OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14350136
MERICHEM COMPANY, INC.
HOLT, AL·
Event description
EXPLOSION - UNAPPROVED EQUIPMENT
Investigation abstract
TWO MAINTENANCE WORKERS WERE USING AN ELECTRIC GRINDER WITH A 9-INCH ABRASIVE WH EEL TO REMOVE RUSTY BOLTS FROM A 6-INCH VENT PIPE FLANGE. THE VENT WAS ON THE TO P OF A 35-FOOT-HIGH SULFURIC ACID TANK AND WAS RUSTED THROUGH IN THE AREA AROUND THE FLANGE. THE EMPLOYEES WERE TO REPLACE THE OLD CARBON STEEL VENT PIPE WITH A POLYVINYL CHLORIDE PIPE. THE TWO EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN GRINDING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUT ES WHEN A PUFF OF MIST AROSE FROM THE VENT PIPE. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, AN EXPLOSIO N OCCURRED, AND THE EMPLOYEES WERE THROWN OFF THE TANK. THEY DIED OF THE INJURIE S THEY RECEIVED IN FALLING.
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 33 M
- Nature of injury
- 6
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 6
- Source
- 42
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 5
- Hazardous substance
- 8880
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#2 Fatality Age 32 M
- Nature of injury
- 6
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 6
- Source
- 42
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 5
- Hazardous substance
- 8880
- Task assigned
- 2
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.