Document 108j0NeYBED2w6r1agRMJgKnm
TIDEWATER ASSOCI ATED OI L COMPANY CURTI S BAY TERMINAL, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
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R e p o r t on Accid e n t a t
T i d e w a t e r A s s o c i a t e d O i l Com pan y, C u r t is Bay Ter m in a l,
_______ Ba lt im or e, Marylan d_______
Tank cle a n in g a t t h is t e r m in a l and th e o t h er p la n t s in
t h is d ivis io n is done under th e su p e r vis io n o f th e co n s t r u ct io n
and e n gin e e r in g d epar tm en t o f wh ich Mr. R.E. Ben n er is c h i e f
e n g i n e e r o f t h e e a s t e r n d i v i s i o n w i t h o f f i c e s i n New Yo r k C i t y .
Mr. Benner r s a s s i s t a n t i s Mr.
who i s a g r a d u a t e
en gin eer and has been w it h th ?^ om p a n ^ a p p r oxim a tely seven ye a r s,
p r e v i o u s l y h a v i n g b e e n w i t h D a v i s Ch e m i c a l Com pan y a n d La P r a n c e
Com pan y, a n d i s s a i d t o h a ve s u p e r v i s e d t h e c l e a n i n g o f m an y
tan ks and always u sed a l l p r escr ib e^ n n ceca u tion a r y m easures and
Tas a c a r e f u l w o r k e r . U n d e r Mr
are fie ld en gin eers,
o n e o f whom i s Mr . E . W. D o r s e y . T m e s ^ m e n g o t o t h e v a r i o u s
p o in t s and o r ga n ize and su p e r vis e the. tan k cle a n in g o p e r a t io n s
an d cr e w s . The s u p e r in t e n d e n t or for em a n o f t h e t e r m in a l,
Mr. S.P . Wise, h ad no d i r e c t co n n e ct io n v/ ith th e t a n k c le a n in g
op eration s.
E a r l y i n J u l y , Mr. D o r s e y was a t t h i s t e r m i n a l d o in g
some c o n s t r u c t io n wor k, ch a n gin g p ip e l i n e s , and p r e p a r in g t a n k a ge
fo r fu e l o i l s t o r a g e . At t h i s tim e a f u e l o i l t a n k was c le a n e d and
o t h e r wo r k wa s d o n e , a n d a p p a r e n t l y i t vas s u d d e n l y d e c i d e d t o
clea n the lead ed ga so lin e tank (T-i) fo r fu e l o il u se. This tank
is an 8 0 ,0 0 0 -b a r r el tan k, s o lid r o o f and a t th e tim e o f cle a n in g
had fiv e or more in ch es of water bottom . I t had been in lea d ed
g a s o l i n e s e r v i c e s i n c e 19 3 3 ( ? ) o r s i n c e u s e o f l e a d a n d t h e r e i s
n o r e c o r d o f s p i k i n g . Mr. W is e h o we ve r h a s b e e n h e r e a s s u p e r i n t e n d
en t o f t e r m in a l o n ly a b o u t 2- 1/ 2 y e a r s . Acco r d in g t o Mr. D ees,
Mr. Hogan o f t h e B a lt im o r e D i v i s i o n c a l l e d on t h e t e r m in a l a t
le a s t once the p a s t yea r r e la t i v e to tan k cle a n in g p r e ca u t io n s
a n d wa s t o l d n o t i f i c a t i o n w o u ld come fr o m t h e New Yo r k o f f i c e o f
T i d e w a t e r A s s o c i a t e d O i l Com p an y.
