three injured when 50 liters of acid leaks.....

All sorts of chemicals are used in our plants for a myriad of uses. The proper storage and use of the chemicals in our industry is mitigated on a daily basis. Here is a recent incident that emphasizes the need to inspect piping carrying chemicals. Here is the story:

Because a pipe had a leak, an aluminum producer in Europe one day during the month of January 2020 leaked around 50 liters of low-concentration sulfuric acid. Three employees were slightly injured.

According to the fire department, they inhaled some of the chemical in the incident, but were able to return to the factory after a check-up visit to the hospital.

The three percent sulfuric acid is used for cleaning, said a press spokesman for the plant. How it came to the pipe leak in the basement of the company is unclear.

The factory fire brigade had alerted the municipal fire brigade and there was a large-scale deployment, since the emergency services initially assumed the much dangerous hydrofluoric acid. Summoned specialists were able to dispel the suspicion by means of a test.

We pray that the injured workers will have no long term health consequences for their inhalation of the sulfuric acid fumes.

We hope that the entire length of piping carrying sulfuric acid in this plant is inspected. For the reader, we recommend asking your maintenance department about piping that contains chemicals. When they were last inspected? If the maintenance department cannot answer that question. It should be inspected as soon as possible.

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