Exposure through intact tissue · Effects of poison, toxic, or allergenic exposure unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Sun Chemical Corporation, 205 South James Street, NEWPORT, DELAWARE 19804
on — Effects of poison, toxic, or allergenic exposure unspecified, affecting the BODY SYSTEMS .
Final narrative
An employee connected a hose from a chemical tank car containing about 34,000 pounds of aniline to a dripless connection, then actuated the pumping system to transfer the aniline (Aminobenzene) into an onsite holding vessel. The employee was splashed with aniline while disconnecting the transfer hose after the tank car was fully emptied. The employee's right thigh was contaminated with aniline; the employee was treated for aniline poisoning and hospitalized.
An employee was working to connect a tote-size sac of crystalline chemical to the iris of a process feed chute. The crystals feed down the chute through the iris, then through a rotating vane valve. There are two panels covering the vane valve. The sac of crystalline chemical emptied down the chute just halfway before the crystalline chemical got blocked. The employee opened the panel covering the vane valve to unblock the material. The valve vane amputated the employee's right index finger down to the knuckle.
An employee was attempting to unclog salt that was damp from recent humid weather. The salt was added to the process through a 10-inch-long pipe with a rotary gate valve at the end. The employee's finger was caught in the turning valve, resulting in an amputation.
An employee was removing a hose from a chemical tank after filling the tank with hexamethylenediamine (HMD). He checked the line to ensure that the hose was clear, then disconnected the hose at the connection. Residual chemical sprayed onto his face, causing a second-degree burn. He was hospitalized.
A shipping/receiving operator was working on a loading rack, loading a railcar. A 2-inch discharge cap failed and released pressure along with sulfuric acid from the railcar. The acid sprayed onto the employee, who suffered burns to the chest and the lower facial area. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was pressure washing truck scales when they were splashed with water and an unknown chemical on their leg and immediately experienced a burning sensation. The employee was hospitalized with a chemical burn and required surgery.
An employee was on a ladder disconnecting a 1-inch hose, known to have last carried acrylic acid that had been drained. When the hose was disconnected, residual acid dripped onto the employee's shoulder/arm area, causing a second-degree chemical burn.
Employees were removing scaffolding that was used to repair an ion exchange tank. The line was undergoing the regen process when a piece of scaffold struck a PVC pipe that transported hydrochloric acid (HCl). The injured employee was placing material inside a scaffold rack when he was sprayed in the face with HCl and sustained chemical burns to his eyes, face, chest, right arm, and left leg.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 325130)
On February 20, 2023, an employee was climbing down a 6-foot step ladder that was leaned against a pallet of material when the ladder moved, causing the employee to fall. They were hospitalized with a pelvis and elbow fracture.
An employee was working to connect a tote-size sac of crystalline chemical to the iris of a process feed chute. The crystals feed down the chute through the iris, then through a rotating vane valve. There are two panels covering the vane valve. The sac of crystalline chemical emptied down the chute just halfway before the crystalline chemical got blocked. The employee opened the panel covering the vane valve to unblock the material. The valve vane amputated the employee's right index finger down to the knuckle.
An employee was stacking containers adjacent to a self-closing door. The door closed on the employee's pinky finger resulting in a fingertip amputation.
A flagger was directing traffic flow in a highway work zone. They were standing approximately 1.5 feet behind the shoulder's demarcating line, next to and slightly behind a traffic drum. As they were directing traffic into and out of the driveway of a parking lot, a car attempted to get around a truck and struck the traffic drum, which subsequently struck the employee, who was thrown 15 feet and landed on top of concrete aggregate. The employee suffered pelvic and rib fractures, T10 and L3 vertebra fractures, and internal bleeding.
An employee was troubleshooting a power washer in the field. Because there might have been water in its fuel, he brought it back to the shop and drained about a gallon of fuel from the tank into a plastic container. Some of the fuel spilled onto the floor and ignited. The employee was stomping out the fire when he lost his balance and tripped into a stool, which caused the plastic container to spill more fuel onto the fire. The employee's pants and shirt caught on fire, and he fell, abrading his knee while trying to get through the flames. As well as the knee abrasion, he suffered burns to the left leg and left lower quadrant of the torso. He was hospitalized.
An employee was backing up a tram (towing powered industrial equipment) to connect it to a trash bin. The employee's left forearm/wrist was caught and crushed between the tram and the bin. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee went to lift a carton and tripped on a different carton that was on the floor. She fell on the floor in the backroom and sustained a fractured right hip, and abrasions to her arm and knee. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.