Winbond Kaohsiung Plant Chemical Spill Injures Four Contractors With Acid Burns

Major memory manufacturer Winbond Electronics experienced an industrial safety accident today at its Luzhu branch located in the Kaohsiung Science Park. According to preliminary reports from the factory and relevant authorities, subcontracted engineering personnel were performing chemical pipeline construction work inside the facility. During the operation, an apparent operational error or improper control of residual pressure in the pipeline caused chemical liquids to splash unexpectedly, resulting in varying degrees of chemical burns to four workers at the scene. Fortunately, all four injured individuals remained conscious immediately following the incident. After receiving emergency treatment on-site, they were transported to nearby hospitals for medical care and further observation.

The chemical liquid involved in this accident was a mixed waste solution of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid. In the semiconductor and memory manufacturing industries, hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid are extremely common and crucial chemical agents, primarily used in photolithography and wet processes such as wafer surface etching, cleaning, and impurity removal. However, these strong acids are highly corrosive and acutely toxic. Nitric acid possesses strong oxidizing capabilities, causing severe chemical burns to skin and tissues upon contact; hydrofluoric acid is even more specialized and dangerous, as the fluoride ions it dissociates can penetrate skin tissue, deeply destroying subcutaneous tissue and bones, and may even trigger systemic toxic reactions such as hypocalcemia. Consequently, the dismantling, modification, or waste liquid handling of such pipelines has always been classified as high-risk hazardous work.

In response to this industrial safety incident, regulatory authorities including the Kaohsiung City Bureau of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor intervened immediately and dispatched personnel to the Winbond Luzhu plant for an on-site inspection. The primary task of the labor inspection agencies is to clarify the exact cause of the accident, including whether the pre-construction pipeline evacuation procedures were strictly implemented, whether the residual pressure release steps met standards, whether the subcontractor personnel properly wore protective equipment, and whether the factory fulfilled its responsibilities for guidance and supervision in contractor management. According to Taiwan's Occupational Safety and Health Act and relevant regulations, business entities outsourcing construction work must provide hazard notifications and coordination management to contractors. If investigations reveal any violations of safety and health regulations, fines will be imposed in accordance with the law, and operations will be ordered to suspend for improvements.

In recent years, with the vigorous development of Taiwan's high-tech manufacturing industry, the frequency of plant expansions and process equipment maintenance has increased significantly, and such projects often require a large influx of subcontractor teams for assistance. Because outsourced personnel may be less familiar with the factory environment and specific pipeline layouts than internal employees, compounded by the intricate and complex pipelines within high-tech facilities carrying a wide variety of highly hazardous chemical substances, the implementation of contractor management and construction safety has become a major ongoing challenge for major enterprises. Ensuring that outsourced contractors complete comprehensive training before entering the site, implement standard operating procedures, and strictly control every high-risk link is an issue that the entire industry must jointly confront.

Following the hospitalization of the four injured workers, Winbond Electronics issued a statement regarding the incident, emphasizing that the injured are currently receiving proper treatment in hospitals with stable vital signs. The company has dispatched personnel to visit the hospitals and provide necessary assistance. Meanwhile, the factory is actively cooperating with labor inspection authorities in the investigation to clarify the details of the accident and is comprehensively reviewing safety regulations for pipeline construction throughout the facility to prevent similar incidents from recurring. This accident not only impacts the physical and mental health of the injured workers but also sounds another alarm regarding chemical handling safety in high-tech plants, highlighting that industrial safety cannot afford even the slightest relaxation in any production or maintenance phase.