Officials of the Army's chemical weapons incinerator near Stockton, Tooele County, have confirmed that a worker was exposed to sarin (GB) nerve agent Monday.
The exposure was to "residual" traces of GB, said Chuck Sprague, an information officer at the plant. "The worker exhibited minor symptoms and was cleared to return to work in non-toxic operations," Sprague added in a written statement.
Two workers at the plant were performing routine maintenance on a line that carried nerve agent when they came in contact with nerve agent at 8:23 a.m. Monday, he said. "The air monitoring system in the room alarmed at a high level.
"The two workers, who were in coveralls with charcoal respirators, immediately donned protective masks and moved into the LIC (liquid incinerator) secondary room to begin decontamination procedures."
They were taken to the plant clinic and tested. One had normal levels of blood chemicals, but tests on the other showed he had been exposed to nerve agent. His pupils were "pinpointing," which was termed a minor symptom.
The worker was released after observation.
Two others who were in a nearby room at the time of the alarm went to the clinic and showed no evidence of exposure.
The plant finished destroying all its GB munitions and containers in March and has been going through a changeover to handle the more persistent nerve agent VX.
"The event was reported to Tooele County officials within 10 minutes," Sprague wrote. "An investigation continues."