Westfield Electroplating Company

Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue — Poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect, unspecified — WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

HOSPITALIZED — Worker hospitalized after incident at Westfield Electroplating Company in WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
Employer Westfield Electroplating Company Report ID 20231211138
Address 68 N Elm St City, State ZIP WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 01085
Event Date December 6, 2023 Outcome Hospitalized
Nature of Injury Poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect, unspecified Body Part BODY SYSTEMS
Event Type Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue Source of Injury Hydrogen fluoride, hydrofluoric acid
Industry (NAICS) 332813 Inspection # 1714785
GPS Coordinates 42.13000, -72.74000

Incident Narrative

An employee from the blasting department was working on top of a cart that was oily and dirty. He took a bottle containing hydrofluoric acid (HF) (49%) thinking it contained acetone, MEK, or some other cleaning agent. He poured some of the HF on a cloth rag and started cleaning the cart. The dermal absorption of HF changed the employee's blood chemistry composition and the employee was hospitalized.

Incident Summary

On December 6, 2023, a worker at Westfield Electroplating Company in WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS suffered poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effect, unspecified to the body systems. The incident was classified as exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue, with hydrogen fluoride, hydrofluoric acid identified as the source of injury. The worker was hospitalized.

Context

OSHA has recorded 653 severe injury reports involving "Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue" incidents in our database. Browse all Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue injuries.

See all reports for Westfield Electroplating Company.

Similar Incidents

Other severe injury reports involving Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue events:

Date Employer Location Nature Outcome
Sep 19, 2017 JNP Delivery, Inc. OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN Multiple poisoning, toxic, noxious, or allergenic effects Hosp.
Feb 4, 2015 MWH Americas, Inc COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.
Apr 7, 2021 C.M. High Inc. READING, PENNSYLVANIA Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.
Apr 11, 2023 MFA Agri Services CHULA, MISSOURI Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.
Mar 13, 2019 Chem Processing, Inc. ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS Second degree chemical burns and corrosions Hosp.
Apr 5, 2015 Valero TEXAS CITY, TEXAS Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.
Jun 18, 2023 GLANBIA FOODS, INC. GOODING, IDAHO Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.
Jun 10, 2015 Vulcan Industrial Contractors BREWTON, ALABAMA Chemical burns and corrosions, unspecified Hosp.