Occupational Safety

Safety practices were in those days quite lax by present day standards and personnel were exposed regularly to chemicals and conditions that would not be tolerated nowadays. For example, carbon tetrachloride was a common laboratory solvent and more than once I’ve had it in my mouth from the use of a pipette. Nowadays I doubt you could but it without a special dispensation.

Benzene, toluene and xylene vapors were common. Acetone was used actually as a rinse in washing chemical glassware which was then vaporized into the laboratory environs by use of an air jet. Between the pilot plant and the refinery entrance was the Edeleanu plant for solvent extraction to make motor oils and there was always a fog of sulfur dioxide hovering around the plant. Asbestos was used without any particular precaution in and around the plant and I’m sure I was exposed to it as much as some of the present day plaintiffs.

During the time I was working at the Wilmington pilot plant there was one fatal accident in the unit. There was a fire and one of the young engineers was burned so badly that he died. He was an individual who wasn’t as cautious as he might have been but the accident could have been unavoidable on his part. I recall the scene when he was carried from the pilot plant and laid down on the laboratory floor. It was a pretty sobering experience.