"Four workers...fell sick after a suspected gas leak"

 

The Aluminum Plant Safety Blog repeatedly discusses the importance of emergency evacuation drills. All to often these drills are in response to hazards located in our workplaces. But, on occasion the hazard(s) occurs from outside our gates that may require our workers to evacuate. Here is such an incident.

 

Four workers of an aluminium extrusion company fell sick after a suspected gas leak from the pipe of a reactor in (chemical company name removed), which was adjacent to the company, in India one morning during December 20, 2020.

 

The workers of the aluminium extrusion company – (worker’s names removed) fell sick in the incident. The condition of (name removed) was said to be serious. After the incident, the four workers were rushed to a hospital in a nearby city. After thick smoke entered into their company, 23 employees working in (aluminium extrusion company) ran out of their work place, but four of them who inhaled the chemical gas for a few minutes, fell sick.

 

Interestingly, no worker in (chemical company) was affected though chemical gas was leaked from their company as they evacuated the place in time.

 

Speaking to the local newspaper, the manager of the aluminium extrusion plant alleged that the management of their neighboring company had not alerted them even after the gas leak from their reactor endangering the lives of workers. Immediately after leakage of gas, the workers of (chemical company) vacated the place and none of them had fallen sick, he added. Condition of one of the workers of his company was critical and getting treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital at nearby town. Several workers of the company also developed vomiting, but  came to normal condition within a few minutes, he added. The incident has taken place between 10 am and 11 am. The aluminium extrusion company manufactures aluminum frames.

 

Meanwhile, villagers of (name removed) staged dharna in front of (chemical company) alleging that the chemical factory was causing air and ground water pollution. They alleged that the Pollution Control Board has issued notices to the company for its closure one year back. But, the company was running violating the orders, they alleged. After the incident, local town Sub-Inspector and (another town name) inspected the company and inquired about the incident. Though the incident has taken place in the morning, the either the officials of PCB or the industries department were not visited the company.

 

The management of the company was also unavailable to comment on the incident.

We pray that the injured workers recover fully from their injuries. We are glad the remaining aluminium plant workers evacuated quickly and safely. We pray that the local, provincial, and federal government investigate the incident and if necessary, shut the chemical plant down.

When was the last time your plant held a surprise emergency evacuation? If you cannot answer quickly. Then it has been too long.

Please comment.