Burst hose left worker with ammonia burns

A worker suffered serious chemical burns when a rubber hose ruptured at a mineral processing plant in Western Australia, enveloping him in an ammonia cloud.

According to a preliminary report by the Department of Mines and Petroleum, the worker was exposed below the waist to pressurised anhydrous ammonia at about -33C and was air lifted to a city hospital for treatment.

The investigation is ongoing but it appears that not all aspects of flexible hose safety and integrity procedures were followed.

There had been other hose failures at the processing plant over the previous 12 months, the department said.

All workers had undergone a training program before the incident as a result.