OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14550313
OCCIDENTAL CHEMICALS CO
COLUMBIA, TN—
Event description
LEAKING PHOSPHOROUS IGNITED, BURNING EMPLOYEE
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING IN THE PHOSPHORUS FILTER BUILDING. HE WAS PUMPING PHOSPH ORUS TO THE FURNACE WHEN A LEAK DEVELOPED AROUND THE SIGHT GLASS. HE STOPPED PUM PING THE PHOSPHORUS AND BEGAN TO FLUSH THE LINE WITH FURNACE WATER. THE EMPLOYEE WAS APPARENTLY LOOKING AT THE SIGHT GLASS WHEN IT BROKE, ALLOWING LIQUID PHOSPH ORUS TO SPRAY INTO EMPLOYEE #1'S FACE. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WEARING A HARD HAT, SAFET Y GLASSES AND A RESPIRATOR AT THE TIME. THE PHOSPHORUS IGNITED INSTANTLY UPON EX POSURE TO AIR, BURNING EMPLOYEE #1 AROUND THE HEAD AREA.
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 51 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 8
- Source
- 9
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 9
- Hazardous substance
- 2094
- 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.