Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3010972 - The Lilly Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 3 PM ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1987, EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 WERE LOADING A 1966 GREAT DANE TANKER TRAILER WITH 2,000 GALLONS OF LACQUER, 1,000 GALLONS OF SEALER AND 1,000 GALLONS OF STAIN RETARDER. THE EMPLOYEES WERE PUMPING ALL THREE MATERIALS INTO THE TANKER SIMULTANEOUSLY. THEY WERE BOTH EITHER ON TOP OF, OR BEHIND, THE TANKER WHEN AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WAS ALLEGEDLY TAKING A RETAIN SAMPLE FROM SOME OF THE MATERIAL THAT WAS BEING LOADED. FROM THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN BY WITNESSES IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE MIDDLE (SEALER) OR REAR (GLAZE RETARDER) SECTIONS OF THE TRAILER. THE TANKER WAS BEING TOP LOADED IN ALL THREE SECTIONS. IN ORDER FOR EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2 TO TAKE THE RETAINS, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO MOVE THE FILL PIPES TO WHERE THE PIPES WOULD NOT HAVE RESTED AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE TANK. OTHERWISE, A FULL FREE FALL THE INTERNAL HEIGHT OF THE TRAILER WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED. THE TRAILER WAS GROUNDED. THE SUPERVISOR SAW THEM GROUND IT, AND THERE IS OTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE TRAILER WAS GROUNDED. THERE WAS A SHUT-OFF ON THE HOSE PORTION OF THE FILL LINE, BUT IT WOULD NOT HAVE SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY. THE SYSTEM WAS SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF WHEN A SPRINKLER IS ACTIVATED, BUT SINCE THE LOADING WAS BEING DONE OUTSIDE THERE WAS NO SPRINKLER SYSTEM AT THE LOADING SITE.

Keywords: LOADING, TANK TRUCK, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, WORK RULES, EXPLOSION, CHEMICAL