Incident alert
ACTIVITY:
MAINTENANCE & HOUSEKEEPING
TITLE
Battery Acid Splash in Eye
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
United Kingdom
ACCIDENT / INCIDENT DETAILS
An Articulated Dump Truck operator was splashed in the eye when a Battery plug
“popped” whilst attempting to “Jump start a 360° excavator with jump leads”
The injured operative had been asked by another operator to assist him in starting a 360° excavator by allowing the excavator operator to attach jump leads to the ADT batteries.
The ADT operator realised that the operation was not going to work and his battery was going to become flat after several attempts at trying to start the excavator. He shouted to the excavator operator to stop before his battery became flat. He did this by standing at the top of the access steps next to the battery compartment.
The Excavator operator then proceeded to unclip the jump leads from the excavators battery, as he did so a cap on the ADT battery “popped” off the battery and acid was ejected up into the air and into the face of the ADT operative splashing acid burns on his forehead and in his eyes.
Due to the two operatives quick thinking they managed to dilute the acid splash with liquid until a first aider arrived and continued to dilute the effected area whilst waiting for paramedics to arrive to take the ADT operator to hospital.
On this occasion, apart from irritation to the forehead and eyes there was no long lasting injury although the outcome could have been much more severe.
ACCIDENT / INCIDENT IMAGES
Click image to enlarge
ATD Battery with Cap Missing
LEARNING POINTS / ACTIONS TAKEN
ONLY COMPETENT, AUTHORISED PERSONS SHOULD CARRY OUT THIS TASK.
A RISK ASSESSMENT MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE TASK COMMENCING.
ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS UNDERTAKING THE TASK ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MANUFACTURERS AND COMPANY GUIDELINES ON JUMP STARTING THE PLANT
LEARNING POINTS / ACTIONS IMAGES
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