,'
Sometime p r i o r t o Au gu st 3 a n o t h e r t a n k c le a n in g jo b was s t a r t e d a t R e n s s e l a e r , New Yo r k . Mr. D o r s e v w e n t t h e r e ' t o s u p e r vis e t h a t job "a b ou t Au gu st 6 ", and M r r e m a i n e d a t Baltim ore in ch arge of the clea n in g of the le a d e ^ g ls o lin e tank ( T - ^ ^ T j h e w e a t h e r was v e r y warm a n d e a r l y i n t h e c l e a n i n g M r . w r o t e t o Mr. D o r s e y t h a t h e s h o u ld b e v e r y c a r e f u l because of the tem perature. I t appears the reason th ese tanks a r e cle a n e d d u r in g h o t wea t h er i s t o co n ve r t them in t o fu e l o i l t a n k s s in c e i t i s a d va n t a ge o u s t o b u y f u e l o i l d u r in g t h e summer because of p r ice str u ctu r e.
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The f o l l o w i n g i s a b r i e f d a y- b y- d a y a cco u n t o f t h e w o r k d o n e f r o m S a t u r d a y , A u g u s t 3 , u n t i l W e d n e s d a v u A u g u s t II4.. Much o f t h i s i n f o r m ^ ^ g ^ w a s o b t a i n e d fr o m M r f l H H H B b y
Mr. Dees b e fo r e Mr. ^ H B V ^ ecam e i r r a t i o n a l , b o m ^ f i t fr om Mr . W i s e , Mr . B e n n e r ^ a n ^ m e n i n t h e c r e w . Some o f t h e c r e w m ade c o n flic t in g statem en ts as t o tim e bu t th e fo llo w in g ap p ear s to be fa ir ly accurate.
Sa t u r d a y, Au gu st 5
D ivis io n fr om Mr.
Assista n t Ch ief En gin eer, Eastern n igh t " pum ping ou t tan k T - l. (I n fo r m a t io n
Su n d a y, Au gu s t It
The t a n k was op en ed an d e n t e r e d . "H ea vy s t u f f " was r e m o ve d . A i r l i n e m a s k s u s e d . No d e f i n i t e i n f o r m a t i o n on n u m b e r o f men u s e d . ( I n fo r m a t io n fr om
"on clay, Au gu st 5
Tank T - l s t e a m e d f o r n i ne h o u r s , u s in g r a i l r o a d lo co m o t ive .
( I n f or m a 11 on f r om M e s s r s .
^ ^ ^^ se )
Tuesday, August 6
Mr. one tim e s a id t h a t th e t a n k was e n t e r e d on Tu e s d a y. H owever , b e l a t e r s a i d h e " d id n ' t b e l i e v e i t was e n t e r e d on Tu esd a y b u t t h a t i t was a i r e d and a llo w e d t o c o o l . " Com m en t s o f C u r t i s H a r m a n a l s o i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e t a n k wa s n o t e n t e r e d T u e s d a y . ( H o w e ve r , C u r t i s H a r m an t o l d Mr . Be n n e r a n d me t h a t he e n t e r e d t h e tan k on Tu esd a y w it h o u t a mask to see i f i t
wa s g a s - f r e e , r e m a i n i n g p o s s i b l y a b o u t f i f t e e n (15) m i n u t e s . L J S . )
Wednesday, August 7
Tank e n t e r e d w it h a i r l i n e m asks and w a lls "h osed down ." P r o b a b l y s l u d g e r e m o v a l s t a r t e d . Men w e r e w o r k i n g a b o u t f i f t e e n m in utes in the tan k and r e s t in g or workin g fo r t y - fiv e m in u tes o u t s id e o f t h e t a n k . The s ch e d u le o f t im e i n t h e t a n k t o t im e o u t s i d e t h e t a n k was "m aybe l e s s b e ca u s e i t was so h o t . " Th is was r e p o r t e d - t o b e t h e u s u a l s c h e d u le , a lt h o u g h when e s p e c i a l l y h o t "m aybe men o n ly wor ked t e n m in u t e s in t h e t a n k ou t o f two h o u r s . " ( C u r t i s Harman t o l d Mr. Ben n er an d me t h a t on t h i s d a y he sp en t a p p r o xim a t e ly a t o t a l o f one an d o n e - h a lf h ou r s in th e t a n k s h o v e l i n g s lu d g e an d n o t w e a r in g a m a sk. He t h o u g h t a l l oth er s wore m asks. LJ S.)
