Union Carbide Corp. Nitrogen Asphyxiation Incident
Hahnville, LA, Issued on February 23, 1999
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The CSB investigated a nitrogen asphyxiation incident at Union Carbide Corporation's Taft/Star Manufacturing Plant in Hahnville, LA. The investigation found that the facility's procedures to control and warn employees of potential hazards created by erecting temporary enclosures around nitrogen-containing equipment were inadequate. Personnel were unable to detect hazardous levels of nitrogen because the gas is undetectable by human senses. The CSB issued recommendations based on these root and contributing causes.