OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14495089

BURN,DIESEL FUEL TANK,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,WORK RULES,FIRE,INHALATION,WELDING,EXPLOSION

1988-01-13T09:45:00

Event: BURN,DIESEL FUEL TANK,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,WORK RULES,FIRE,INHALATION,WELDING,EXPLOSION
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14495089
Report ID: 627700

Event description

1 EMPLOYEE KILLED, 3 INJURED WHEN DIESEL TANK EXPLODED

Investigation abstract

AT 8:40 AM ON JANUARY 13, 1988, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS SEEN WELDING FOUR (4) STEEL BRAC T DAY. KETS ONTO THE BOTTOM OF A 300 GALLON STEEL BAFFLED TANK. THE TANK HAD PREVIOUSLY CONTAINED DIESEL FUEL. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE EMPTY, BUT NO ONE AT THE FACILITY, INCLUDING THE SUPERVISOR, HAD CHECKED TO ASSURE THAT IT WAS EMPTY, OR THAT IT H AD BEEN CLEANED SUFFICIENTLY TO BE WELDED ON. AT 9:45 AM, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS PREPAR ING TO INSTALL A METAL ANGLE ON THE TRAILER CARRYING THE TANK. THE TANK SUDDENLY EXPLODED SETTING EMPLOYEE #1 AND THE BUILDING ON FIRE. EMPLOYEES #2, #3 AND #4 SUFFERED FROM SMOKE INHALATION WHILE THEY WERE RESCUING EMPLOYEE #1. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR BURNS TO 100% OF HIS BODY. HE DIED IN THE HOSPITAL THE NEX

Victims (4)

#1 Fatality Age 38 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
8880

Task assigned
1
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 31 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
8880

Task assigned
1
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
8880

Task assigned
1
#4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 29 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
8880

Task assigned
1

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