Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue · Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at IBM CORPORATION, 2070 ROUTE 52, HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NEW YORK 12533
on — Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified, affecting the nonclassifiable.
Final narrative
Employee was working in the Wets Tool Area which has hydrofluoric acid (HF) in the wafer and tool area. The employee was exposed to HF and was sent to the Burn Unit in Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, PA. The employee is scheduled for skin graft surgery.
On November 27, 2023, an employee was emptying a 2-inch product line that transports sodium hydroxide liquid from a rail car to a 275-gallon tote tank. The nozzle came out of the tote and sprayed sodium hydroxide onto the employee's face. The employee was hospitalized with chemical burns to their face, mouth, and neck.
An employee was working with sulfuric acid as part of the production process. While transferring the chemical from a large container to a smaller container, it splashed on his body and hand, resulting in a chemical burn.
An employee knelt in wet concrete while performing work as a concrete finisher and sustained a chemical burn to the right shin. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
An employee was using a 5-gallon bucket to unload acid product from a tank. Residual product leaked into the containment area, causing the employee to sustain first- and second-degree burns to the chest, as well as third-degree burns to the arms.
An employee was transferring an alkaline cleaning chemical from a bulk container into 1-gallon containers. The employee lifted a gallon container by its label tag. The tag broke causing the container to fall approximately 14-18 inches. The container struck the ground and the contents splashed onto the employee causing chemical burns to their eyes.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 334413)
An employee was removing parts for replacement during equipment maintenance. His right forearm was exposed to a mixture of silicon dioxide (silica) and trichlorosilane that caused an exothermic reaction and chemical burns. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee positioned a pallet jack under a mobile TV stand to lift the stand and then clean the wheels. As the employee raised the pallet jack, the TV stand fell forward toward the handle of the pallet jack. The employee went to catch the TV stand and their right thumb became caught between the TV mount frame and the pallet jack, resulting in amputation.
An employee was working on the crimp machine when their left middle finger became caught in the machine. The employee sustained the amputation of the fingertip through part of the nail and was hospitalized. The machine was guarded at the time.
An employee was greasing the belt of an air handler and manually moving the belt when their left ring finger was caught between the belt and the pulley. The employee sustained a severe laceration to the fingertip that resulted in an amputation.
An employee was operating a battery-powered broom to clean demolition debris off the top of the outermost bridge girder. The girder was approximately 11 feet above the demolition scaffold below. The employee fell approximately 8 feet to wind bracing below. The employee was hospitalized with a pelvis/tailbone fracture. Fall protection was in place at the time.
An employee slipped while descending in a stairwell, fell, and suffered multiple contusions/bruises to the head, neck, shoulders, knees, and back. She was hospitalized.
An employee was directing trucks as they entered and left a highway work zone. A vehicle struck them, resulting in multiple fractures and other injuries. The employee was hospitalized.