During a delivery, a driver connected by mistake the hose onto the hydrochloric acid bulk container and proceeded to transfer the contents into the client’s sodium hypochlorite tank. The chlorine (Cl2) released intoxicated the driver, who tried to close the valve on his lorry. Rescue services were called and transported the stricken man to the hospital.

Hydrochloric acid and bleach were normally stored in different locked premises. The recipient agreed with the driver to transfer the sodium hypochlorite first, before opening the bleach storage. Only at the time of establishing these connections, the driver started up the acid transfer pump, then entered the storage zone before attempting to shut off the valve on his lorry.

The implicated transport company adopted a number of measures, including: performing connections in the client’s presence, verifying distribution of cartridge masks to drivers along with a spare cartridge, issuing the instruction to wear the mask around the neck or waist in order to be prepared to adjust it at any time, revising the transfer protocol by insisting on reciprocal connection controls (control of the driver’s connection by the reception officer and reciprocally), writing and disseminating a safety news flash to communicate on this accident at the national scale, informing swimming pool operators as a reminder of risks tied to the accidental mix of hydrochloric acid and bleach, and conducting an annual review of the self-breathing apparatus issued to drivers.