Accident: 925057 - Killed When Struck By Sealing Ring

Employee #1 was attempting to remove a wheel from a forklift but used the wrong procedure. This caused an accidental rapid depressurization of the tire, which forced the sealing ring off at a high velocity. This ring struck Employee #1 and killed him.

industrial truck, work rules, implosion, tire, struck by, flying object, head, fracture, maintenance, wheel

Accident: 170892277 - Suffers Acid Burns From Trifluoroacetic Acid

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on April 19, 1995, Employee #1 was transferring trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) from a 20 liter carboy (stock acid) into a 4 liter container, using a Cole Permer aspirator pump. The transfer process took place in laboratory fume hood #6 located in room 232. Employee #1 was wearing safety glasses, labcoat, street clothes, and neoprene gloves. The Nalgene 4 liter container imploded under vacuum and sprayed TFA onto Employee #1, causing 3rd-degree chemical burns to his face and left arm. The company synthesizes peptides for research and development. The causal factors of the accident are as follows: appropriate personal protective equipment was not being used by the employee, and safe work practices were not being followed.

chemical burn, face, arm, ppe, work rules, implosion, vacuum vessel

Accident: 14224489 - Vacuum Vessel Imploded, Killing Employee

ON NOVEMBER 11, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS TROUBLE SHOOTING A VACUUM LEAK IN AN ACID EVAPORATOR (COMPANY #14) IN UNIT #3, ACID RECLAIM DEPARTMENT. WHILE HE WAS EXAMINING OR MAKING REPAIRS, THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE STEEL WALL OF THE EVAPORATOR. THE RESULTING IMPLOSION PULLED EMPLOYEE #1 INTO THE EVAPORATOR. HE DIED FROM MULTIPLE SEVERE INJURIES, CHEMICAL BURNS AND SKULL FRACTURES.

implosion, repair, fracture, chemical burn, rupture, skull

Accident: 14321087 - Killed When Vacuum Chamber Implodes

Employee #1 went into a vacuum chamber testing area to look through the porthole opening in a pressurized vacuum chamber and observe the condition of a nose cone that was being tested. The 12 in. diameter glass in the porthole opening imploded, causing Employee #1's head and one arm to be pulled into the vacuum chamber. He died of crushing head injuries and asphyxia.

implosion, crushed, asphyxiated, vacuum vessel, equipment failure, head, arm