Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 202492252 - Forty Seven Employees Are Exposure to Chlorine Dioxide

Accident Summary Nr: 202492252 -- Report ID: 0950621 -- Event Date: 08/21/2011
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
314570169	08/22/2011	2033	311421	Pacific Coast Producers

Abstract: On August 21, 2011, Forty seven employees, 38 from the primary employer and nine from a secondary temporary agency, were sent to hospitals for treatment of respiratory irritation after being exposed to chlorine dioxide released inside a tomato processing plant. Three employees were admitted for further treatment. The chlorine dioxide release was due to equipment failure--one safety switch bypassed, pump running contact switch, and the other clogged, flow sensor. The failure by plant and sub-contractor personnel to follow shutdown and restart protocols contributed to the accident. Also, failure to use engineering controls to detect and alert personnel of the harmful exposures in the northeast corner of the plant as was installed and used in the southeast corner of the plant after a similar incident in 2007, which resulted in exposure of employees to chlorine dioxide.

Keywords: RESPIRATORY, AGRICULTURE, INHALATION, GAS, CHLORINE DIOXIDE, CHEMICAL

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
2	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
3	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
4	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
5	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
6	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
7	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Inspectors, agricultural products
8	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
9	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
10	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
11	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
12	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
13	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
14	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
15	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Inspectors, agricultural products
16	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
17	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
18	314570169	Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors, related agricultural occupations
19	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors, related agricultural occupations
20	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
21	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
22	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
23	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
24	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
25	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
26	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
27	314570169	Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
28	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
29	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
30	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
31	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
32	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
33	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
34	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
35	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
36	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
37	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
38	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
39	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
40	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
41	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
42	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported
43	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors, related agricultural occupations
44	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
45	314570169	Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products
46	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Supervisors; handlers,equip-cleaners,laborers nec
47	314570169	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Graders and sorters, agricultural products

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.