The i m p r e s s i o n seem ed t o b e t h a t s i x men we r e t h e t o t a l u sed in t h e ta n k. (H owever, n in e d i ffe r e n t in d iv id u a ls were in the tan k p r io r to Frid ay n ig h t .) Sp e cia l clo t h e s were p rocu red fo r t h e workmen. "B e lie v e e ig h t s e t s . " Clea n c lo t h e s wer e n o t su p p lied each d ay. Boots were worn. Rubber glo ve s 'w e r e n ot u sed
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"becau se t h e y cr a ck and g e t slu d g^ ^ j^ jh a m .and ar e worse than
n o t h i n g . " ( I n f o r m a t i o n f r o m Mr
Accor d in g to in fo r m a t io n
s u p p lie d b y C u r t i s Harman c lo t h i n g was p u r ch a s e d a t n oon 'Wednesday
(about e ig h t s e t s and no cap s or g lo v e s ) . Prom th e st a t em en t s of
o t h e r s some w o r k e d i n t h e t a n k w e a r i n g t h e i r own c l o t h i n g , a n d
a f t e r t a k i n g a s h o we r wo r e t h e n ew c l o t h i n g h om e. One w o r k e r d i d
n ot t a k e a shower and co n t in u e d wea r in g th e same c lo t h in g a ft e r
f i n i s h i n g wor k on S a t u r d a y . L J S .)
Th ursday. An ru st 3
Tan k r e - e n t e r e d w it h men en ga ged i n r em ova l o f s lu d g e . One o r m o r e men e n t e r e d t a n k w i t h o u t a i r l i n e m a s k s . Wh a t t i m e a n d how many men i n d e f i n i t e . One o r m or e men e n t e r e d b e f o r e n oon with ou t m asks, bu t masks were in u se d u rin g the a ft er n oo n . Qu estion g e n e r a lly co n fu s e d . ( I n fo r m a t io n from Hr. W it t e r . )
Cu r t is Harman e n t e r ed th e tan k Th u rsday m orning w it h o u t a m ask. At t e n ' o ' c l o c k h e "k n o ck e d o f f . " He "h a t e d t o do W i t t e r t h a t w a y b u t -was g o i n g t o g e t o u t o f t h e r e . " Wh en C u r t i s H a r m a n en t er s a tan k -without a m ask, he "a lwa ys t a k e s a good chew of t o b a c c o , a n d when t h e t o b a cco s t a r t s t a s t i n g s w e e t a n d fu n n y " , h e d ecid es I t is tim e to g e t o u t . (I n fo r m a t io n from C u r t is Harman.)
Tank n o t t e s t e d fo r ga s .
Tank cle a n in g equ ipm en t p a cked and sh ip p ed t o Hr. Dor sey a t R e n s s e l a e r , Hew Yo r k , Th u r s d a y a ft e r n o o n or e v e n i n g , l e a v i n g Thursday n ig h t " fa s t e x p r e s s ." (I n fo r m a t io n from M e s s r s . W it t e r , ' Vis e a n d H a r m a n . ) ( Th e r e i s some q u e s t i o n a s t o wh en t h e m a s k s w e r e c l e a n e d a n d p a c k e d f o r s h i p m e n t . One w o r k e r s a i d t h a t h e h e l p e d s h o r t l y a f t e r n oon t o c l e a n h o se an d do some p a c k in g . T h is may a ccou n t f o r t h e ch a n gin g p o s i t i o n o f a i r pump fr om on t op o f d ik e a t h i g h e s t p o i n t t o on a b a r r e l j u s t a b o u t t e n f e e t from, t h e man h ole and s l i g h t ly fa r t h e r from th e open slu d ge p i t . LJ S.)
