Chemical Reaction in a Pharmaceutical Company
An employee was preparing a batch of glycol stearate emulsifier in a vessel. Upon completion of product, the quality control lab reported that the pH was too high and the product needed to be bleached. When the employee reached the step of adding the sodium borohydride, he decided to relieve the pressure in the vessel by opening the valve used to introduce sodium chlorite. As he opened the valve, sodium chlorite (liquid) residue discharged, spraying the grating and the plastic bucket which contained sodium borohydride. The sodium borohydride reacted with the sodium chlorite, producing hydrogen gas which flashed into the employee's face. He was wearing splash goggles as face and eye protection, but nevertheless is experienced burns.
Event Date
January 12, 1994
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
Accidentally produced hydrogen due to human error.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
Chemical reactor vessel (glycol stearate emulsifier)
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Pre-event Summary
The event occurred during a manually operated chemical process.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Unknown
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Unknown
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Type
Source Category
References
References
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) Inspection 112128152,
https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=112128…,
(accessed November 2020)