Safety issues and incidents

• In October 2012, two subcontract workers fell to their death resulting in a temporary suspension of construction activities.^[7] The subcontracting company was later found to be at fault.
• A Tennessee Occupational and Safety Administration (TOSHA) inspection conducted in March 2016 resulted in a fine of US$3,500 for regulatory violations over the control of hazardous energy.^[8]
• A second TOSHA inspection conducted in August 2016, resulted in a fine of US$4,000 for issues stemming from process safety and respiratory equipment.^[8]
• On August 30, 2017, 5 workers were hospitalized with chemical burns following a discharge of Silane gas within the plant.^[9][10][11]
• On November 13, 2020, at approximately 10:15 am, five workers were injured in an incident described as an "industrial accident" involving a small release of hydrochloric acid and steam.^[12] One of the workers died from his injuries later that day.^[13]

2017 explosion and aftermath

On September 7, 2017, a massive explosion in the plant's hydrogen recovery unit resulted in the release of a steam cloud which could be seen for several miles, as well as the environmental release of low-concentration hydrochloric acid. Due to initial concerns about the composition of the cloud, local officials closed a section of I-75 between nearby Cleveland and Calhoun, as well as nearby State Route 308 in Charleston.^[8][14] During the event, seven local residents, and a plant worker were transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.^[15] A firefighter and four sheriff's deputies were also treated for heat-related symptoms and later released. The following day, officials from TOSHA announced a temporary shutdown of the plant pending investigation.^[11] Five days later, an environmental sensor detected elevated levels of an unnamed substance prompting a shelter-in-place order for emergency workers involved in cleanup efforts within the facility.^[16]

During the explosion event, local officials instructed residents to shelter indoors with their windows closed and HVAC systems turned off. Nearby residents complained of respiratory distress, as well as an odd taste in their mouths. This led to speculation in both local and social media that the cloud contained high-concentration hydrochloric acid,^[17] despite media reports to the contrary.^[15][18] For the week following the event, there was little-to-no communication from Wacker management or government officials, resulting in further speculation about hazardous chemicals being released into the environment. Wacker management later issued a full-page letter stating that no hazardous chemicals were released.^[19][20] One and a half weeks later, Bradley County Emergency Management Agency Director Troy Spence held a press-conference attempting to allay fears, and urging residents to sign up for the county's non-emergency text-messaging service.^[21]