The investigation into the death of a 50-year-old worker at Tyrone’s Albemarle Corp. chemical plant is continuing this week while a Blair County Judge has issued an injunction to preserve equipment and the work area the man was using at the time of a mishap last week.
Judge Daniel Milliron issued the injunction yesterday after a request from attorneys for the man’s family. A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for this Friday.
Lee Howard Henninger of rural Tyrone died Friday evening at his home just hours after being exposed to a chemical earlier in the day at work. Blair County Deputy Coroner Jeff Guyer investigated the death and an autopsy was conducted over the weekend. However, the autopsy left the cause of death undetermined, which led to further tests.
Plant manager Randy Andrews said Henninger was performing his duties when the chemical thiophosphoryl chloride contacted his face under his protective equipment. Andrews said Henninger was troubleshooting a flow problem in a line. He said Henninger, in his duties as a foreman, was involved in troubleshooting those types of situations.
Andrews explained the company followed “standard protocol” after the incident.
Henninger went to an eyewash station followed by a showering procedure and a company physician examined him. He was reevaluated later in the day by a physician and was cleared to return to work for the Friday third shift at 11 p.m. Mr. Henninger died at his home and the company received word of his death about 7:30 on Friday evening.
Andrews said the company had been internally investigating the incident and contacted the Department of Labor’s Occupationa—–yesterday and officials are expected to return on Friday to interview one or more workers who were on the scene at the time of the mishap. Andrews had previously said his company would do whatever they are asked to do regarding the investigation of the incident.
This morning he noted the company had already preserved the scene and the equipment, which is standard procedure whenever there is an investigation into an incident.
In a Herald article earlier this week Andrews referred to the 180 people employed at the company as a “big family.” Henninger had worked at Albemarle for more than 20 years. The company is offering grief counseling for employees and their family members and time off for employees who request it.
Viewing for Mr. Henninger was held Monday and funeral services were conducted yesterday.
