January 16, 2012 a United Steelworker (USW) member of Local 422 was seriously burned by a caustic green/white liquor spray while working at the Appleton mill in Roaring Spring, PA. He remains hospitalized in Pittsburgh, PA.
 
The USW Emergency Response Team is responding along with the USW Health and Safety Department.  The incident remains under investigation, but the preliminary findings are that cleaning was taking place on the plugged riser tube on the causticizing’s #1 causticizer tank.  The 215-degree caustic green/white liquor blew out the top of the riser tube while the worker was standing on top of the tank to rod out the plugged riser tube.  It appears that pressure from an air-lance is what caused the unexpected upward shower of hazardous materials.  The worker has only been on this job for 2 ½ months.
 
Again, we are committed to uncovering the details and sharing them with all USW Paper Locals so that we may remove any similar hazards and prevent further incidents of this kind that could injure our members or other workers at USW paper mills in the future.  If any Locals have experienced a similar incident at your local, please let us know so that we can make sure any hazards are corrected to the fullest extent.  Thank you for your support and solidarity.