OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #674150
RITEWAY MACHINERY & SPECIALTY CO. INC.
BARNWELL, SC·
Event description
ONE EMPLOYEE DIED, OTHER INJURED IN EXPLOSION
Investigation abstract
On May 16, 1989, Employee #1 was inside a tank spray painting with the epoxy pai ad burns of approximately 40 percent on his body. Employee #2 had a broken wrist and burns on 12 percent of his body. Employee #1 and Employee #2 were treated a t the Burn Center. Employee #1 died five days after the explosion. There was no confined space entry program and unapproved light was used in flammable atmosphe re. nt. Employee #2 was seated at the tank manhole to act as "spotter" for Employee #1. An unapproved 500 watt floodlight was propped on an aluminum ladder at the m anhole to provide interior lighting. Employee #1 was wearing a supplied air resp irator and Employee #2 a half mask respirator. The mixing tank measured 67.125 i n. height by 74.5 in. width with a 22-in. manhole. The tank contained an agitato r assembly. Employee #1 was retouching some area of the interior when paint vapo rs made contact with the floodlight. There was an explosion and Employee #2 was blown off of the tank onto the ground. Employee #1 climbed out of the tank and h
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 41 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn/Scald(Heat) (5)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- CAUGHT IN OR BETWEEN (2)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Hand painting, coating and decorating occupations (789)
- Human factor
- EQUIP. INAPPROPR FOR OPERATION (6)
- Environmental factor
- FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
- Hazardous substance
- 2584
- Task assigned
- Task regularly assigned (1)
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 32 Male
- Nature of injury
- Burn/Scald(Heat) (5)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- FALL(SAME LEVEL) (4)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Hand painting, coating and decorating occupations (789)
- Human factor
- EQUIP. INAPPROPR FOR OPERATION (6)
- Environmental factor
- FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
- Hazardous substance
- 2584
- 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.