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| Record Number: |
2582 |
| CIS Descriptors: |
HEAD INJURIES
ARC WELDING AND CUTTING
SULFURIC ACID
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
DATA SHEET
EXPLOSION HAZARDS
LABELLING
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REPORT CHARACTERISTICS:
DONOR: Office of the Chief Coroner
JURISDICTION: Ontario
REPORT TITLE: Verdict of the Coroner's Jury
INDIVIDUAL PRESIDING: Dr. Michael Hill, Coroner
PLACE OF INQUIRY: Smooth Rock Falls
DATE OF INQUIRY : 1994-10-19
INFORMATION ABOUT DECEASED:
NAME: Kevin Bonneville
OCCUPATION: Welder
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR: Construction industry
ACCIDENT INFORMATION:
DATE OF ACCIDENT : 1994-06-16
PLACE OF ACCIDENT: Malette Kraft Pulp & Power - Screen room
level 770
BRIEF CAUSE OF DEATH: Severe brain injury, skull fracture with
loss of
blood.
BRIEF MANNER OF DEATH: Explosion by ignition of hyrdogen gas
in the
sulpheric acid tank.
ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION:
The deceased was removing a 6 inch stainless steel drain pipe
suspended from a ceiling which happened to be above a large
sulfuric
acid storage tank. The welder was using his arc welder to cut
the 6
inch pipe in half and then lower the pipe to the ground. At
this
time a large explosion occurred. The welder sustained an immediate
fatal deep open wound to the skull and brain.
RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUING FROM INQUIRY:
1. Hazardous chemicals should be removed from areas where construction
work is taking place and/or if impractical said areas should
be
barricaded.
2. M.S.D.S. sheet should be reviewed by the Ministry of Labour
and
improved to the extent of making them more user friendly in
keeping
with all technical data necessary. Also, labelling symbols should
be incorporated on the M.S.D.S. sheets. The listing of the bi-
products and their hazards should be included where applicable.
3. All areas and vessels where hazardous products are present
should
be properly labelled with signs and symbols.
4. Welding permits should be required on a daily basis.
5. That a survey be undertaken by the Ministry of Labour to
determine
to what extent the M.S.D.S. sheets are viewed and understood
fully
by all the supervisors and all the workers and to take immediate
action to rectify any existing problems.
COMMENTS ON RECOMMENDATIONS BY CORONER:
1. This relates to the presence of the sulfuric acid tank in
the
renovation and construction site.
2. This relates to the MSDS sheets themselves and how easy it
is for
the average worker to read and glean information from them.
Labelling symbols e.g. those for caustic or explosive which
are used
on the WHMIS program were thought to be useful for the MSDS
sheets
themselves.
3. This pertains to the feeling that containers such as sulfuric
acid
should be properly labelled with signs and symbols as to their
danger. e.g. "caustic" and "explosive" (with
symbols similar or the
same as WHMIS).
4. Welding permits issued on a daily basis would provide closer
scrutiny of the work area for welding on that day.
5. This suggests analysis of the actual usage of MSDS sheets
and if
these sheets are not being read that the situation be rectified.
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