In the aftermath of a deadly nitrogen gas leak at a Gainesville-area poultry plant in January 2021, federal investigators have released their final report, revealing a preventable tragedy that resulted in the loss of six lives. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) conducted the investigation, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on the North Georgia immigrant community that plays a crucial role in the region’s poultry industry.
The CSB’s findings, released earlier this week, point to a bent tube in an immersion freezer as the cause of the chemical leak. The compromised tube, likely bent during maintenance, disrupted the machine’s control system, leading to the freezer filling with an unsafe level of liquid nitrogen. This overflowed and transformed into a “deadly cloud,” resulting in the victims’ deaths by asphyxiation. Three additional employees and a first responder were seriously injured during the incident.
The severity of the situation was exacerbated by Foundation Food Group’s lack of preparedness and safety training, according to the CSB report. At least 14 employees entered the affected area, attempting to investigate or rescue their colleagues due to inadequate training and the absence of air monitoring and alarm devices.
Drew Sahli, CSB’s investigator-in-charge, highlighted the workers’ sacrifice, stating, “Workers were not aware of the deadly consequences of a liquid nitrogen release – ultimately trying to save their colleagues led to them sacrificing their own lives.”
The report further revealed stunning failures in Foundation Food Group’s safety management, including a vacant safety management position for over a year before the incident. The company neglected to inform, train, or prepare employees for a liquid nitrogen release, and there was no suitable personal protective equipment available.
Foundation Food Group leased the deficient freezer from Messer LLC, the industrial gas supplier, which, following the incident, sold the plant to Gold Creek Foods, the current owner. The CSB’s recommendations include proactive engagement with local emergency responders, a national standard from OSHA addressing cryogenic asphyxiants, improved guidance from industry associations, and updates to the International Fire Code to enhance safety measures for cryogenic asphyxiants.
This tragic event underscores the need for comprehensive safety measures within industries utilizing hazardous chemicals, emphasizing the importance of preventing similar incidents in the future.
