Employees exposed to liquid chlorine release

 Employees #1 and #5 through #7 were near the chlorine unloading area at a bleach plant when the gasket of a recently-installed vaporizer failed, releasing between 500 and 700 gallons of liquid chlorine. When Employees #1 and #7 went to investigate the extent and location of the leak, they found an overwhelming concentration of the chemical. They were not using SCBAs, nor was Employee #6, who used the wrong escape route. Employee #5, the bleach plant operator, attempted to find and assist Employee #6. Employees #2 through #4 attempted to shut down the vaporizer system but they did not know the location of the one critical shut-off valve, and the key person was not immediately available to help. Employees #1 through #7 suffered chemical burns from inhaling the chlorine fumes; all were hospitalized except for Employee #2. Source:OSHA.gov

Fatality during hydrotest due to non removal of air

 Employee #1, a millwright, was standing near a 100 ft long by 5 ft diameter vacuum fat-splitter vessel that was undergoing a hydrostatic test. He was by the M-1 flange joint when the gasket experienced a catastrophic failure. Employee #1 was struck in the face by air and water released at the maximum allowable working pressure of 1,275 psig. He was killed.

Source:OSHA.gov

Employees exposed to ethylene oxide gas in boiler release

 On October 6, 1994, an employee, working in the surgical wing at the Hospital, was exposed to ethylene oxide gas from the sterilizer room. The monitor in the sterilizer room read 77 ppm. The solenoid from the boiler had failed, and a bad gasket released the gas throughout the surgical wing. Three nurses and one maintenance employee who was performing daily routine maintenance were also exposed. Hospital employees participated in an emergency response until the fire department arrived on site. None of the exposed employees required hospitalization. 

(EO is used as a sterilizing agent in hospitals) 

Source: OSHA.gov

VIDEO OF ACCIDENT DUE TO P AND ID NOT UPDATED AND NOT FOLLOWING LOTOTO PROCEDURES

 https://www.osha.gov/video/shipyard-accidents/steam-line

ETHYLENE OXIDE FIRE AT CHEMICAL PLANT

On April 30, 1985, at approximately 6 am, an alarm sounded in the control room. The chemical technican on duty checked the pressure in the control room. It was all right. He then went downstairs to check the alarm system. It was functioning properly. As he went back up the stairs he saw the fire on the line from the ethylene oxide storage tank. The fire department was notified. The fire department had three rail cars moved because of their proximity to the fire. The outlet from the ethylene oxide tank was turned off. The fire burned down and was extinguished. The leak was caused by a ruptured flange gasket in the ethylene oxide line. When the ethylene oxide came into contact with the plastic insulating cover on the line it may have ignited. Rust on the line way also have been a catalyst in igniting the ethylene oxide.

Source:OSHA.gov

Two employees inhale hydrocarbons

 On April 6, 1994, a unit operator with ARCO Products was conducting rounds of the coker unit when he observed a leak coming from the mechanical seal of the heavy gas oil pump of coker unit #1. The operator decided to seek assistance; the head unit operator and six or seven unit operators responded. The operators placed water and steam on the leak to suppress the vapor from the seal. The head unit operator decided to shut down the pump and transfer the product to the secondary pump. As the operator shut down the primary pump, the mechanical seal blew, causing a vapor cloud to generate from the seal. The operators continued to put steam and water on the seal and isolated the pump from the pipe line. The remaining product in the pipe line leading to the primary heavy gas oil pump vaporized, leading to the dispersion of the vapor cloud. The operators who responded were wearing bunker gear and several wore emergency respirators. Those with respirators isolated the pump from the pipe line by closing the suction and discharge valves. The operators who were not wearing emergency respirators stationed themselves upwind of the vapor cloud and put water on the cloud; however, the wind changed direction several times, exposing unprotected operators to vapors. Employees #1 and #2, two unprotected operators who responded to incident, were brought to Long Beach Memorial Hospital to be treated for inhalation of hydrocarbons. Employee #1 was hospitalized. 

Source: OSHA.gov