OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14528772
SPRAGUE ELECTRIC CO
CONCORD, NH—
Event description
EMPLOYEES EXPOSED TO NOXIOUS GAS OR VAPOR
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEES #1 THROUGH #5 WERE PERFORMING THEIR REGULAR INSPECTION OR PACKING DUTI HE DETECTED THE ODOR EACH TIME THE HUMIDIFICATION SYSTEM WAS TURNED ON. THE ODO R SOURCE WAS NEVER IDENTIFIED. NO EMPLOYEE RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT OR HOSPITA LIZATION. THE ODOR WAS GONE THE NEXT DAY. ES WHEN THEY NOTICED A "ROTTEN EGG OR SEWAGE" TYPE ODOR. THE ODOR PERSISTED FOR AT LEAST 10 HOURS, CAUSING EMPLOYEES #1 & #2 TO EXPERIENCE STABBING HEADACHES, N AUSEA, BURNING THROAT AND NOSTRILS, WEAKNESS, DYSPNEA, DISORIENTATION AND DIZZIN ESS. EMPLOYEE #2 VOMITTED. EMPLOYEES #3 THROUGH #5 EXPERIENCED A STRANGE LIGHTHE ADED FEELING AND A BURNING SENSATION IN THE CHEST AREA. THE COMPANY NURSE SENT T HESE EMPLOYEES, AND OTHERS WHO DID NOT REPORT SYMPTOMS, TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL'S EMERGENCY ROOM. WHEN THE TWO AFFECTED ROOMS HAD THEIR AIR CONDITIONING AND AIR H UMIDIFICATION SYSTEMS TURNED OFF, THE ODOR DISAPPEARED. ONE MAINTENANCE MAN SAID
Victims (5)
-
#1 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 F
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 50 F
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 60 F
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 40 F
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#5 Non-hospitalized injury Age 35 F
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.