled a tanker truck with calcium fluoride (Fluorspar) through an automatic overhead hose system whereby the trucks pull up into a bay area at the site. Per the employer's policy, Employee #1 had driven the truck off the host company's property, parked it, and then climbed a side mounted ladder to double check that the hatch of a tanker was completely closed once the filling process has been completed. Verification was required because the hatch cannot be seen completely from the ground. Employee #1 was found unresponsive on top of a tanker truck. It appears that once Employee #1 reached the top of the tanker, he fell forward onto the top of the tanker. He did not fall into the tanker because the hatch was closed. Employee #1 was exposed to residual calcium fluoride on top of the tanker from the filling process. A coworker at the site unsuccessfully tried to revive Employee #1. The Emergency Medical Services arrived and transported Employee #1 to the local hospital in East Liverpool, Ohio, where he was pronounced dead. The coroner's report stated that the cause of death was diffuse alveolar damage. Other conditions included hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. According to the coroner, the inhalation of a large amount of calcium fluoride contributed to the cause of death combined with the fact that Employee #1 had severe heart disease. Employee #1 was a 54-year-old contracted service driver, was working alone, and employed by Sterling Transportation as an over the road truck driver. The accident was at Sea Forth & Mineral Ore Company in East Liverpool, Ohio. Sea Forth is an industrial mineral supply company.

Keywords: HEART, TANK TRUCK, LUNG, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, VENTILATION, HATCH, LADDER, INHALATION, TRUCK, TRUCK DRIVER