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Accident Report Detail

Accident: 200650414 - Employee Dies Of Acute Exposure To Phenol

Accident: 200650414 -- Report ID: 0521100 -- Event Date: 12/02/2000
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
30048930912/02/20002869Borden Chemical Inc
On a cold winter night, Employee #1 was part of a 3-man crew using steam lines to heat a rail tank car filled with 100 percent phenol. This material solidifies at moderate ambient temperatures, and has to be heated to a liquid state for off-loading. A temperature probe indicated no change after several hours of being connected to the steam lines. Employee #1 was alone t the car, checking on the process, when phenol erupted from the tank. He suffered significant chemical contact to his clothing and skin. Coworkers attempted to shower him off immediately, but he collapsed within 5 minutes of exposure to the chemical. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and Employee #1 died within 20 minutes. His body, the entire area, the rail tank car, and sections of the production and first aid areas were significantly contaminated with phenol and had to be decontaminated by a HAZMAT crew.
Keywords: railroad tank car, rupture, steam, high pressure, skin, poisoning, pressure release, chemical
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 300489309 Fatality Poisoning(Systemic) Chemical technicians

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