A driver completed delivery of sulphuric acid at a chemical wholesaler’s. The transfer made use of the tanker’s compressor since the company was not equipped with one. The deliveryman, wearing individual protective gear, degassed and then opened the tanker lid to ensure it was empty. He proceeded to close the bottom valve, the foot valve and lastly the client’s valve. When disconnecting the hose, some product sprayed onto his neck. His calls for help were muffled by the plant’s background noise, which led to him panicking and dousing himself with a water pipe, instead of using the station’s safety shower, intended for rinsing hoses. An employee heard his shouts several minutes later and notified first responders.

The acid spray was due to an operational flaw, since the driver performed his steps in the wrong order. The procedure actually called for closing the valves prior to degassing the hose in the tanker by opening the dome slightly. The lack of supervision by plant personnel during the transfer was an exacerbating factor, as the driver was left on his own.