Work at Hai Long wind farm’s on-shore construction site in Changhua County has been suspended following a carbon dioxide leak that injured 17 workers, site contractor Teco Electrics & Machinery Co said on Wednesday.
A safety examination and financial loss assessment are being conducted after the leak took place on Tuesday when workers were filling 200 cylinders with carbon dioxide, a Teco statement said.
Among the injured, seven remain hospitalized — four undergoing treatment and three under observation — while the other 10 had been discharged, the company said.
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Three of the hospitalized workers remain in critical condition, with their coma scale at the lowest score of 3, indicating severe brain injury, the Changhua County Government said.
The cause of the incident is believed to be improper operation and installation of high-pressure cylinders by staff, leading to the leakage, Teco said.
The potential loss or impact is under review, and the amount of insurance to be claimed has yet to be determined, it added.
The Ministry of Labor on Tuesday said that a fine of NT$300,000 would be levied due to inadequate occupational health and safety measures.
A preliminary inspection has found that there were no measures in place to prevent gas leaks and no clear labeling of equipment.
Teco said that it would install safety equipment for workers in accordance with standard safety procedures.
It would set up anti-leakage devices and safety measures in the high-pressure cylinder room, provide re-education and training for workers, and carry out inspections, the company said.
In addition, Teco said it would deploy monitoring staff and supervisors to improve operational control.
The Changhua County Government also issued a statement, saying that it would assign occupational disaster specialists to assist the affected workers to seek compensation from their employer and provide legal consultation services.
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