Two employees at a dental implant manufacturing facility in Falls Township were hospitalized after receiving chemical burns Thursday morning.
Fire Marshal Rich Dippolito was not certain of the condition of two employees, but did say they were alert and conscious as emergency medical crews transported them to the hospital.
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First responders were dispatched to the Hiossen Inc. facility on the gated grounds of the Keystone Industrial Port Complex, which is home to the old U.S. Steel Fairless Works facility, for a chemical spill with injuries at 9:44 a.m.
The two workers were hurt when dangerous nitric acid sprayed on them following a reaction in a laboratory in the facility, Dippolito said.
According to information from the CDC, the chemical is a “colorless liquid that is used in the manufacture of inorganic and organic nitrates and nitro compounds for fertilizers, dye intermediates, explosives, and many different organic chemicals.” Further information found says the chemical can cause skin burns due to its acidic nature and discoloration.
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The building where the spill, which was less than 5 gallons, happened was evacuated and company officials tested the air quality. After the test came back negative for hazards, fire crews left the scene at about 10:45 a.m. The company has teams in place to mitigate the spilled nitric acid, the fire marshal said.
The Falls Township Fire Company responded along with the Fire Marshal’s office and medics. The Bucks County Hazardous Incident Response Team was not needed, Dippolito said.
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Hiossen is a subsidiary of Osstem Implant. Aside from the Falls Township headquarters, Hiossen has offices across North America.
