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What happened?
A temporary chemical hose and valves used for a sulphuric acid day tank were being moved from a scaffold to ground level.
The plan was to purge the acid line with nitrogen back to the sulphuric acid storage tank.
The operator opened the valve on the nitrogen header and was sprayed with sulphuric acid.
He suffered burns to his face and neck, for which he has been treated onsite and sent to hospital for further investigations.
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Why did it happen?
No check valve was installed on the 3 inch flange and ¾ inch valve assembly used to connect the nitrogen hose to the sulfuric acid process line.
Not all applicable procedures required the use of check valves when purging.
The operator opened the process side of the connection before opening the utility side.
High pressure (130 pound per square inch gauge) built up in the installed assembly with the acid valve closed.
The operator was not wearing goggles.
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What did they learn?
Review procedure that do not require a check valve on the line.
Personal protection equipment must be worn when working around acid.
The incident happened despite the coupling used on the nitrogen hose being good working order.
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Ask yourself or your crew
What other actions could have been taken?
How can something like this happen here?
Do we require check valves to be installed? If not, why is this happening?
Think of an occasion when extra personal protection equipment was needed.
- Have you carried out the task without the adequate equipment? Why?
- Do we need to improve our protection equipment requirements? How?
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What happened?
A temporary chemical hose and valves used for a sulphuric acid day tank were being moved from a scaffold to ground level.
The plan was to purge the acid line with nitrogen back to the sulphuric acid storage tank.
The operator opened the valve on the nitrogen header and was sprayed with sulphuric acid.
He suffered burns to his face and neck, for which he has been treated onsite and sent to hospital for further investigations.
Why did it happen?
No check valve was installed on the 3 inch flange and ¾ inch valve assembly used to connect the nitrogen hose to the sulfuric acid process line.
Not all applicable procedures required the use of check valves when purging.
The operator opened the process side of the connection before opening the utility side.
High pressure (130 pound per square inch gauge) built up in the installed assembly with the acid valve closed.
The operator was not wearing goggles.
What did they learn?
Review procedure that do not require a check valve on the line.
Personal protection equipment must be worn when working around acid.
The incident happened despite the coupling used on the nitrogen hose being good working order.
Ask yourself or your crew
What other actions could have been taken?
How can something like this happen here?
Do we require check valves to be installed? If not, why is this happening?
Think of an occasion when extra personal protection equipment was needed.
- Have you carried out the task without the adequate equipment? Why?
- Do we need to improve our protection equipment requirements? How?
A worker suffered burns to his face and neck after being sprayed with sulphuric acid when opening a valve on a nitrogen header. He was treated onsite and sent to hospital for further investigation.
