Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1575839.015 - Sun Chemical Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Wilmington Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 12:50 p.m. on January 30, 2022, an employee was working on the ground finishing the connection of a tote-sized sac of crystalline chemical to an Iris process feed chute. The crystals feed by gravity down the chute through the Iris and then through a rotating vane valve. There are two panels (ports) covering the vane valve. According to a coworker (EH&S Manager), operators are not instructed to remove the ports during the process. Apparently, the sac emptied into the chute only halfway before the chemical got struck and blocked the chute bottom and/or side walls and/or within the vane valve. The employee reported that he opened one of the panels and reached in with his right hand to see if he could unclog the system. The employee was struck by the vane valve as a result. The employee amputated his index finger to the first knuckle. The employer's onsite response team (fire brigade) responded to a "code blue" and provided first aid to the employee, who was transported to the hospital for emergency medical care. The employee was discharged from the hospital at 8:00 pm on the same day.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Bypass, Bypass Guard, Catch Point, Caught In, Chemical, Clogged, Cover, Engineering Controls, Finger, Hand, Inexperience, Insufficient Supervision, Knuckle, Lack of Engineering Controls, Lack of Work Procedures, Loading, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Panel, Partial Amputation, Pinched, Rotating Parts, Sheared, Supervision, Unstable Position, Valve