Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300814068 - Santa Barbara Infrared

Inspection Information - Office: Labor Enforcement Task Force (Letf) Unit - South

Investigation Summary

On November 7, 2002, Employee #1 was working for Santa Barbara Infrared, Inc., at 312-A North Nopal Street in Santa Barbara, California. Santa Barbara Infrared manufactures lenses for infrared applications in the aerospace industry. Employee #1 had forgotten to remove a plastic plug from a concrete block before placing it in a curing oven. The curing process begins at a relatively low temperature which is slowly increased to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The plug was made of a product called Delrin which, per its Material Safety Data Sheet, will form formaldehyde at temperatures greater than 446 degrees Fahrenheit. Employee #1 was taken to Occupational Medicine Center in Santa Barbara, California after the exposure accident and received first aid treatment for headache, dry and sore throat, and burning nostrils. Employee #1's treatment did not require hospitalization. Drager tube sampling did not detect formaldehyde in the area surrounding the oven.

Keywords: THROAT, HEADACHE, OVEN, INHALATION, NOSE, FORMALDEHYDE