Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025
105,991Records 70,589Employers 85,836Hospitalizations 27,959Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-11-30

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14546410

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER CO., INC.

Event
OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, ASPHYXIATED, REPAIR, CONFINED SPACE, WORK RULES, HELICOPTER
NAICS
000000
Inspection type
Accident-driven
Activity number
#101228153
Employer profile
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS HELICOPTER CO., INC.
Summary number
14546410
Report ID
418600

Event description

Employee dies of asphyxia in helicopter fuel cell

Investigation abstract

Between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. on May 12,1989, Employee #1 went to replace a valve i n a helicopter's fuel cell. The fuel had been taken out of the cell on May 9, 19 89. The employee climbed down into the fuel opening through a 10 inch by 16 inch opening in the top of the cell. Employee #1's body was found on May 13, 1989. I t was determined that he had died of asphyxia.

Victim

  1. #1 Fatality Age 29 Male

    Nature of injury
    Asphyxia (2)
    Part of body
    LUNG (28)
    Accident type
    INHALATION (8)
    Source of injury
    PETROLEUM PRODUCTS (35)
    Occupation
    Occupation not reported (999)
    Human factor
    INSUFF/LACK/RESPIRATORY PROCTECT (19)
    Environmental factor
    GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
    Hazardous substance
    1380
    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.