Accident: Georgia-Pacific Corp. Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning
Location: Location: Pennington, AL
Accident Occurred On: 01/16/2002 | Final Report Released On: 11/20/2002
Accident Type: Release
Investigation Status: The final report on this investigation was approved on November 20, 2002.
On January 16, 2002, highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas leaked from a sewer manway at the Georgia-Pacific Naheola mill in Pennington, Alabama. Several people working near the manway were exposed to the gas. Two contractors from Burkes Construction, Inc., were killed. Eight people were injured--seven employees of Burkes Construction and one employee of Davison Transport, Inc. Choctaw County paramedics who transported the victims to hospitals reported symptoms of hydrogen sulfide exposure.
Evaluate and amend as necessary the ATSDR Medical Management Guidelines to consider the risk to responders posed by exposure to victims of high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. Specify procedures for adequate decontamination. Communicate the results of this activity to relevant organizations, such as the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.
Communicate the findings and recommendations of this report to your membership.
Train your employees on the specific hazards of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), including appropriate emergency response practices, in areas where Georgia-Pacific has identified this material as a hazard.
Communicate the findings and recommendations of this report to those employees who haul or handle sodium hydrosulfide
Conduct periodic safety audits of Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mills in light of the findings of this report. At a minimum, ensure that management systems are in place at the mills to: Evaluate process sewers where chemicals may collect and interact, and identify potential hazardous reaction scenarios to determine if safeguards are in place to decrease the likelihood or consequences of such interactions. Take into account sewer system connections and the ability to prevent inadvertent mixing of materials that could react to create a hazardous condition.
Conduct periodic safety audits of Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mills in light of the findings of this report. At a minimum, ensure that management systems are in place at the mills to: Identify areas of the mill where hydrogen sulfide (H2S) could be present or generated, and institute safeguards (including warning devices) to limit personnel exposure. Require that personnel working in the area are trained to recognize the presence of H2S and respond appropriately. Update emergency response plans for such areas to include procedures for decontaminating personnel exposed to toxic gas.
Conduct periodic safety audits of Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mills in light of the findings of this report. At a minimum, ensure that management systems are in place at the mills to: Apply good engineering and process safety principles to process sewer systems. For instance, ensure that hazard reviews and management of change (MOC) analyses are completed when additions or changes are made where chemicals could collect and react in process sewers. (Such principles may be found in publications from the Center for Chemical Process Safety [CCPS].)
Communicate the findings and recommendations of this report to the workforce and contractors at all Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mills.
Evaluate mill process sewer systems where chemicals may collect and react to identify potential hazardous reaction scenarios to determine if safeguards are in place to decrease the likelihood or consequences of such interactions. Evaluate sewer connections and ensure that materials that could react to create a hazardous condition are not inadvertently mixed, and that adequate mitigation measures are in place if such mixing does occur.
Establish programs to comply with recommendations from manufacturers of sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH) regarding its handling, such as preventing it from entering sewers because of the potential for acidic conditions.
Establish programs to require the proper design and maintenance of manway seals on closed sewers where hazardous materials are present.
Identify areas of the plant where hydrogen sulfide (H2S) could be present or generated, and institute safeguards (including warning devices) to limit personnel exposure. Institute a plan and procedures for dealing with potential H2S releases in these areas, and require that anyone who may be present is adequately trained on appropriate emergency response practices, including attempting rescue. Require contractors working in these areas to train their employees on the specific hazards of H2S, including appropriate emergency response practices.
Update the Naheola mill emergency response plan to include procedures for decontaminating personnel who are brought to the first-aid station. Include specific instructions for decontaminating personnel exposed to H2S so that they do not pose a secondary exposure threat to medical personnel.