OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #606178
MAINTENANCE,SINGLE PIECE RIM,WELDING,EXPLOSION,OVERHEATED,ARC WELDING,TIRE
Event description
SINGLE PIECE RIM WHEEL TIRE EXPLOSION
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 WAS EMPLOYED BY A HAULING-FOR-HIRE COMPANY. A TIRE WAS NEEDED FOR A EN ROLLED THE TIRE ABOUT 100 FEET OUTSIDE THE SHOP AND AROUND TO THE SIDE. HE US ED A WATER HOSE TO COOL THE RIM AND THEN CHECKED FOR LEAKS. HE REPLACED THE WATE R HOSE AND, AS HE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE TIRE, IT EXPLODED. THE FORCE OF THE EXP LOSION THREW HIS BODY TO THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING, APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET OFF THE GROUND. EMPLOYEE #1 SUFFERED MASSIVE HEAD AND CHEST INJURIES. CRACKED, BROKEN O R DAMAGED RIMS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM SERVICE. THE TIRE WAS OVER-INFLATED. PROPE R SAFETY PROCEDURES WERE NOT FOLLOWED. DUMP TRUCK. THE TWO AVAILABLE RIMS HAD CRACKS IN THEM. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS TOLD THAT NEW OR USED RIMS WOULD BE PURCHASED RIGHT AWAY. AS SOON AS HE WAS ALONE, HE DEC IDED TO REPAIR THE CRACKS IN THE TWO RIMS WITH AN ARC WELDER. HE MADE THE REPAIR S, THEN MOUNTED AND INFLATED THE TIRES TO 105 PSI. (THE TIRES ARE STAMPED 85 PSI .) THE FOREMAN RETURNED WITH USED RIMS HE HAD PURHASED. EMPLOYEE #1 MOUNTED TIRE S ON THESE RIMS, THEN CHECKED ON THE TWO TIRES HE HAD REPAIRED. ONE TIRE WAS DOW N TO 90 PSI. HE FOUND A SMALL LEAK IN THE WELD. HE ROLLED THE TIRE OVER TO THE A RC WELDER AND STRUCK THE AREA THREE TIMES VERY QUICKLY WITH THE ELECTRODE. HE TH
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 33 M
- Nature of injury
- 12
- Part of body
- 5
- Event type
- 2
- Source
- 43
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 5
- Task assigned
- 1
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