Accident: 170006589 - One Dies, One Injured From Ammonia Vapors

Employees #1 and #2, who were regular customers of a tavern, were told by the owner that if they cleaned out his basement, they could keep anything they salvaged. They were dismantling an old compressor when a piece of it fell and knocked the valve off an old tank that still contained ammonia. Both employees inhaled ammonia vapors that were released from the tank. Employee #1 managed to escape from the basement; he was hospitalized. Employee #2 was overcome by the vapors before he could escape and was killed.

gas, gas leak, tank, inhalation, dismantling, untrained, lung, ammonia, chemical burn

Accident: 170053011 - One Killed, One Injured By Anhydrous Ammonia

Employee #1 was working in a three-sided building approximately 100 ft from an anhydrous ammonia tank filling station. Two coworkers and Employee #2, who was driving a forklift, were off-loading a flatbed trailer when the forklift struck a section of the pipe for the filling station. The pipe blew out from its junction, releasing the contents of two 5,000 liquid gallon anhydrous ammonia tanks. Employee #1 was apparently inside the building when the ammonia plume was released and either succumbed to the ammonia gas immediately, or was blinded and could not escape from the building. He was killed. Employee #2, who worked for another company, on site, was hospitalized.

ammonia, gas, industrial truck, ind trk operator, inhalation, chemical vapor, accidental discharge, off loading

Accident: 200080117 - No Injuries Reported In Anhydrous Ammonia Leak

At approximately 12:55 p.m. on October 14, 1991, an anhydrous ammonia leak developed at the H.P. Hood plant in Newington, CT. The plant was evacuated the local fire department was called. The fire department held spectators back 600 ft, as per recommendations in the Department of Transportation (DOT) handbook. The fire department also notified the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but the DEP did not respond. At 3:25 p.m., an employee of Lewis Refrigeration and an employee of Hood entered the building and knocked down the ammonia vapors with a water spray. They determined that the leak had been caused by venting of a pressure release valve. At 3:50 p.m., Lewis Refrigeration declared the building safe for re-entry.

leak, anhydrous ammonia, ammonia, pressure release, valve, high pressure, chemical, chemical vapor, vapor

Accident: 200080109 - No Injuries Reported In Anhydrous Ammonia Leak

At approximately 11:00 p.m. on October 13, 1997, a leak was detected in one of two anhydrous ammonia systems at a private hockey rink. The building was immediately evacuated and the fire department called. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was also notified, and took command of the scene, keeping spectators 100 ft from the area. The DEP was unable to locate the source of the leak and an outside remediation firm was summoned. It was also unable to find the origin of the leak. After 17 hours, it was decided to simply drain the whole system, and the surrounding apartments and condominiums were evacuated until the system was empty. At 4:30 p.m. on October 14, 1997, the DEP declared the area safe for re-entry. No injuries were reported.

leak, anhydrous ammonia, ammonia, chemical, chemical vapor, vapor

Accident: 170571202 - Twelve Exposed To Ammonia

Employee #7 was performing his normal job, washing off the equipment around the chillers with a high pressure hose. The hose wrapped around the oil drain valve on the ammonia line and as he tried to free it, the valve on the ammonia line was damaged. Approximately 101 lb of ammonia were released into the eviscerating department. Employees #1 through #12 were taken to the hospital for treatment. Employees #3, #4, and #11 were treated and released; the remaining employees were hospitalized.

ammonia, inhalation, valve, chemical, cleaning, accidental discharge, chemical vapor, work rules, vapor

Accident: 201570074 - Six Employees Injured When Exposed To Ammonia Vapors

At approximately 6:50 p.m. on March 20, 1997, Employees #1 through #6, who worked for a contracted cleaning crew, were exposed to ammonia that was released from a Viking Pump on a refrigeration system. They were transported to Sterling Regional Medical Center, where they were admitted and remained overnight. The pump may have run out of oil, which resulted in a failed gasket. Airborne ammonia concentrations were measured to 31 ppm.

ammonia, inhalation, toxic atmosphere, toxic atmosphere, chemical vapor, vapor, overexposure, chemical, chemical burn