OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #978536
CASA GRANDE BLOCK CO
CASA GRANDE, AZ·
Event description
NATURAL GAS EXPLODED IN A KILN, KILLING EMPLOYEE
Investigation abstract
THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE CASA GRAND BLOCK COMPANY, A MANUFACTURER OF CONCRE T THE REAR OF THE KILN, CHECKING THE BURNER OR WATER LEVEL. AN EXPLOSION OCCURRE D WHICH BLEW THE WALLS OUT AND CAUSED THE ROOF TO CAVE IN. THE REAR WALL STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1, AND PORTIONS OF IT LANDED ON HIM. HE SUFFERED SEVERE HEAD AND INTER NAL INJURIES AND DIED AT 9 PM THE SAME DAY. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. WITHOUT ANY APPARENT GAS LEAKS, IT IS BELIEVED THE EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY BURNER OP ERATION, WHICH ALLOWED A BUILD UP OF EXPLOSIVE GASES INSIDE THE KILN. CARBON BUI LD-UP INSIDE THE KILN AND BLOWER INDICATES POOR CONBUSTION AND POSSIBLE CARBON M ONOXIDE BUILDUP. TE BLOCKS. THE BLOCKS ARE CURED IN A STEAM KILM, HEATED BY NATURAL GAS. THE SOUT HWEST GAS COMPANY NOTICED A LARGE INCREASE IN GAS COMSUMPTION AND SENT A FIELD T ECHNICIAN TO CHECK FOR LEAKS. ON OCTOBER 27, 1986, THE TECHNICIAN COMPLETED A LI NE PRESSURE DROP TEST AND LEAK DETECTOR TEST, WHICH INCLUDED A GROUND PROBE AND A FITTING SOAP TEST UP TO THE KILN BURNER. NO LEAKS WERE FOUND. THE BURNER IS A PEABODY GORDON-PIATT GAS/OIL BURNER, MODEL R6-GO-03. STEAM IS CREATED IN A NON-P RESSURIZED TANK INSIDE THE KILM. THE BURNER AND CONTROLS ARE LOCATED ON THE OUTS IDE WALL AT THE REAR OF THE KILN. AROUND 4 PM ON OCTOBER 27TH, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS A
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 52 M
- Nature of injury
- 12
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 8
- Occupation code
- 766
- Human factor
- 12
- Environmental factor
- 5
- Task assigned
- 1
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