P r id a y. Au gu st 0
Tan k e n t e r e d w i t h o u t m a s k s . Work o f r e m o va l o f m a t e r i a l
con t in u ed . P a r t o f t h e d a y a t l e a s t was d e vo t e d to sweep in g of
r u s t y m a t e r ia l fr o r ^ jh e b ot t om . Water u sed on t h e i r s i d e o f t h e
tan k, w it h Hr
h a n d li n g t h e h o s e . Mr.
worked, " a l l
day In th e tan k, t h a t is in and o u t ." Water p layed *on th e flo o r ,
a t l e a s t some on t h e r o o f , a s " i t f e l t h o t when i t d r op p ed fr om
th e r o o f , " and p o s s i b ly p la ye d on t h e w a lls . Th er e was a " l o t o f
wa t er u s e d . " ( C u r t is Harman m en t ion ed how "h o t and d u s t y t a n k s
g e t " bu t on d ir e c t q u est io n s a id "W it t er kep t lo t s of water goin g;
I 'l l sure say th at for h im ." )
One man s a i d h e d i d n ' t f e e l w e l l a n d wa n t e d t o "k n o ck o f f . "e e it h e r st op p ed wor kin g o r worked o u t s id e o f t h e t a n k. An oth er man, a p ip e f i t t e r o r a p ip e f i t t e r ' s h e lp e r , r e p la c e d him on th e in sid e of the tan k. This may be con fu sed .with Thursday and r e fe r to Cu r t is Harman, or i t may be an oth er man.
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r . [the l a s t to take a nower r id a y n igh t ,
s w e lle d f u e s n o iiin g up in t h e shov;er r o o m ." r:en t h e "h o t
a t e r k i t " h i m , h e f e l t b a d' . h e skeo. t h e n i g h t w a t ch m a n ,
.i - a r le s -'" a m a n . a b o u t a l l o f t h e a s o l i n s i n t h e r e a n d t h i n k s h e
as i
h a t some ; a s o l i n e h a d b e e n s o t i l e d n 't h e s h o w e r room .,
"d o e s n o t kn ow how h e n ot horns h u t *o t home somehow
m e ia a s o n s r . i l k a n d o r a n e e j u i c e . 11
Da tu r d ay, -auxust 10
h r . w e n t t o t h e p l a n t a n d h i s "men ca n s in a n d s a i d t h a t t h e y w e r e s i c k ." Fe c a l l e d D r . R u b in , "who e xa m in e d , t h e m en. " " e n ot t h r e e more men an a fin is h e d th e t a n k "in a l i t t l e w h i l e ." "T h e r e w a s n ' t m u ch l e f t , .' ju s t f i n i s h i n g c l e a n i n g t h e f l o o r i n a s m a l l s p a c e j u s t i n s i d e t h e m a n h o l e . " "Then h e p o t th r ou gh , he "p a id o ff a man" and d id n o t remember to g e t a r e c e i p t . He w a s e x a m in e d b y D r . R u b i n a n d was t o l d , " t o . :o on h o n e a n d go t o bed. an d h e w o u ld b e a l l r i g h t fo n d .a y m o r n in g ."
:s "d oe s n o t know how h e go t b a ck home b u t g o t home somehow an d haw some o r a n ge j u i c e an d m i l k ." ( In fo r m a t io n fr om :;r . h i t t e r . }
The men who w o r ke d on Sa t u r d a y w e r e A l b e r t f o o l s . Ch e s t e r F o e , a n d C h a r l e s Ha r m a n . ( I n f o r m a t i o n fr o m v,r . " T ic e . }
Ch a r le s barman was in th e t a n k o n ly a b o u t fi ft e e n m in u t e s , lo o k in g a r o u n d t o s e e t h a t n o t o o l s r e m a in e d . The o t h e r two men w er e "in a b o u t two h o u r s o ff and o n ." ( In fo r m a t io n fr om Ch a r le s
am a n .)
