Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025
105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #571620

WESTELL INC

WILLOWBROOK, IL—

Event
RESPIRATORY, TRICHLOROETHANE, VAPOR, DEGREASER, TOXIC FUMES
NAICS
000000
Inspection type
Referral
Activity number
#2351476
Employer profile
WESTELL INC
Summary number
571620
Report ID
521400

Event description

EXPOSED TO 1,1,1 TRICHLOROETHANE VAPOR

Investigation abstract

ON DECEMBER 23, 1984, 11 EMPLOYEES OF AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD MANUFACTURING FIRM WERE TRANSPORATED TO A HOSPITAL, TREATED FOR EXPOSURE TO 1, 1, 1, TRICHLORO ETHANE VAPOR, AND RELEASED. THE EXPOSURE RESULTED WHEN A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD E DGE PROTECTOR, MADE OF NEOPRENE, FELL THROUGH A HOLE IN AN EXPANED METAL BASKET USED FOR THE DEGREASING OF PARTS. THE EDGE PROTECTOR LANDED ON ONE OF THE HEATIN G COILS IN THE DEGREASER, CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT AND BURN, PRODUCING A TOXIC CLO UD OF 1, 1, 1, TRICHLOROETHANE. THE TOXIC CLOUD DISSIPATED THROUGH THE PLANT WHE N THE COVER ON THE DEGREASER WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE WHY SMOKE WAS LEAKING OUT THROUGH ONE SIDE OF THE COVER.

Victims (12)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 36 M

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  2. #10 Hospitalized Age 58 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  3. #11 Hospitalized Age 26 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  4. #2 Hospitalized Age 20 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  5. #3 Hospitalized Age 49 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  6. #4 Hospitalized Age 39 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  7. #5 Hospitalized Age 21 M

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  8. #6 Hospitalized Age 24 M

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  9. #7 Hospitalized Age 37 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  10. #8 Hospitalized Age 58 F

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  11. #9 Hospitalized Age 21 M

    Nature of injury
    17
    Part of body
    28
    Event type
    8
    Source
    10
    Occupation code
    523
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    9
    Hazardous substance
    1720
    Task assigned
    1

  12. #981 Degree 0 Age 0

    Nature of injury
    0
    Part of body
    0
    Event type
    0
    Source
    0
    Occupation code
    0
    Human factor
    0
    Environmental factor
    0
    Task assigned
    0

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.

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