At 11:35 am on April 6, 2021, a chemical spill occurred at a factory owned by South Korean semiconductor manufacturer SK Hynix, resulting in 3 workers being injured.
According to reports from South Korean media, it was SK Hynix’s M16 plant in Icheon, South Korea that caused the chemical spill. The accident occurred on the fifth floor of this plant and the leak was hydrofluoric acid.
It is understood that when the leak occurred, workers were inspecting equipment on the 5th floor. Three workers were injured in the leak. One employee suffered burns to his arms and legs, and the other two employees accidentally inhaled fluoric acid gas. He was rushed to the hospital immediately. As of now, none of the three is in danger of life.
According to the investigation by the South Korean police, the hydrofluoric acid leaked while the maintenance company was trying out environmental analysis equipment. In this regard, SK Hynix stated that the accident occurred while inspecting the new M16 factory equipment. The leak was handled properly on the day of the leak, but a small amount of leaks had no impact on semiconductor production. "Fortunately, the three injured workers were okay after being sent to the hospital for first aid. As for the real cause of the chemical spill, SK hynix said it would actively assist the local fire department to conduct further investigations.
Hydrofluoric Acid (Hydrofluoric Acid) is an aqueous solution of hydrogen fluoride gas, a clear, colorless, smoky corrosive liquid with a strong pungent odor. Hydrofluoric acid is a weak acid, which is extremely corrosive and can strongly corrode metals, glass and silicon-containing objects. Inhalation of vapor or contact with skin can cause incurable burns. The laboratory generally uses fluorite (the main component is calcium fluoride) and concentrated sulfuric acid to prepare it, and it needs to be sealed in a plastic bottle and stored in a cool place.
The M16 factory where the hydrofluoric acid leak occurred this time is a new factory just built by SK Hynix. The cumulative investment in the construction of the factory has reached 3.5 trillion won, mainly for the production of DRAM products. The new plant covers an area of 57,000 square meters and is the largest production base of SK hynix in the world. As an important future-oriented factory of SK hynix, the M16 factory has also introduced an extreme ultraviolet lithography machine. This is the first time that SK hynix has introduced this type of equipment. The M16 factory is currently installing and testing the last batch of production equipment, preparing for the formal mass production in the second half of 2021.
Source: Mobile Public Account
