THE HAZARDS OF FRP CHEMICALS

Many plants use FRP lnes and tanks for various services. When they are in need of repair, in situ repair is carried out by re applying the resin. Be careful and warn your maintenance and operation personnel about the hazards of the chemicals used for repair. Read the
following accident report by OSHA:

Accident: 14293922 -- Report ID: 1054196 -- Event Date: 12/07/1987
Inspection	Open Date	SIC	Establishment Name
105249494	12/07/1987	3732	Marlin Boats Inc
A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES WERE CONSTRUCTING A FIBERGLASS BOAT IN THE CHOPPER GUN AREA. THEY WERE WORKING WITH STYRENE MONOMER, METHYL ETHYL KETONE PEROXIDE, AND FIBERGLASS. THEY WERE RUNNING LOW ON MEK PEROXIDE, SO THEY ADDED THREE PARTIALLY FULL CONTAINERS OF WHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE MEK PEROXIDE TO THE RESERVOIR. AS EMPLOYEE #1 RESUMED OPERATION OF THE CHOPPER GUN THERE WAS A SUDDEN EXPLOSION AND FIRE. LUCKILY, THE MAIN FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION BLEW AWAY FROM THE EMPLOYEES. THE EMPLOYEE WAS TREATED FOR MINOR CHEMICAL BURNS AND EXPERIENCED A TEMPORARY THRESHOLD SHIFT IN HEARING. LAB ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STYRENE IN ONE OF THE MEK PEROXIDE CONTAINERS. CAUSAL FACTORS WERE DETERMINED TO BE EMPLOYEE LACK OF TRAINING ON THE PHYSICAL HAZARDS OF CHEMICALS, AND LACK OF LABELLING OF THE MEK PEROXIDE, WHICH CONTAINED STYRENE.

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