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 #14521595

BURN,E GI V,ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,FIRE,TOLUENE,SPILL,ELECTRIC DRILL,EQUIPMENT APPROVAL

Event
BURN,E GI V,ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,FLAMMABLE VAPORS,FIRE,TOLUENE,SPILL,ELECTRIC DRILL,EQUIPMENT APPROVAL
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14521595
Report ID
524500

Event description

Burn - Electric Drill Ignited Flammable Vapors

Investigation abstract

Two tile setter were laying a seamless floor in a women's restroom. They had use wall receptacle or the drill housing. d an electric drill with a paddle bit to mix epoxy. They leaned the drill agains t a wall with the paddle resting in an open container of toluene. The attachment plug for the drill was connected to a wall-mounted receptacle outlet that was m issing its cover. The bucket and drill fell over, spilling toluene over the floo r and toward the only exit. The toluene vapors ignited and set the room on fire. The fire blocked the exit, and the two workers had to exit through the flames. Both employees suffered second- and third-degree burns, but survived. It was bel ieved that the ignition of the vapors was from toluene entering the unprotected

Victims (2)

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 56 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    2
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    10
    Hazardous substance
    2460
    Task assigned
    1
  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 55 M

    Nature of injury
    5
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    2
    Source
    16
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    11
    Environmental factor
    10
    Hazardous substance
    2460
    Task assigned
    1

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.