. k-;r* : b u n d a " a n d onaav, _-n; ur 10 , 11 a n d 11
H r. W O ttm ov Dr s. m ^ J c a l l e d
: "'owell.
t h e I t f a m i l y p h y s i c i a r f o r m a n y p e a r s . ""'r.
cor fu sed
a b o u t wh a t h a d h a p p e n e d fr om S a t u r d a y n oon or
worried
a aout h is nen and, through Dr. D ise or Dr. Rubin, or both , ;r is d
to see t h a t t h e y wer e g iv e n c a r e . D r . ./ ise c a l l e d on r r . w i t t e r
"'orday r i g h t t o ge t h e lp in m aking ou t t h e p a y r o ll. Acco r d in g to
H r. .vise, Hr. flH H H H p seem ed v e r y n e r vo u s when h e go t t h e r e , b u t was
p r e t t y q u ie t b ^ ^ Se tim e he l e f t .
~n.esd.ay, August Ip
Dr.- H o w e l l c a l l e d t h e " Ba l t i m o r e D i v i s i o n O f f i c e , t a l k i n g
with F .C. Dees, a skin g what the E th yl Corp oration h a d j ^ m n l e a d
p o i s o n i n g . D r . H o w e l l a d v i s e d t h a t h i s p a t i e n t , H r . f l j H H H r o ac]
been wor kin g on c le a n in g a t a n k th e week b e fo r e a t t h e Tid e w a t e r
"erm in al. Th is is th e f i r s t news t h a t th e Ba lt im or e O ffic e had
o f t h e t a n k c l e a n i n g . A c a l ^ a s m a d e t o Dr .j D a c h l e i n C i n c i n n a t i ,
g i v i n g t h e n a m e s o f T' r .
H o w e l l , a n d D r . w i s e . V 'v . a c h l e
c a l l e d b a c k a n d a d v i s e d t h a t i t wa s s a t i s f a c t o r y t o p r o c e e d wit h ,
c a l l s on Dr . w is e an d Dr .
l e a r n whagt bad. h a p p e n e d . Th e
w r i t e r t a l k e d , t o D r . Viise i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r l u n c h e o n , f i n d i n g h im
H 0021163
e x t r e m e ly r u s h e d g e t t i n g i n fo r m a t i o n f o r a c c i d e n t r e p o r t s . whe tank cle a n in g s it e , p it s and shower room were b r ie fly in sp e cte d w i t h V r . -<186, h e s u p p l y i n g som e i n f o r m a t i o n . ?'r . .Vis e p o i n t e d cu t t h a t the work had been done by an e n t ir e ly s e p a r a te dep artm en t fr om t h a t in w h ich he i s e m p lo ye d an d t h a t h e was none fr o m th e p la n t on F r id a y and knew l i t t l e o f t h e h a p p e n in gs . v i s i t was made to h r . f i t t e r betw een two and t h r e e o 'c lo c k 'Tuesday a ft e r n o o n and in fo r m a t io n , a s o u t lin e d a b o ve , o b t a in e d fr om h im .
Dr . T'ehoe c a l l e d t h e Di v i s i o n O f f i c e d u r in g t h e t im e o f t h e w r i t e r ' s c a l l o n h r . f l B B H B l g t t a l k l n y w i t h h r . C r o n i n . TTp o n r e t u r n in g to the O ffic e , t h e w r it e r c a lle d Dr . Fehoe in acco r d a n ce w ith h is r e q u e s t , o u t lin in g th e fin d in g s o f th e a ft e r n o o n . A c a ll was t h e n made t o D r . w a ch le a t Dr . Xe h o e ' s s u g g e s t io n .
D u r i n g t h e l a t e a f t e r n o o n a t e l e p h o n e c a l l 'was m a d e t o
T"r . y i s e , who was t o o r u s h e d w/ itn h i s a c c i d e n t r e p o r t s t o .want t c
give any in fo r m a tio n .
d id a d v is e t h a t a l l t h e men who were
s ic k h ad been fou n d and w ere u n d er t h e D o c t o r ' s c a r e . u n is ,
h ow ever , o n ly in c lu d e d th e fo llo w in g; f i v e men in a d d it io n t o
" r . w itter :
Dr . Se im a d i n a r r i v e d i n B a l t i m o r e l a t e rru e s d a y n i g h t .
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