105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14520738

BURN,ALCOHOL,FLAMMABLE LIQUID,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,WORK RULES,FIRE,EXPLOSION,ARM,FACE,HIGH TEMPERATURE

Event
BURN,ALCOHOL,FLAMMABLE LIQUID,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,WORK RULES,FIRE,EXPLOSION,ARM,FACE,HIGH TEMPERATURE
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14520738
Report ID
524530

Event description

Five employees burned when alcohol vapors explode

Investigation abstract

Raw vanilla extract containing 35 percent alcohol boiled out of a steam kettle a s it was being heated during the purification process. As the material boiled ov er, vapors from the alcohol filled the work area. A spark or flame from a gas he ater ignited the vapors, resulting in a fireball explosion. Employees #1 through #5 suffered first-, second-, and third-degree burns to their lower arms and fac es. The work area contained approximately 90 gallons of ethyl alcohol and was no t constructed for the location and storage of hazardous materials. The purificat ion process did not require the extract to boil.

Victims (5)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 53 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    17
    Event type
    14
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Hazardous substance
    1060
    Task assigned
    2

  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 52 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    17
    Event type
    14
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    8
    Hazardous substance
    1060
    Task assigned
    2

  3. #3 Hospitalized Age 47 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    17
    Event type
    14
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Hazardous substance
    1060
    Task assigned
    2

  4. #4 Hospitalized Age 27 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    17
    Event type
    14
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Hazardous substance
    1060
    Task assigned
    2

  5. #5 Hospitalized Age 27 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    17
    Event type
    14
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    18
    Hazardous substance
    1060
    Task assigned
    2

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