Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315947325 - Pcc Structurals Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Or-E-Portland - Safety 1 1054111

Investigation Summary

At 1:30 p.m. on October 15, 2011, a worker was operating an autoclave for a firm that produced metal products. As he was lowering a processing basket with a hoist, he lost consciousness. Coworkers reported that he was looking pale and had been ill the previous two days. Of two coworkers at the scene, one called emergency medical services, while the other performed CPR. An ambulance arrived within seven minutes, and EMTs took over emergency care. The employee was transported to the Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, Oregon, and treated. During the course of the investigation, employees were interviewed, the area inspected, and records reviewed. There was no evidence of employee exposure to hazardous fumes that may have contributed to his loss of consciousness. The area where he was working contained a 2,000 gallon (7,571 liter) tank of potassium hydroxide heated to 285 degrees Fahrenheit (141 degrees Celsius) and a 200 gallon (757 liter) rinse tank. The exhaust systems of both tanks provided sufficient ventilation. By the close of the inspection, the worker had left the firm.

Keywords: UNCONSCIOUSNESS, VENTILATION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, PRESSURE VESSEL, METAL SHOP, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, HIGH TEMPERATURE