Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2661098 - Hawkeye Chemical Company

Inspection Information - Office: Iowa 0751910

Inspection Nr: 2661098

Report ID: 0751910

Date Opened: 12/04/1985

Site Address:
Hawkeye Chemical Company
Rural Route 1
Camanche, IA 52370

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 899, Clinton, IA 52732

Union Status: Union

SIC:2873

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 12/23/1985

Planning Guide: Safety-Manufacturing

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 03/05/1987

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360583876

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$630	$0	$0	$0	$0	$630
Current Penalty	$380	$0	$0	$0	$0	$380
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	880004	01/08/1986	02/11/1986	$380	$630	$0	01/29/1986	L - State Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 673590

Event: 12/03/1985

GAS EXPLOSION IN REFORMER FURNACE

EMPLOYEES #1 THROUGH #6 WERE PREPARING A LARGE REFORMER FURNACE FOR FIRING UP. THE FURNACE HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS. BECAUSE THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE WORKERS, AND BECAUSE SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FURNACE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, THE FURNACE WAS LIT WHILE 10 MANUALLY OPERATED GAS VALVES WERE OPEN. THE FLAME IGNITED THE GAS WHICH HAD BUILT UP IN THE FURNACE, CAUSING AN EXPLOSION. THE PROPER PROCEDURE IS TO OPEN THE VALVE ON EACH BURNER, AND LIGHT EACH BURNER, SEPARATELY. ALSO, A FIVE MINUTE PRESSURE TEST IS CALLED FOR TO DETECT ANY LEAKS IN THE SYSTEM. THE EXPLOSION PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE PRESSURE TEST HAD BEEN RUN.

Keywords: FURNACE, LEAK, MAINTENANCE, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, EXPLOSION, GAS LEAK, UNTRAINED

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	2661098			Fatality	Concussion	Miscellaneous plant and system operators
2	2661098			Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Miscellaneous plant and system operators

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