On November 13, 2020, a graphite heat exchanger cracked during maintenance activities, releasing gaseous hydrogen chloride (HCl) at the Wacker Polysilicon North America facility in Charleston, Tennessee. The incident occurred on the fifth floor of an equipment access structure when a contractor pipefitter applied excessive torque to flange bolts on a heat exchanger outlet pipe, causing the pipe to crack and release HCl. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) investigated the incident and published its findings in an Investigation Report released in June 2023.
During this presentation, Tyler Nelson, Chemical Incident Investigator with the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), provides a summary of the CSB’s investigation, detailing the cause, safety issues, and resulting recommendations.
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