OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #707216
BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION
SPARROWS POINT, MD·
Event description
One employee killed, three injured in drum explosion/fire
Investigation abstract
Employees #1 and #3 were attempting to fill a 3 gal bucket from a closed 55 gal extinguishing the fire on Employee #1. He sustained third-degree burns to 98 pe rcent of his body and died at the F.S. Key Burn Center at 12:50 p.m. on January 12, 1988. Employee #2 sustained third-degree burns to both arms and hands. Emplo yees #3 and #4 sustained first-degree burns to their hands. The employer has a w ritten work rule and a haz-tox program for use of open flame on rust prevention material, in addition to a warning label on the top of the 55 gal drum. drum containing Rust-Veto, a rust prevention material. The drum was placed horiz ontally on a rack and a valve spout was pulled in the top. The rust prevention m aterial was very thick and would not pour out of the spout. An oxyacetylene torc h was placed under the center of the drum approximately 4 in. from its surface. After three minutes, the rust prevention material began pouring into a bucket th at had been hung on the valve spout. After five minutes, the material in the buc ket ignited and the top blew off the drum. Employee #1 tried to move back but he was ignited by the burning material. Employees #2 through #4 were injured while
Victims (4)
-
#1 Fatality Age 54 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2270
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 52 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 2
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2270
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Non-hospitalized injury Age 59 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 12
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2270
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 55 M
- Nature of injury
- 4
- Part of body
- 12
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 518
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 10
- Hazardous substance
- 2270
- Task assigned
- 1
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