Accident: 171054760 - Injured In Lab Explosion

At approximately 5:55 p.m. on December 11, 1996, Employee #1, a chemist, 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: 937060 - One Killed, One Injured By Tire Rim

Employee #1 was attempting to set the bead of a truck tire onto a single piece rim. First he sprayed instant starting fluid into the tire, lit the ether with a welding torch, and tried to set the bead onto the rim by creating an explosion. When this failed, he used Murphy's tire soap to set the tire on the rim, and this seemed to work. When Employee #1 checked for leaks he thought there was a crack in the rim and he welded a small section of it while the tire was inflated to approximately 110 psi. This did not solve the problem, so he placed the air-chuck on the rim's valve stem to release the air. According to a witness, there was a loud boom within seconds of this action. Employee #1 was struck by the rim and died of head injuries. Employee #2 was thrown against a wall and sustained some hearing loss.

struck by, construction, single piece rim, flying object, explosion, restraining device, work rules, hearing loss, tire rim

Accident: 170402267 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Test Equipment

Two employees were troubleshooting electric equipment. They were using test equipment that was not rated for the circuit voltage, and the equipment failed. The ensuing electric arc burned one employee. The other employee experienced hearing loss from the concussive force of the electric arc.

electrical, burn, electrician, electrical work, lockout, electric arc, electrical fault, test equipment, hearing loss, e gi v

Accident: 300805165 - Injured In Same-Level Fall While Cleaning Floor

At approximately 7:00 p.m. on August 10, 1996, Employee #1, age 18, was cleaning up the floor of the restroom where a toilet had overflowed. While doing so, he slipped and fell onto the floor. Employee #1 sustained a fractured skull, hearing loss, and possible vision loss. The employer was issued citations for failure to notify the division, failure to have an IIPP available during the time of the investigation, and failure to maintain floors in good condition and free of water.

cleaning, slip, fall, fracture, skull, hearing loss, eye, housekeeping, work rules, work surface

Accident: 170826622 - Employees Temporarily Lose Hearing Following Explosion

Employees #1 and #2 were using an oxyacetylene torch to cut exhaust pipes from a vehicle elevated on a lift. A explosion occurred, and they both suffered temporary loss of hearing.

hearing loss, flammable vapors, acetylene torch, vapor, explosion, ear, cutting and burning, vehicle, motor vehicle, automotive repair

Accident: 846337 - Suffers Heart Attack While Wearing Respirator

Employee #1 had finished working on an 11,000 gallon diesel fuel storage tank. He was wearing a North full face negative-pressure respirator with organic cartridges. Upon leaving the tank, he stated that he was having difficulty breathing through the respirator. Employee #1 had been out of the tank about three or four minutes when he suffered an apparent heart attack and died. Employee #1 has a history of heart problems, including previous heart attacks and angioplasty. He had taken a nitroglycerin tablet earlier. His last physical exam had been administered in January of the same year (1996). Monitoring was conducted during entry. Oxygen levels were 21.5; combustibles levels were 0; toxic levels were 0; and lel levels were l-0.

hearing loss, respirator, heart attack, tank, cardiovasc disease

Accident: 170157499 - Injured In Fall Through Stairs

Employee #1 had just finished placing stair pans while a coworker was tack welding them above him. Employee #1 stepped on the lip of a pan and, because it had not yet been tack welded, it tipped. He fell 12 to 13 ft through the stair pans to the cement floor. He suffered severe injuries including two broken spinal bones, a concussion, loss of hearing in his left ear, and a damaged hip bone. Employee #1 was hospitalized.

construction, stair, unsecured, work rules, fall, fracture, spine, concussion, hip, hearing loss

Accident: 170739395 - Injured As Cylinder Explodes

At 12:05 p.m. on April 28, 1995, Employee #1 was closing the driver's side door of a pickup truck when a carbon dioxide cylinder exploded in the bed, exposing him to possible ear drum injury. Employee #1 was transported to the Gold Coast Medical Group, where he was treated and released. There were no witnesses. No accident-related safety violations were cited.

agriculture, cylinder, ear, ppe, carbon dioxide, explosion, hearing loss, work rules

Accident: 170053177 - One Killed, Six Injured In Chemical Explosion

Employees #1 through #7, of three different contractors, were doing remodeling work in a press bay at TRW. An employee was grinding on a metal duct that was contaminated with sodium azide, causing an explosion. Employee #1 was killed; Employees #2 and #3 were hospitalized with chemical burns and head wounds; and Employees #4 through #7 sustained injuries such as hearing loss, lacerations, and sprains.

explosion, laceration, construction, chemical, sprain, chemical burn, hearing loss, head