OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #708867

BURN,OXYGEN,CONFINED SPACE,FIRE,JACKHAMMER,SPARK

1985-08-19T20:00:00

Event: BURN,OXYGEN,CONFINED SPACE,FIRE,JACKHAMMER,SPARK
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 708867
Report ID: 854910

Event description

FIRE IN OXYGEN-ENRICHED CONFINED SPACE

Investigation abstract

AT APPROXIMATELY 8 PM ON AUGUST 19, 1985, AN EMPLOYEE OF BECKO, INC. WAS WORKING TAL, BUT DIED WITHIN 24 HOURS. AT THE BOTTOM OF A 26 FOOT DEEP PIPE. THE PIPE HAD AN INSIDE DIAMETER OF 35 1/4 INCHES. THE EMPLOYEE WAS USING A MCDONALD 90 POUND JACKHAMMER TO BREAK UP A LAR GE ROCK, WHICH WAS BLOCKING THE HOLE. THE EMPLOYEE WAS BEING SUPPLIED WITH PURE OXYGEN FROM A OXYGEN BOTTLE (PART OF A WELDING UNIT). THE 1/4 INCH OXYGEN LINE H AD BEEN DROPPED INTO THE PIPE TO A POINT JUST ABOVE THE EMPLOYEE'S HEAD. A SPARK FROM THE JACKHAMMER APPARENTLY STARTED A FIRE ON THE EMPLOYEE'S LEFT FOOT. THE FIRE SPREAD UP THE EMPLOYEE'S LEFT LEG AND ENGULFED HIS UPPER BODY. HE RECEIVED THIRD DEGREE BURNS OVER MORE THAN HALF HIS BODY. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPI

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 27 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
4

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
10

Task assigned
1

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