AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE 40:215–220 (2001) CASE REPORT Fatal Unintentional Occupational Poisonings by Hydrofluoric Acid in the U.S.

Background Case reports have identified hydrofluoric acid (HF) as causing fatal work injury, and HF has both local and systemic toxicity. Surveillance for HF-related mortality is problematic because of the lack of unique coding for this acid in hospital records and vital statistics. Methods We identified HF-related fatal work injuries investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for 1984–94 from coding of Hazardous Substance 1460 (HF) and requested case investigation files under the Freedom of Information Act. We attempted to identify HF-related deaths in the US for the same period through literature case reports, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). Results For the 11 year period, OSHA investigated nine deaths in eight incidents which involved HF. Four deaths were from skin contact with concentrated HF, and five deaths involved both skin contact and inhalation of vapor. Unsafe work practices were factors in all of the deaths. Calcium chloride or gluconate was noted to have been administered to five of the nine victims. Calcium was administered 90 min after exposure to two victims