OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14560486
L. RUSSO CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
FITCHBURG, MA·
Event description
Employee killed in 55 gallon drum explosion
Investigation abstract
On March 2, 1989, Employee #1 was using an oxygen/acetylene set-up to cut the li d off a 55 gallon drum to render the drum ready for scrap. Apparently, Employee #1 did not remove plugs to vent the drum or ascertain the drum's previous conten ts. The drum vapors exploded, causing extensive burns and blunt head trauma to E mployee #1. He was killed.
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 35 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn/Scald(Heat) (5)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- STRUCK BY (1)
- Source of injury
- FIRE/SMOKE (16)
- Occupation
- Occupation not reported (999)
- Human factor
- MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
- Environmental factor
- GAS/VAPOR/MIST/FUME/SMOKE/DUST (7)
- Task assigned
- Task not regularly assigned (2)
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.