"employee of a subcontractor was transported to a local hospital"

The use of chemicals in our workplaces is common. The safe transportation, storage, and use of hazard chemicals have their own unique hazards. Here is a recent incident highlighting this hazard.

On the last week of December 2021 firefighters from a local Departmental Fire and Rescue Service intervened to stem a hydrochloric acid leak that occurred at a French manufacturing company. This, now under control, has not caused any air pollution, assures the prefecture.

The hydrochloric acid leak occurred around 10 a.m. on this industrial site of the company , which specializes in the treatment of very high purity aluminum parts by electrochemistry. Immediately on site, the gendarmerie established a security perimeter of 200 meters around the factory and evacuated all neighboring companies while nearby traffic was interrupted. In addition, two dwellings occupied by six people located 250 meters from the incident were also confined.

The firefighters quickly stopped the leak of a volume of 12 m³, which occurred in a retention basin. As for the risk of evaporation of the product, " the application of a carpet of foam over the entire surface of the basin has made it possible to control it",  specifies the prefecture.

Measurements taken in the atmosphere reveal no trace of the product.

Inconvenienced because being near the leak, the employee of a subcontractor was transported to a local Hospital, "  without his condition presenting any seriousness criteria" ,  however indicate the prefectural services. Before they add, that at this stage, "  the measurements in the atmosphere carried out by the firefighters do not reveal any trace of the product"  . The hydrochloric acid treatment and evacuation operations are in progress and the lifting of the device will be effective as soon as they are finalized, assures the prefecture.

We pray that the employee of the subcontractor recovers fully from their injuries. Hydrochloric acid is a clear, poisonous liquid. It is a caustic chemical and highly corrosive, which means it immediately causes severe damage to tissues, such as burning, on contact. We are thankful that the manufacturing company had retention basin. Many companies fail to have a large enough retention basin to contain the entire volume of the tank holding the hazard chemicals. Further information on hydrochloric acid can be found here. 

This incident reminds us of the importance of aluminium companies having working relationships with local fire departments. We have advocated for this safety practice around the globe. The advantages are too numerous too list. Every workplace should periodically invite the local fire department managers to a tour. This tour will allow the fire department personnel to be made aware of the specific hazards present in your workplace. We recommend with each hazard that the aluminium company and fire department review how to address an incident involving that hazard. For example, aluminium dross fires. How should the fire department safely extinguish a dross fire? Another example, how will the fire department perform a confined space rescue? How will they perform a rescue of a worker on top of an overhead crane? These questions need to be asked because with most hazards unique to our workplaces the local fire departments have limited to no experience. Then what should a workplace do if the local fire department has limited experience? Work with them to get the educated.

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