OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14521355
IL. POWER CO.
CHAMPAIGN, IL·
Event description
GAS MAIN FITTING BLEW OFF, KILLING NEARBY EMPLOYEE
Investigation abstract
THREE EMPLOYEES WERE INSTALLING A FITTING TO CONNECT A NEW SECTION TO THE MAIN G ING HOSPITALIZATION. AS LINE NEAR A PROPANE PLANT. THEY COMPLETED THE CONNECTION AND BEGAN SOAPING OU T THE FITTING, CHECKING FOR LEAKS. ONE MAN WAS IN THE EXCAVATION DOING THE SOAPI NG WHILE THE OTHER TWO WERE STANDING AT THE EDGE OF THE EXCAVATION WATCHING AND MAINTAINING RADIO CONTACT WITH A CREW AT THE PROPANE PLANT. THE PLANT WAS LOCATE D ABOUT 300 FEET AWAY. THE LINE WAS CHECKED AT 100 PSI AND NO LEAKS DETECTED. TH E LINE WAS CHECKED AGAIN AT 300 PSI. AT THAT POINT THE FITTING BLEW OFF THE OLD SECTION OF PIPE. THE FORCE OF THE ESCAPING GAS KILLED EMPLOYEE #1, WHILE THE 2 E MPLOYEES STANDING AT THE EXCAVATION EDGE RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES NOT REQUIR
Victims (3)
-
#1 Fatality Age 35 Male
- Nature of injury
- Other (21)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- AIR PRESSURE (2)
- Occupation
- Occupation not reported (999)
- Human factor
- EQUIP. INAPPROPR FOR OPERATION (6)
- Environmental factor
- OVERPRESSURE/UNDERPRESSURE (15)
- Hazardous substance
- 8420
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 51 Male
- Nature of injury
- Bruise/Contus/Abras (3)
- Part of body
- FACE (9)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- DUST/PARTICLES/CHIPS (14)
- Occupation
- Occupation not reported (999)
- Human factor
- EQUIP. INAPPROPR FOR OPERATION (6)
- Environmental factor
- FLYING OBJECT ACTION (5)
- Hazardous substance
- 8420
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 41 Male
- Nature of injury
- Other (21)
- Part of body
- NERVE SYST (29)
- Accident type
- SHOCK (13)
- Source of injury
- OTHER (43)
- Occupation
- Occupation not reported (999)
- Human factor
- EQUIP. INAPPROPR FOR OPERATION (6)
- Environmental factor
- OTHER (18)
- Hazardous substance
- 8420
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
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.