Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025
105,991Records 70,589Employers 85,836Hospitalizations 27,959Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-11-30

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14331888

INDUSTRIAL WATER SERVICE

Event
FIRE, STORAGE TANK, WELDING, FIXED LADDER, PETROLEUM NAPHTHA, EXPLOSION, LACERATION, FALL, TANK, WATER
NAICS
000000
Inspection type
Accident-driven
Activity number
#18320721
Employer profile
INDUSTRIAL WATER SERVICE
Summary number
14331888
Report ID
419700

Event description

ONE EMPLOYEE KILLED, TWO INJURED IN EXPLOSION

Investigation abstract

On May 19, 1989, Employees #1, #2, #3, and another worker were installing a fix ft, sustaining fatal injuries. Employee #2 was blown from the tank horizontally, approximately 15 ft and downward, approximately 30 ft, sustaining critical inju ries. Employee #3 was blown upward approximately 10 ft and fell back onto the to p of the tank sustaining numerous cuts and bruises. He was rescued with the use of a portable extension ladder. ed ladder to the south side of a 500,000 gallon storage tank used for storing in dustrial waste water contaminated with petroleum products. Employees #2 and #3 w ere located on the top of the tank to assist in raising the ladder. Employee #1 and another worker remained on the ground to weld the lower supports for the lad der. After welding the lower supports in place, Employee #1 went to the top of t he tank to weld the top support brackets. Employee #1 had completed the left bra cket and had just started the right bracket when a fire and an explosion occurre d. Employee #1 was blown from the top side of the tank and fell approximately 30

Victims (3)

  1. #1 Fatality Age 33 Male

    Nature of injury
    Other (21)
    Part of body
    MULTIPLE (19)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    OTHER (43)
    Occupation
    Occupation not reported (999)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    OTHER (18)
    Task assigned
    Task not regularly assigned (2)
  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 35 Male

    Nature of injury
    Other (21)
    Part of body
    MULTIPLE (19)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    OTHER (43)
    Occupation
    Occupation not reported (999)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    OTHER (18)
    Task assigned
    Task not regularly assigned (2)
  3. #3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 Male

    Nature of injury
    Cut/Laceration (7)
    Part of body
    LOWER ARM (17)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    OTHER (43)
    Occupation
    Occupation not reported (999)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    OTHER (18)
    Task assigned
    Task not regularly assigned (2)

Labels are OSHA's own, from the code dictionary published with the accident-investigation file. The raw code is shown beside each one so this page can be reconciled against OSHA's bulk data. OSHA notes that nature of injury, part of body, source of injury and accident type in this file are not coded to the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, and that the occupation titles are not standardised — so these values are not directly comparable with the OIICS-coded severe injury reports.