Worker falls into acid vat

The Columbia (Missouri) Daily Tribune ^ | August 24, 2006 | GREG MILLER

[CholeraJoe]

The pH of a solution of NH4Cl is 5-7. On the acid side of neutral.

[SlowBoat407]

Ammonium chloride comes closer to being an irritant than a corrosive, but it could've been mixed in with something else. The company apparently makes transformers, and ammonium chloride is on of the materials used for liquid insulation.

[John D]

It would be MUCH worse to fall into a vat of HCL.



If it was HCL we would not be even considering his survival, he would already be dead.

[4yearlurker]

George Burns had the same joke,only substitute chocolate with sh*t.

[Muleteam1]

Having once suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my left arm from my fingers to above my elbow, I had to grimace at this story. I truly feel for the poor fellow. No injury I've ever had has been so painful and long-lasting. Thank goodness for shock.

[dr huer]

Ammonium chloride is a salt that is the combination of a weak base and a strong acid. In water solution it has an acid reaction, and is used in some soldering fluxes to dissolve oxide films on metals to be soldered.

[workeroo]

Maybe the problem is that he was immersed for more than a couple of seconds and/or couldn't get it washed off very quickly, or even ingested some. And I really pray it wasn't a heated solution. I know a bit about this place and there is no way this guy got out in just a couple of seconds. I imagine he was swimming just to stay above the liquid line. And the showers are not exactly convenient compared to the location of falling into the vat. Yes it is a heated vat of solution.

[workeroo]

Someone wasn't wearing his safety harness. I don't remember if there were any available for that area, I'm thinking there weren't, but I doubtfully could be wrong.

[workeroo]

Or maybe it was in some sort of solution…. just saying because I can’t imagine someone at work wearing clothing that’d get powder “all over his body” falling into a “container” of it. No it was not powder is was a liquid solution used to clean steel of rust before going into galvanizing tanks so the material would adhere is my understanding.

[Springman]

Thanks for the info and welcome to FR.