Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100593326 - Ravenswood Aluminum Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

AN EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON AN ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CELL LINE. HE HAD TAKEN A METAL SHIELD FROM ONE OF THE POTS AND PLACED IT SO THAT IT CONTACTED BOTH THE ANODE AND CATHODE SIDE OF THE POT. THE POT HAD AN AUTOMATIC VOLTAGE SURGE, AS THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM HAD SENSED THAT ALUMINA WAS NOT REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE POT. (THIS OCCURS NATURALLY AS THE BATH BUILDS UP ON THE TOP OF THE POT, PREVENTING ORE FROM REACHING THE BOTTOM OF POT WHERE THE MELTING ZONE IS.) THE VOLTAGE SURGE CAUSED AN ELECTRIC ARC WHERE THE METAL SHIELD HAD BEEN PLACED. THE ORIGINAL ARC WAS FOLLOWED BY TWO MORE SEVERE ARCS, WHICH BURNED THE EMPLOYEE FROM HIS THIGHS TO HIS FACE. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR HIS INJURIES. EMPLOYEES HAD RECEIVED TRAINING IN THE PROPER PLACEMENT OF THE SHIELDS EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

Keywords: BURN, CLOTHING, E GI II, ELECTRIC ARC, ELECTRICAL, METAL SHEET, ELECTROLYTIC CELL, ELECTRICAL FAULT