A Rönnskärsverken employee suffered a chemical facial burn while on duty.
A Rönnskärsverken worker sustained a chemical exposure to the face while on duty. The incident occurred in early August during a lye pipeline flushing operation at the Skelleftehamn facility. A cracked connection between the lye and water lines caused lye to forcefully eject, splashing the worker's face and wrist.
Immediate action was taken as the employee used an emergency shower followed by a more thorough rinse in a nearby cabin. Although no visible injuries were apparent, the worker sought medical evaluation as a precaution. A subsequent examination by a healthcare professional confirmed the absence of injuries.
Rönnskärsverken communications manager, Per Sundberg, confirmed the worker adhered to safety protocols by using the emergency shower. The company is implementing measures to prevent a recurrence. One contributing factor identified was the worker's failure to wear a mandatory visor.
– We will reinforce safety guidelines to ensure protective equipment is used consistently, Sundberg stated.
– As this is an infrequently performed task, we will also mandate pipeline inspections before future operations.
Boliden, the parent company, has classified the incident as a near-miss and filed a corresponding report to Arbetsmiljöverket, the Swedish authority responsible for issues relating to the working environment and work injury statistics.