Lee Howard Henninger, a 50-year-old supervisor at the Albemarle Corp. plant in Tyrone died Friday evening at his home just hours after being exposed to a chemical earlier in the day at work.
However, it remains undetermined if the incident at the plant and Henninger’s death are connected. Plant manager Randy Andrews said he has not had any further contact with the coroner’s office since he spoke with deputy coroner Jeff Guyer on Friday evening. Andrews said to his knowledge, the cause of Henninger’s death remains undetermined. The Herald was unable to reach Guyer this morning for additional details.
Andrews said Henninger was performing his routine duties, when the chemical thiophosphoryl chloride contacted his face under his protective equipment.
“We followed standard protocol,” said Andrews.
Henninger went to an eyewash station followed by a showering procedure and a company physician examined him. He was reevaluated later in the day by a physician and was cleared to return to work for the Friday third shift at 11 p.m.
Mr. Henninger died at his home and the company received word of his death about 7:30 on Friday evening.
“We had gone more than two years without a reportable injury of any kind,” said Andrews. “We have never had a fatality.”
He said the company had been internally investigating the incident all weekend. Andrews said he had been in contact with the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration regarding the incident. He expected to have contact with OSHA today and was still waiting to hear back from them this morning. Andrews said his company would do whatever they are asked to do regarding the investigation of the incident.
“Obviously, it depends on what the coroner comes back with as a cause of death,” said Andrews.
“We are doing whatever we can do to help the family,” said Andrews.
He said the next couple of days would be difficult for the family and for the company’s employees. Mr. Henninger’s viewing at the Derman Funeral Home is scheduled for today with funeral services on Tuesday.
Andrews referred to the 180 people employed at the company as a “big family.” Mr. Henninger had worked at Albemarle for more than 20 years.
A complete obituary for Lee Howard Henninger appears on page 2 of today’s paper.
