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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 119583656 - Ceramic Composites, Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health
Site Address:
Ceramic Composites, Inc.
1110 Benfield Boulevard
Millersville, MD 21108
Mailing Address:
, , 00000
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:8733
NAICS: 0
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 03/17/1997
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 07/07/1997
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 100961796 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Current Violations | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $3,475 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,475 |
| Current Penalty | $1,040 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,040 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 19100106 E06 I | 05/16/1997 | 05/19/1997 | $420 | $1,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 2. | 02001A | Serious | 19100132 F01 | 05/16/1997 | 06/18/1997 | $200 | $675 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 3. | 02001B | Serious | 19100133 A01 | 05/16/1997 | 05/21/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 4. | 03001A | Serious | 19101200 E01 | 05/16/1997 | 06/18/1997 | $420 | $1,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 5. | 03001B | Serious | 19101200 H01 | 05/16/1997 | 06/18/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 6. | 03001C | Serious | 50405 B 1 | 05/16/1997 | 05/19/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 7. | 03001D | Serious | 50406 A 1 | 05/16/1997 | 06/03/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 8. | 04001 | Other | 19100132 D02 | 05/16/1997 | 05/19/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 9. | 04002 | Other | 19100132 F04 | 05/16/1997 | 06/18/1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
Employee #1 and coworkers were performing research on ceramics. They set a refractory block on a copper table, set a ceramic tube on the block, and placed both the block and the table inside heating coils before enclosing everything with a glass cover. Hydrogen and the extremely volatile chemical methyl trichlorosilane (MTS), were run through the system for 22 hours. Afterward, argon and then air were run through the system to oxidize the MTS. The ceramic was left to sit for 48 hours over the weekend. After this period for oxidation, Employee #1 and coworkers began using metal scrapers to remove the residue created by the process. Employee #1's metal scraper created some friction that generated sparks; the sparks ignited the flammable MTS vapors that had not been oxidized. The vapors exploded into a ball of fire. Employee #1 sustained burns to his right arm and face.
Keywords: BURN, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, FIRE, CHEMICAL REACTION, SPARK, ARM, CHEMICAL VAPOR, FACE, CHEMICAL
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 119583656 | Non Hospitalized injury | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Occupation not reported |