Accident: 170068175 - Involved In Fire

A small fire occurred in the vapor degreaser tank as a result of the ignition of waste contaminants in the 1-1-1-trichloroethane. The employees were evacuated from the building according to the company's evacuation plan. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire within minutes of notification. Once all employees were accounted for, they were dismissed for the remainder of the day in order to "air out" the smoke in the building.

fire, degreaser tank, trichloroethane, flammable vapors, chemical vapor

Accident: 855619 - 62 Exposed To Methyl Chloroform

A pipe on a degreaser tank broke and released approximately 250 gallons of methyl chloroform. Employees #1 through #62 were exposed and reported to the hospital for treatment of minor symptoms or for observation.

spill, overexposure, pipe, equipment failure, degreaser tank, methyl chloroform

Accident: 170684005 - Six Overcome By Degreaser Fumes

Employee #1 through #6 were using freon TF in a cutting oil to degrease a system of aircraft parts. A temperature sensor in the freon separation still heating unit faulted, causing overheating. Thermal decomposition of the freon and the cutting oils in use resulted. At one point, enough heat was being generated by the freon decomposition to continue the action with no outside source of energy needed. The successive gases given-off--hydrogen sulfide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen fluoride--overcame Employees #1 through #6. A solution of soda ash and water was added to the reacting chemicals to neutralize the process.

overexposure, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, chemical reaction, freon, overheated, respiratory, degreaser, chemical vapor

Accident: 14495212 - Two Killed When Struck By Vertical Conveyor

Employees #1 and #2 were attempting to unjam the 100017 conveyor's carrier in a two-story freon vapor degreaser. Their efforts to move the jammed conveyor up and down allowed the conveyor chain to slacken. When the chain was raised, the connecting hook rolled out so only the jammed parts' containers held up the carrier. The employees, unaware the hook had rolled out, continued to work at the jam until they freed the carrier. The carrier then fell, catching Employee #1 at waist between the top of the carrier and the door frame. He sustained multiple traumatic injuries and was killed. Employee #2 fell into the freon solution and died of acute trifluoroethane intoxication. Causal factors include equipment design and malfunction, coupled with human error.

jammed, maintenance, degreaser, conveyor, work rules, falling object, struck by, fall, overexposure, freon