Accident: 674853 - Employees Lacerated By Pieces Of Exploding Air Receiver

A shop-made pressure vessel (air receiver) was overpressurized and exploded. Due to the explosion, two pieces of metal were sent flying. Employee #1 was struck by a piece of metal on the forehead and sustained lacerations. Employee #2 was struck on the hand by another piece and sustained lacerations and broken fingers. The air receiver was being used in conjunction with a glue gun and had no pop-off valve or air gauge.

struck by, explosion, flying object, head, hand, high pressure, laceration, air receiver, safety relief valve, pressure vessel

Accident: 772491 - Killed When Head Struck By Flying End Plate

Plant employees had just completed bagging compost products and the bagging line was shut down to refill material dispensing bins. Employee #1, the office manager, came into the plant to collect time cards. While he and a coworker were standing inside a doorway conversing, a non-ASME code air receiver ruptured; its south end plate flew off in an upward trajectory. The plate struck Employee #1's head, nearly severing the skull and removing part of the brain. The plate continued on, striking and breaking a roof joist. The coworker was impacted by Employee #1's propelled body and knocked into the building wall; he was apparently uninjured although he later complained of a sore back and psychological problems.

head, severed, struck by, flying object, rupture, air receiver, brain, skull, ejected

Accident: 14400600 - Air Receiver Exploded, Killing Employee

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ASSIGNED THE TASK OF REPAIRING A 16 HORSEPOWER GASOLINE ENGINE, POWERING A WORTHINGTON AIR COMPRESSOR, AT A GAS WELL SITE. THE ENGINE WAS BACKFIRING EXCESSIVELY AND BLOWING APART AN INJECTOR GAS COUPLING. THE ENGINE AND COMPRESSOR WERE MOUNTED ON TOP OF A ROY E. HANSON JR. AIR RECEIVER, SER. #186730. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT, IT APPEARS THAT THE ENDS (WELDS) OF THE RECEIVER BLEW OUT. THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION DROVE EMPLOYEE #1 INTO A GAS COMPRESSOR, THEN UP AND BEHIND THE COMPRESSOR. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS PROBABLY KILLED INSTANTLY.

air receiver, explosion, high pressure, repair, gas well, compressed air

Accident: 14198238 - Air Receiver Ruptured; End Piece Struck And Killed Worker

EMPLOYEE #1 WENT TO A DIESEL TRUCK REPAIR SHOP ON A SATURDAY TO BORROW A PORTABLE AIR RECEIVER FOR HIS PERSONAL USE. WHILE IN THE SHOP HE STARTED TO FILL THE AIR RECEIVER WITH AIR FROM A LARGE COMPRESSOR/RECEIVER. HE WAS BENDING OVER, OR KNEELING ON THE FLOOR OVER, THE PORTABLE AIR RECEIVER, HOLDING AN AIR CHUCK ON THE VALVE STEM WHILE FILLING THE TANK. ONE END OF THE AIR RECEIVER RUPTURED. THE TANK END PIECE CAME OFF UNDER PRESSURE AND STRUCK THE EMPLOYEE IN THE NECK, SEVERING HIS SPINAL CORD. THE AIR RECEIVER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPRING LOADED RELIEF VALVE; NOR DID IT HAVE A DRAIN PIPE AND VALVE. APPROXIMATELY 140 PSI OF AIR WAS BEING CHARGED INTO THE TANK FROM A COMPRESSOR/RECEIVER OPERATING AT 190 PSI. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS KILLED INSTANTLY. THE EMPLOYER ALLOWED HIS EMPLOYEES TO DO PERSONAL WORK ON THEIR OWN TIME AT THE WORK SITE.

air receiver, high pressure, pressure release, rupture, struck by, flying object, neck, spine, valve