Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iii): Employee training did not include the measures employees can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including specific procedures the employer had implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment to be used: On or about October 21, 2016, a Harcros Chemical sulfuric acid tanker #610 was unloading sulfuric acid into the Specialty Starch buildings tank farm Sodium Hypochlorite tank. The Harcros Chemical tanker #610 transfer hose was connected to the wrong transfer piping portal at the unloading station. The Harcros Chemical driver started unloading sulfuric acid from Harcros tanker #610 into the Sodium Hydrochloride tank resulting in a chemical reaction that caused the toxic hazardous mixture to vent out into the atmosphere engulfing the Specialty Starch building and parts of Atchison, Kansas. The Specialty Starch operator did not verify that the sulfuric acid transfer hose was connected to the sulfuric acid piping portal, did not open the valve after the driver was ready to unload sulfuric acid, and did not confirm the sulfuric acid was being transferred to the tank by observing the level on the tank. Employees lacked the required hazard communication training to following the standard operating procedures to unload sulfuric acid, thus exposing employee(s) to inhalation of toxic hazardous gases.