100 Workers Rushed To Hospital Following Ammonia Leakage In Chonburi

[webfact]

100 workers rushed to hospital following ammonia leakage

An ammonia leakage in a fresh chicken meat factory in Chon Buri's Nong Yai district Monday morning prompted some 100 workers to run for their life while a pregnant worker fainted.

The ammonia was suspected to leak from the factory's second floor into the air-conditioning system, leading this problem.

At 7am, the smell of ammonia made 200 workers, dressed in ready to work, reluctant to get inside the factory, but they were urged to keep working by a foreman who feared the meat products wouldn't be ready for export in time. By 9am, the smell was so intense especially at the chicken drumstick cutting section that some workers developed respiratory difficulty, chest tightness and vomit and one three-month-old pregnant worker fainted. She and 100 workers sought treatments at the district hospital and nearby medical facilities, while the foreman had already escaped.

The factory wasn't officially open yet until early next month but the workers already started working because of many orders.

-- The Nation 2010-10-25

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

That's a brand new factory on Hwy 344. Out in the middle of nowhere. I used to pass by it every day driving between Klaeng and Chonburi. It's a huge factory, and probably will eventually have more than 5,000 workers.

I hope the ammonia is for cleaning up chicken guts.

[Bagwan]

I am so pleased that the foreman is OK. Seems a particularly caring sort of chap.

Money 10   Health and welfare of workers 0.

[tomyummer]

I hope that pregnant woman and unborn child is okay. She should not even be there with a baby on the way. Ammonia, salmonella, other bacteria, etc. Fainting from the ammonia has most likely already done some damage. The foreman should be caught, strung up like a chicken, gutted and minced. What a tool.

[SergeiY]

according to google this is the only article in the internet that use the words "fresh chicken meat factory " in exactly that order.

[webfact]

Workers keep working despite ammonia leak

By The Nation

The leakage of ammonia in a fresh chicken meat factory in Chon Buri's Nong Yai district yesterday morning prompted some 100 workers to run for their lives, while a pregnant worker fainted.

It is suspected the ammonia leaked in the factory's second floor and entered the central airconditioning system.

Though the 200 workers were reluctant to start their shift at 7am due to the faint whiff of ammonia, the foreman kept pushing them because he feared the meat products wouldn't be ready for export in time. By 9am, the smell became so intense, that some workers developed respiratory difficulties, chest tightness and started vomiting. A worker, who was three months into her pregnancy, fainted. She and 100 other workers sought treatment at the district hospital and nearby medical facilities. The foreman, meanwhile, had left the factory before the ammonia smell became worse.

Though the factory will not officially open until early next month, the workers have already started doing their shifts to complete the orders.

-- The Nation 2010-10-26

[Soutpeel]

Not good....had a "belt" off ammonia many years ago on a chemical plant,

I blame the tree huggers for this, they got the refrigerants (R-12 etc) banned from chiling systems and anhydrous ammonia is one of the few options for industrial chilling, so save the ozone layer, but possibly kill a few people in the process.....

[geriatrickid]

Not good....had a "belt" off ammonia many years ago on a chemical plant,

I blame the tree huggers for this, they got the refrigerants (R-12 etc) banned from chiling systems and anhydrous ammonia is one of the few options for industrial chilling, so save the ozone layer, but possibly kill a few people in the process.....

Have you looked at a map recently? This may come as a shock to you, so maybe you better have a seat, but Thailand is in Asia. Asia has a thriving black market in "banned" HFCs. Are you aware that HCFC will not be "banned" in Thailand until 2030? Are you aware that Indian chemical factories churn out all forms of the banned refrigerants? Are you aware that all developing countries were given dispensations on the products now banned in the developed world?? Do you even know what the Kyoto accords are?

Next time, before you start bitching about "tree huggers" do the research ok?

Ammonia remains as the most efficient coolant. When systems are maintained, ammonia does not present an elevated hazard.Typically, modern installations use ammonia in the ctitical areas with secondary coolants used for non critical areas. Engineering has advanced in the last decade.

[Soutpeel]

Not good....had a "belt" off ammonia many years ago on a chemical plant,

I blame the tree huggers for this, they got the refrigerants (R-12 etc) banned from chiling systems and anhydrous ammonia is one of the few options for industrial chilling, so save the ozone layer, but possibly kill a few people in the process.....

Have you looked at a map recently? This may come as a shock to you, so maybe you better have a seat, but Thailand is in Asia. Asia has a thriving black market in "banned" HFCs. Are you aware that HCFC will not be "banned" in Thailand until 2030? Are you aware that Indian chemical factories churn out all forms of the banned refrigerants? Are you aware that all developing countries were given dispensations on the products now banned in the developed world?? Do you even know what the Kyoto accords are?

Next time, before you start bitching about "tree huggers" do the research ok?

Ammonia remains as the most efficient coolant. When systems are maintained, ammonia does not present an elevated hazard.Typically, modern installations use ammonia in the ctitical areas with secondary coolants used for non critical areas. Engineering has advanced in the last decade.

Engineering certainly has advanced in the last decade, unlike your sense of humour, it appears......

Thanks for the engineering lesson, wish I had this info when I was involved in building 6 massive ammonia chiller plants for deep levels mining...:jap:

[geriatrickid]

Not good....had a "belt" off ammonia many years ago on a chemical plant,

I blame the tree huggers for this, they got the refrigerants (R-12 etc) banned from chiling systems and anhydrous ammonia is one of the few options for industrial chilling, so save the ozone layer, but possibly kill a few people in the process.....

Have you looked at a map recently? This may come as a shock to you, so maybe you better have a seat, but Thailand is in Asia. Asia has a thriving black market in "banned" HFCs. Are you aware that HCFC will not be "banned" in Thailand until 2030? Are you aware that Indian chemical factories churn out all forms of the banned refrigerants? Are you aware that all developing countries were given dispensations on the products now banned in the developed world?? Do you even know what the Kyoto accords are?

Next time, before you start bitching about "tree huggers" do the research ok?

Ammonia remains as the most efficient coolant. When systems are maintained, ammonia does not present an elevated hazard.Typically, modern installations use ammonia in the ctitical areas with secondary coolants used for non critical areas. Engineering has advanced in the last decade.

Engineering certainly has advanced in the last decade, unlike your sense of humour, it appears......

Thanks for the engineering lesson, wish I had this info when I was involved in building 6 massive ammonia chiller plants for deep levels mining...:jap:

You were blaming "tree huggers" for the use of ammonia at the chicken processing plant. The fact of the matter is that ammonia was the most effective way to achieve the flash freeze necessary. The coolants that you assumed were banned are still available in Thailand and are still being manufactured by India and China. That's the point.