OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #816777
R.N. RUSSELL WELDING
WATERBURY, CT·
Event description
Employee killed in tank explosion
Investigation abstract
Employee #1 was hired to cut up underground tanks and dispose of the pieces. A l eaded gasoline tank was taken to the cutting area. The tank was flooded with nit rogen and then sampled at the exit ports. The tank was then steamed and flooded again with nitrogen. The employee again checked the tank at the ports only and s aid it was okay. He put the steam hose in and started to cut. When the torch pun ctured the tank, it blew. The tank pinned Employee #1 between the welding truck and the tank, crushing and killing him.
Victims (2)
-
#1 Fatality Age 33 Male
- Nature of injury
- Other (21)
- Part of body
- MULTIPLE (19)
- Accident type
- CAUGHT IN OR BETWEEN (2)
- Source of injury
- CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
- Occupation
- Occupation not reported (999)
- Human factor
- MATER-HANDLG PROCED. INAPPROPR (11)
- Environmental factor
- OTHER (18)
- Hazardous substance
- 1340
- Task assigned
- Task not regularly assigned (2)
-
#981
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.