OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #822718
BURN,LEAK,WORK RULES,GAS,RUPTURE,EXPLOSION,ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE,BACKHOE
Event description
Employees burned when ruptured gas line explodes
Investigation abstract
A private single family dwelling was being remodeled and extended, which include y 1:00 p.m., he started digging with his backhoe and struck the gas line, ruptur ing it. The line extended to the center of the front door. Since the gas company had been at the site a month before to fix a leak the superindent knew where th e street shut-off valve was. He assigned two men to carefully clear the dirt awa y from the leak to ensure that the gas would vent. After about five minutes, he attempted to shut off the gas and the house blew up and burned. Employee #1 sust ained first- and second-degree burns over 18 percent of his body and Employee #2 suffered first-degree burns over 45 percent of his body. Both were hospitalized . d removing a concrete slab front stoop and replacing it with a two-story vestibu le. The contractor performing the work was a very small company accustomed to bu ilding single homes. The vice president of the company was working as the site s uperintendent and backhoe operator. Believing the gas main to be on one side of the stoop and the septic line on the other, he directed two men to hand dig in b oth areas, but they found nothing. After the stoop had been removed to about 3 f t down and 3 ft along the wall at both ends, the superintendent believed the pip es to be beyond these limits and released the diggers for lunch. At approximatel
Victims (2)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 35 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 567
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 20 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 16
- Occupation code
- 567
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 7
- Task assigned
- 1
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