Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119825255 - Amvac Chemicals Corp

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

Amvac Chemical Corp. is engaged in agricultural chemical manufacturing. Their main operations involve mixing and blending of various chemicals in reactor vessels. Employee #1 of Amvac Chemical Corporation was a maintenance mechanic who had worked for the company for nine years at the time of accident. At approximately 6:00 p.m. on June 23, 2001, an Employee # 1 put on his gloves and respirator and went to the Technical Reactor Room by himself and he started to install the blind on the end of a vent line expansion joint. He noticed some liquid inside the expansion joint so he put some rags inside the joint to soak up the liquid. As Employee #1 was installing the blind flange he had trouble threading the bolts into the expansion joint flange. He discovered that the threads in the flange were rusty which made it hard to screw in the bolts. At this point he smelled a chemical odor through his respirator. He wiped off his respirator with a rag from his back pocket and put his respirator into a plastic bag. Employee #1 returned to the shop to get a tap to clean up the flange threads and to replace the cartridges on his respirator. At approximately 6:45 p.m. Employee #1 decided to take his dinner break before he returned to finish the job. Soon after he started eating, he felt nausea and vomited. Employee #1 was taken to the Technimed Industrial Clinic by his shift supervisor where he was diagnosed with Mevinphos exposure. He was transported to the White Memorial Medical Center by the paramedics. He was hospitalized for 48 hours for observation. Upon investigation, it was found that the employer provided proper equipment. The employer's Injury and Illness Prevention Plan, Hazard Communication Program and Respiratory Program were effective and Employee #1 was trained on them. It was determined that the accident occurred because Employee #1 failed to follow the employer's industrial hygiene work practices.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, WORK RULES, PESTICIDE, CHEMICAL, RESPIRATOR