We have come a long ways in HAZMAT (Crescent City, IL & Waverly, TN)
Listen to this 1980 news recap of the 1970 Crescent City, IL LPG BLEVEs. Talking about Railcar design and labeling needs. It seems like crazy times compared to what we have now.
Pressure Testing gone bad (Hydrostatic Testing Fatality)
At 4:15 p.m. on January 28, 2022, an employee was assisting in hydro-testing a joint of steel pipe (39.5-feet long, 9 5/8 OD, 1580 psi). While pressurized, the employee walked into the testing area. At the same time, the plug on the pipe failed, leading to the pipe striking the employee. The employee was killed
Line Fire – Pressure Relief Devices (PRD) must discharge to a SAFE location
At 4:51 a.m. on January 15, 2022, Employee #1 and Employee #2 (Millwrights) were assigned to replace a pump in a Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) Unit at the Di-Chlorination Column at approximately 2:00 a.m. The discharge line for this column discharges about a foot off the ground right next to the pump where the employees
Peracetic Acid Line Break gone bad
Two employees attempted to remove a flow meter at 11:30 a.m. on February 21, 2022. As the employees began to loosen the pipe, peracetic acid sprayed out onto the employees. The employees were hospitalized to treat chemical burns to the head and neck.
Nitrogen kills sandblaster while wearing respirator hood (Pressure testing)
At 5:00 p.m. on February 4, 2021, an employee was working for a firm that manufactured fabricated structural metal. He was performing abrasive blasting with steel shot. He was wearing a supplied air respirator (SAR). While using the supplied air hood, he lost consciousness. A pressure testing operation downstream on the plant airline allowed nitrogen
Employee connects to Nitrogen bottle rather than breathing air bottle
At 12:00 noon on August 19, 2021, an employee utilized an airline respirator that was attached to a nitrogen line. The employee died from a lack of oxygen.
Liquid Nitrogen freezer incident kills production lead supervisor and production supervisor
At 7:45 p.m. on December 1, 2020, Employee #1, a production lead supervisor, entered the chill/production room. She observed a cloud generating in the immediate area of the freezer tunnel. She investigated the cause of the cloud and was killed by asphyxiation. Approximately one hour later, Employee #2, a production supervisor, entered the chill/production room.
N2 and CO kill contractor maintenance worker and hospitalize another
At 11:30 a.m. on October 15, 2021, Employees #1 and #2, both maintenance contractor employees, were assigned to install a pressure safety valve (PSV) on a flare header in a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) unit when they were exposed to nitrogen and carbon monoxide. The installation procedure requires supplied air respirators. The employees were staging
WRONG Chemical – WRONG Container @ Brewery (Chlorine)
At 10:10 a.m. on February 1, 2022, an employee connected the wrong chemical tote, (i.e., Dilac instead of Dibac) to a day tank containing a chlorine solution. The chemical reaction of the two chemicals caused a vapor release. Eight employees sustained unspecified respiratory illnesses, and six were hospitalized for treatment.
Paraformaldehyde and Ammonia solution reaction burns two employees
At 8:15 a.m. on February 1, 2022, an employee poured paraformaldehyde into an aqueous ammonia solution inside a vessel. There was a chemical reaction, resulting in an explosion. Two employees suffered chemical burns to their backs and arms, and one of the employees was hospitalized.
NH3 applicator not at ZES and sprays worker doing maintenance
At 3:10 p.m. on February 2, 2022, an employee, 26, performed maintenance on a Raven AccuFlow System Applicator. The employee began the ammonia bleeding procedure wearing safety glasses and rubber gloves. After approximately 20 to 30 minutes, the employee no longer heard a whistling sound and believed that the system was completely bled out. When
EPA issues RMP citations @ wholesale gas supplier facility (Flammable Gases and HCL & $24K)
The Respondent is a wholesale gas supplier. Operations include the filling, storing, and transfer of industrial gases. The facility receives bulk gases in tanker trailers and then transfers them to storage tanks before transferring them to smaller containers or back into tanker trailers for wholesale. Additionally, the facility receives nearly empty bulk trailers and containers