Line Break Gone Bad – Maintenance Mechanic Dies After Being Burned by Hot Boric Acid Solution While Removing Pump

In July 2012, a 64-year-old maintenance mechanic at an aluminum foil processing facility died after being exposed to an approximately 180-degree Fahrenheit solution of boric acid and water while trying to remove a recirculation pump from its housing. The pump was part of a boric acid evaporation system. The system took several days to completely cool through draining and flushing before it was safe to remove the pump. Workers in another department reported that they had completed draining the system. As the victim and other workers used two 1.5-ton “come-along” puller devices to free the pump from its housing, a small amount of hot water/boric acid solution fanned out from around the seal. Seconds later, the force of the solution pushed the pump out of the housing, and hundreds of gallons of hot liquid flowed out. The victim fell to the floor and was covered with the solution. He was wearing no personal protective equipment other than safety glasses, and received severe burns to over 80% of his body.

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