Document M482z54B844Nvp9rm9KBGa3NV
ETHYL CORPORATION
lOO PARK AVENUE BUILDING AT 41st STREET NEWYOKE 17, N. Y.
January 15,
D r . K . V . Kitzmiller The Kettering Laboratory
Eden and Bethesda Avenues
Cincinnati 19, Ohio
Dear Karl:
Subject: Japanese Tank Cleaning Accident
We have just received a supposedly authentic report on
the tank cleaning accident which occurred in Japan in 1958 4
will he noted that the actual fatalities occurred between August
27 and September 2 of that year. If you haye-any e'omments, we
would appreciate hearing from you.
,4 ,
HKB:vb Attachment
CC: D r . L . W . Sanders Mr. J. J. Frey M r . A . J . Baldwin -
1
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Cie^aing Personnel: 'Cleaning of the tanks was'subcontracted by a Japanese
taai cleaning company by order of the U. S.,Forces under supervision of the
U. S. Forces personnel.- . , -'
-' '
Tanks: "Under-ground aviation gasoline tanks, originally constructed by the
A-pcnese Ifevy, which have been owned by U. S.- Forces in Japan after the war.
ihm&er and capacity of the tanks are unknown but they are estimated approxi
mately at 12 and 33,000 tons, respectively. On top of the tank there was
& asnhole in the center, which m s the only entrance to the tank. Over
the manhole a winch was installed by which sludge was carried out. Besides
tbs manhole, veni ilation hole was attached to the tank and pipelines through
the tunnel beneath the tank.''-'"" -
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Safety Equipments: According to the contract prior to the cleaning, the safety equipments such as rubber boots, rubber gloves, safety helmets, airEsasks, coverall, etc. were furnished by the sub-con&mctorf while life
jackets were furnished,by the orderer regarding the working condition.
' " A A ` -. h%?
_A .-A A A A - - -
ClaULn-,ng Procedure: After draining the gasoline, they filled the tank with
water. A rafter made of empty drums floating on the water was used as
platform on which the workers could wash the tank from top to bottom while
vatur was drained*'*2'-1* i *V - b
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Vorkirg Hours: * m i n ~ s:3o - 1 2 , 0 0 - `a * * . - - A ' P i W S B S i i S
(break for lunch' 12.00 - 1.00) '
-. V
-
Afternoon 1.00
30
3,- -
* ' . '"
Hiring the vorking hours the 'tank crew stayed-wlthout taking'any break-off to rest or to inspect cIctMngAxceptlat:runchl'rrAsfit was summer the temperature outside ' iv'-* ,'-hhk vas 95T the.highest,,idiile inside the tank was a little cooler.
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Cleaning Went on: Tank cleaning was started ia tbs first part of |wK. :i.95S"|uqd.six tasks,ware cleased by tbs middle of July 195^* ie '
tenir m a 'facing cleaned between Joly 20th e M August 26th. At the last
;<*f cleaning of this 7th teak sonee people were beginning t|> ccaglaln of. baadach. and sleeplessness, who were not able to continue to work.
the director of the subcontractor was obliged to hire day
laborair temporarily who were not accustossed to cleaning leaded gasoline . task.--:In the raeantisss, the following number of the victims were dead:
_*- " *-*?>
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August 27th k
" 28th 2
" 30th 1
September 2nd 1
- % 5 T ---- W
", 33s victim dead on September 2nd was the director of the s ubcontreetor
'iT^hiaself.* This was reported to the public by some Japanese newspapers,
finally called the people's attention to'be accident. | '
9* factors' to the Cause of the Accident: Some factors which were presumed as
the causes of the accident are as follows:
f 'i l) ; Insufficient inspection of the safety equipments
' As the tank crew ueared overall made of absorbent materi , cotton,
- f4 "his skin was almost free to touch contaminated water wfaicj came down
r r frcm the ceiling and wall. He should have worn v&ter-p: f clothing,
Upon checking-up made after the accident, some of the s ty equipments
^1- _;;were found useless frcea daasage. For example, 2/3 of
r gloves
^.^fip.-^Jwezje found broken, while 3 rabber boot out of 30 were b ken. Due to
' li '-neglecting daily inspection# complete equipsesats at the ginning of the
; ` cleaning were damaged while using.
. ,2/ Severe working condition.
. , ' As there m s no break-off to rest in the working hours of 3*30 each in
the morning and afternoon, the tank crews in the tank sometime took
' - their gloves and masks off to mop sweat.
!
3) Insufficient knowledge of lead-hazard.
!
' ,The cleaning procedure manual, published iq, the U. S. wastranslated
' into Japanese sad was given to the subcontractor by the orderer, in which
' there was no instruction suitable to this type of cleaning.
'
k) The supervisor measured only concentration of gasoline vapor in the tank
- ' . everyday at the beginning <Jf cleaning. And, he even advised the tank crews
, not to use
when he measured little concentration of gas vapor in
10., ' a&d-Hazard appeared;at 7~th Tank's Cleaning;-
[ , - >
', ty quantitative analysis of sludge the biggest quantity of lead was found
' in the sludge obtained from the 7th tank among''all the tanka- It is presumed-
that in this ftb tank the gasoline specially contained TEL yhich exceeded tbs
limit of regular dosage for acme reasons 7 If not, however, it can easily
speculated that lead deposited, which had been introduced iirto worker's body
through his skin and mouth during tee last few months, had Accumulated ana `
lastly exceeded tee limit by tee period of cleaning the 7thj tank.
- -.
- The End' -
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