Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313509937 - Searles Valley Minerals

Inspection Information - Office: San Bernardino District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:20 p.m., on June 9, 2010, Employee #1 of Searles Valley Minerals, received first and second degree burns to chest, abdomen and right arm, when the bleeder valve on the discharge pipe was opened and the hot ESP Solution (Circuit Wash Water) sprayed onto his body. Employee #1 had gone over to help Employee #2 get the flow back up on the second ESP Disslover Pump. Upon washing the suction piping out, Employee #1 and Employee #2 primed the pump and brought it back up. Employee #1 then opened the bleeder valve on the discharge piping on #2 Dissolver Pump to check if the pump was flowing. When Employee #1 opened the bleeder valve, the discharge of the line was facing away from Employee #1. The discharge line spun around and pointed directly at Employee #1 and Employee #2. Employee #1 was hit with the hot ESP Solution (Circuit Wash Water and ESP fine) in the right side of his upper torso and at the lower part of his bicep on his right Arm. Employee #2 who was standing behind Employee #1 at the time of the incident, saw what was happening and got out of the way as quickly as he could. The majority of the hot water was blocked by Employee #1, who was standing in front of Employee #2. Employee #1 was hospitalized for one week at Grossman Burn Center, Bakersfield, Ca.

Keywords: BURN, TORSO, ARM, WATER