OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #707851
STEAM LINE,SAFETY RELIEF VALVE,BROKEN GLASS,INADEQUATE MAINT,PRESSURE VESSEL,WORK RULES,RUPTURE,STEAM,HIGH PRESSURE,HIGH TEMPERATURE
Event description
One employee killed, one injured when sight glass ruptures
Investigation abstract
On April 9, 1986, Employees #1 and #2 were tightening a manhole cover plate on a annotated code of Maryland, section 32 (a) (general duty clause) was cited. 1,000 gallon capacity steam jacketed pressure vessel. The vessel was in service , agitating and heating a wax emulsion product by a pressure emulsion process wh en a 4 in. diameter, 3/4 in. thick sight glass ruptured. It threw out an explosi on-proof light that was mounted over the sight glass and broke a 1 in. diameter steam line. Employee #1 was killed and Employee #2 was burned by steam and the h ot wax emulsion product. The pressure relief valve on the 75 psi vessel was rate d at 150 psi and was not operational. No maintenance or vessel inspection docume ntation could be located. An apparent violation of State of Maryland article 89,
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 25 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 6
- Occupation code
- 756
- Human factor
- 19
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Non-hospitalized injury Age 31 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 9
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 6
- Occupation code
- 779
- Human factor
- 19
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
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