Accident: 201770187 - Killed When Storage Drum Explodes And Burns

Employee #1 and a coworker were using an oxygen/acetylene torch to cut metal shapes from a 25 in. by 35 in. by 1/8 in. sheet of steel. The work was being done on an empty 55 gallon drum that had contained methyl alcohol. The drum exploded, resulting in a flash fire. Employee #1 was killed and his coworker sustained severe burns.

welding, work rules, acetylene torch, methyl alcohol, explosion, fire, flammable vapors, drum, vapor, chemical

Accident: 170864037 - Mechanic Burned, Later Dies, In Tank Trailer Explosion

At approximately 4:45 p.m. on March 4, 1997, Employee #1, a mechanic, was using an oxygen-acetylene torch to melt solid asphalt from outside the inner shell of a 42 ft tank trailer. A coworker had previously used the trailer to haul approximately 400 lb of asphalt. The coworker had then poured 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 gallons of diesel fuel into the top of the tank trailer to flush out the internal piping, discharge valve, and discharge hose before driving the empty trailer truck into the employer's yard. Employee #1 had partially stripped exterior sheet metal and insulation from the tank trailer and was starting to remove the solid asphalt when it exploded. The explosion separated the trailer into three sections and heavily damaged the shop building where it was parked. Employee #1 sustained burns over 85 percent of his body and died on march 11, 1997. He did not attempt to inert or purge the tank, or to test for flammable or combustible vapors, before he began working with the torch.

explosion, flammable vapors, work rules, flammable liquid, asphalt, acetylene torch, tank truck, burn, fire, mechanic

Accident: 200020287 - Injured When Drum Explodes During Cutting

Employee #1 was using a Sawzall to cut off the tops and bottoms of unwashed 55 gallon drums that had previously held oil-based paints and lacquer thinner. After cutting several drums and breaking a number of saw blades, hr decided to switch to an oxy/acetylene torch. The final drum to be cut had previously contained lacquer thinner, and the bungs had not been removed to allow it to air. The drum exploded while Employee #1 was cutting it. He fractured both legs and sustained second-degree burns to his face, hands, and neck. Employee #1 was flown to a local trauma center and then transferred to a burn center.

drum, explosion, cutting and burning, acetylene torch, flammable vapors, burn, work rules, fracture, face, ventilation

Accident: 950428 - One Killed, One Injured In Fuel Tank Explosion

Employees #1 and #2 were dismantling a 10 ft by 17 1/2 ft gasoline storage tank using acetylene cutting torches when the tank exploded. Shrapnel from the tank decapitated Employee #1 and seriously injured his coworker. Employee #2 is currently at the University of Virginia Burn Center, and is not expected to survive. The tank had not been vented or purged, nor had the level been checked.

construction, storage tank, decapitated, flying object, explosion, work rules, struck by, dismantling, acetylene torch, cutting and burning

End Use Proj Type Proj Cost Stories NonBldgHt Fatality Tower, tank, storage elevator Demolition Under $50,000 X

Accident: 201350212 - Dies Of Burns When Flammable Vapors Ignite

At approximately 9:10 a.m. on February 14, 1997, Employee #1, age 18, was using an oxy-acetylene torch to cut off the top of a 55 gallon drum and to cut some handles on the drum. His coworker, who gave Employee #1 the assignment, left the work area prior to any work being done. On the previous day, the coworker had shown Employee #1 how to cut drums without incident, but he had used barrels that had previously contained hydraulic oil. On the day of the accident, Employee #1 chose a drum that had contained lacquer thinner. When he applied the flame of the torch to the top of the drum, it exploded, spraying Employee #1 with the remainder of its contents. The coworker and a contractor heard the explosion, and they brought fire extinguishers to put out the flames. An ambulance was immediately called, and Employee #1 was transported to a local hospital. He died from his injuries while waiting for transportation to a burn unit.

flammable liquid, acetylene torch, inexperience, explosion, lacquer thinner, burn, flammable vapors, work rules, drum, fire

Accident: 898577 - Killed In Fall From Scaffold After Explosion

At approximately 7:40 on February 13, 1997, Employee #1 was working from a 30 ft high tubular welded frame scaffold, preparing to weld a 20 in. diameter by 1/4 in. thick metal hatch cover into place. He was at the west end of a rotary railroad car dumper that was being installed at a landfill under construction. When the employee struck an arc to begin welding, there was an explosion that propelled him off the scaffold and into the air. As he fell, he struck the top of an adjacent 15 ft high concrete wall and then landed on the concrete floor. He sustained massive facial and head injuries and was killed. The previous day, a mixture of metal shot and concrete had been poured into each end of the dumper for ballast. The five hatch covers at the east end of the dumper had been welded in place as the concrete was poured. Four of the five hatch covers at the west end of the dumper had also been welded in place as the concrete was poured. The fifth one, near the top, had not been welded but had been set in place in preparation for welding the next morning. Apparently, some type of explosive gas had been generated and built up inside the enclosed space overnight, causing the explosion. The identity of the gas is not known at this time.

construction, tubular scaffold, struck against, welding, head, explosion, fall, acetylene torch, face, gas

Accident: 171054760 - Injured In Lab Explosion

At approximately 5:55 p.m. on December 11, 1996, Employee #1, a chemist with Kelatron, Inc., was using a Perkin-Elmer atomic absorption spectrometer, model 603, to run a boron assay in his company's quality control laboratory. During the course of this process, a glass waste bottle exploded. Employee #1 was struck by flying glass fragments, suffering minor cuts and burns to his lower legs. He also sustained facial cuts from an overhead light that fell as a result of the explosion, and a bruised eardrum and hearing loss from the explosion itself. Apparently, the drain tube trap was not properly filled with water, which allowed acetylene gas to flow and accumulate in the waste bottle. The source of ignition was most likely static.

explosion, static electricity, struck by, flying object, ear, acetylene, chemical vapor, laceration, hearing loss, inattention

Accident: 170378889 - Leg Crushed By Falling Truck Bed

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on October 23, 1996, Employee #1 was working underneath a heavy truck bed that was suspended from front and rear winch lines and supported by a welded-on bracket. He was using a gas torch to cut the welds on the bracket when the truck bed moved. The bracket overturned and the truck bed fell on Employee #1's leg. He sustained crushing injuries, along with burns from his gas torch. Employee #1 was hospitalized for treatment.

leg, crushed, falling object, cutting and burning, welder, truck, unsecured, work rules, burn, acetylene torch