Two dead after inhaling toxic fumes in Port Dickson
The Star Online, 27 March 2013
SEREMBAN: Two workers collapsed and died after transferring liquid caustic soda from a tanker to a holding tank at the Kualiti Alam integrated scheduled waste management facility in Bukit Nanas, Port Dickson.
K. Segar, 42, and Bangladeshi Khalil Abdul Mozaid, 47, who were both employed by a Kualiti Alam subcontractor, are believed to have inhaled liquid caustic soda fumes while doing the job.
The men collapsed at about 4pm on Monday after completing the two-hour transfer process.
Kualiti Alam said in a statement that the incident occurred in spite of its stringent safety procedures.
“These are the first casualties reported in our 17 years of operations. We are deeply shocked and saddened by this,” said the company.
Segar had been working at the facility since it began operations while Khalil had been there for the past five years.
Preliminary investigations by the company indicated there was a high concentration of hydrogen sulphide gas in the area where the transfer was carried out.
“The fumes may have originated from the hose that was disconnected from the tanker after the liquid caustic soda was transferred to the holding tank.
“The actual cause of death will be only determined once the post-mortem has been performed,” the company said, adding that it was working closely with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, the Department of Environment, police and the Fire and Rescue Department to establish what had happened.
The plant has remained closed since the tragedy.
The management has also pledged to assist the families of the victims and compensate them.
