Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

At a chemical site, a tanker car containing vinyl chloride was drained into ammonia spheres. No visible impact on the storage facilities was recorded due to the non-reactivity of both chemical products, yet the production line of a workshop needed to be halted. The incident was caused by a number of procedural errors: non-verification of the numbers and data sheets from the cistern by personnel responsible for material transfer and by the subcontractor assigned to handle the cistern, the absence of verification testing prior to drainage, and the failure to adapt tanker car orifices to the transfer mechanism by use of flanges exterior to the transfer station. The procedures for both vehicle identification and armguard use were reminded to all personnel and a procedure was implemented regarding the identification of products for discharge.