“Worst Incident We’ve Had”: One Dead, Two Injured by Chemical Burns at Plant
According to WBTV, a man was killed at a plant and two other men sustained chemical burns on the job in Calhoun County, South Carolina, on Tuesday afternoon.
Details of the Workplace Accident
Officials were called to DAK Americas where the fatal industrial accident occurred. At around 12:15 p.m. local time, three workers were performing annual maintenance on a pump and line.
WBTV reports that the three men were covered in hot chemicals, a solution used in the plastic-making process, after a pipe that was supposed to be shut down burst open. The three workers suffered from chemical burns and were transported to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital in Columbia for treatment.
Alton Zeigler, 63, was fatally injured in the industrial accident. The two other men were taken to August Burn Center for further treatment of their injuries. The accident is currently under investigation, according to WBTV. The company’s public affairs director said it was the worst incident they’ve had.
The DAK Americas plant produces polymers used in plastic bottles, reports WBTV, in addition to PET resins and polyester staple fibers.
On the Job Accident Statistics
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),
- 4,821 workers died on the job in 2014.
- On average, more than 92 workers are killed every week, or 13 deaths per day.
- Worker deaths in America are down on average, from about 39 worker deaths per day in 1970 to 13 a day in 2014.
