Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025
105,991Records 70,589Employers 85,836Hospitalizations 27,959Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-11-30

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #903716

INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSOC INC

Event
BURN, FIRE, EXPLOSION, REFINERY
NAICS
000000
Inspection type
Accident-driven
Activity number
#104005566
Employer profile
INDIANA FARM BUREAU CO-OP ASSOC INC
Summary number
903716
Report ID
551800

Event description

One employee killed, three burned in explosion and fire

Investigation abstract

At approximately 10:45 a.m. on May 24, 1989, a flashfire and explosion occurred at the Farm Bureau Refinery involving the #13, #12, and #10 holding tanks. Emplo yee #1, a laborer, was caught within the perimeter of the flashfire and died at the scene. Employee #2, the crew unit #1 operator, suffered critical internal an d external burns and was hospitalized at Humana Hospital Burn Unit, Louisville K Y. Employee #3, a maintenance worker, suffered burns to the head and upper torso , and was hospitalized at the Wishard Hospital Burn Unit, Indianapolis, IN. Empl oyee #4, a maintenance worker, suffered burns to both arms, and was treated and released to home care.

Victims (4)

  1. #1 Fatality Age 22 Male

    Nature of injury
    Burn(Chemical) (4)
    Part of body
    MULTIPLE (19)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
    Occupation
    Helpers, mechanics and repairers (864)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
    Task assigned
    Task regularly assigned (1)
  2. #2 Hospitalized Age 39 Male

    Nature of injury
    Burn(Chemical) (4)
    Part of body
    MULTIPLE (19)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
    Occupation
    Helpers, mechanics and repairers (864)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
    Task assigned
    Task regularly assigned (1)
  3. #3 Hospitalized Age 52 Male

    Nature of injury
    Burn(Chemical) (4)
    Part of body
    MULTIPLE (19)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
    Occupation
    Helpers, mechanics and repairers (864)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
    Task assigned
    Task regularly assigned (1)
  4. #4 Non-hospitalized injury Age 44 Male

    Nature of injury
    Burn(Chemical) (4)
    Part of body
    ARM-MULT (2)
    Accident type
    OTHER (14)
    Source of injury
    CHEM LIQUIDS/VAPORS (9)
    Occupation
    Helpers, mechanics and repairers (864)
    Human factor
    MISJUDGMENT, HAZ. SITUATION (1)
    Environmental factor
    FLAMMABLE LIQ/SOLID EXPOSURE (10)
    Task assigned
    Task regularly assigned (1)

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.