Court Opinion

ID: 9714581
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:40:43.399626+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:27.211091
License: Public Domain

HESTER, J.,
dissenting:
¶ 11 respectfully dissent.
¶ 2 There is no dispute as to the facts. In 1964, the Frick Company designed, manufactured, and installed a freezer system in the plant of Town Square Foods. The plant then was acquired by Rich Products Corporation, the owner at the time of the unfortunate accident that resulted in the death of Angela L. DeSantis. Ms. DeSantis died as the result of inhaling anhydrous ammonia that had been released into the workplace when a valve on the freezer ruptured from “hydraulic shock,” a condition which sometimes occurs when liquid ammonia used as a refrigerant condenses and accumulates in a freezer coil during manual defrosting.
As the trial judge, the Honorable John A. Bozza, P.J. set forth in his opinion:
In the mid to late 1980’s, manufacturers of industrial freezers of the type at issue in this case began installing a “liquid drainer,” which prevented condensed liquid and ammonia from accumulating and reduced the chance of hydraulic shock. In addition, in the early 1990’s, a device known as a “scrubber” was developed which had the effect of dissipating inordinate pressure which would build up behind the valves as a result of the accumulation of liquid ammonia in freezer coils. Information concerning the use *633of these devices was disseminated throughout the freezer industry and Frick would have been aware of it through trade publications or other means. Frick did not advise Rich or other freezer customers of their utilization. Had one or both of these devices been installed on Rich’s freezer system, the likelihood that the valve in question would have ruptured would have been significantly diminished.
Trial Court Opinion, 10/27/98, at 1-3.
¶ 3 Frick is a member of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration. In 1989 and 1990, that organization disseminated publications dealing with hydraulic shock in ammonia systems and how to avoid component failure in industrial refrigeration systems caused by abnormal pressure or shock. Frick was aware of those documents and the situations discussed therein as well as the recommendations to eliminate the possibility of hydraulic shock.
¶ 4 It is obvious that the condition causing the death of Miss DeSantis as well as methods of eliminating those conditions was receiving considerable attention from the industry. Frick did nothing to warn Rich of the dangerous condition or to suggest means of eliminating or correcting that condition.
¶ 5 In my judgment, the fact situation before us imposed upon Frick a duty to warn Rich of the explosive release of ammonia from the industrial freezer installed by Frick as well as of the availability of safety devices to prevent such release.
¶ 6 The imposition of that duty to warn is supported by our Supreme Court’s holding in Walton v. Avco Corp., 530 Pa. 568, 610 A.2d 454 (1992).
¶ 7 I would reverse the summary judgment and remand for further proceedings.