Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18815621 - Westvaco Corporation Fine Papers Division

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS THE OPERATOR OF A CHLORINE DIOXIDE TANK. CHLORINE DIOXIDE IS MANUFACTURED IN THIS BUILDING AND THEN PIPED TO THE BLEACH ROOM. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS IN THE OPERATOR'S ROOM WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE. HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW THAT CHLORINE DIOXIDE HAD SPILLED ONTO THE FLOOR. HE GRABBED A SCOTT AIRPAK AND LEFT THE BUILDING. AFTER ALERTING THE PULP MILL SUPERVISOR, HE RETURNED TO THE BUILDING AND SAW THAT A 3 INCH CHLORINE DIOXIDE LINE HAD RUPTURED. HE ENTERED THE BUILDING AND SHUT OFF THE VALVE TO THE RUPTURED LINE. DURING THE EXERTION TO CLOSE THE VALVE, CHLORINE DIOXIDE GAS LEAKED INTO THE SCOTT AIRPAK. THE KYNAR-LINED STEEL PIPE WHICH HAD RUPTURED RELEASED 7,000 GALLONS OF CHLORINE DIOXIDE BEFORE THE VALVE COULD BE CLOSED. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS TRANSPORTED TO CUMBERLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, OBSERVED AND RELEASED. HE SUFFERED MINOR RESPIRATORY IRRITATION. THE PIPE, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT, HAD SIMPLY DETERIORATED AND FAILED. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD BEEN TRAINED ON THE USE OF THE SCOTT AIRPAK (THE AIRPAK USED WAS OF THE DEMAND TYPE).

Keywords: PPE, INHALATION, RUPTURE, CHLORINE DIOXIDE, PIPE, TOXIC FUMES, CHEMICAL, RESPIRATOR