UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: TWO EMPLOYEES WERE WELDING A PIPE IN PLACE ON A WASTE TANK BY INSTALLING A KNEE BRACE. THE TANK WAS USED TO HOLD WASTE STEEP WATER. FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT ABOUT 20,000 GALLONS OF WASTE WATER FROM A DISTILLED SPIRITS PLANT (DSP) HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE TANK. ON THE TUESDAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE OPERATOR HAD QUIT PUMPING WASTE WATER INTO THE TANK BECAUSE THE TANK WAS FOAMING OVER THE EDGE. THE OPERATOR CHECKED THE LEVEL THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND SAID THAT IT HAD GONE DOWN. THE OPERATOR THEN PUMPED WASTE WATER OUT OF THE TANK (FOR REPROCESSING). ABOUT TEN MINUTES AFTER HE SHUT THE PUMP OFF, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION. EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2, WHO WERE WELDING THE KNEE BRACE AT THE TIME, WERE THROWN FROM THE TANK TOP TO THE GROUND BETWEEN TANKS. THE DISTANCE OF THE FALL WAS ABOUT 25 FEET. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WEARING A SAFETY BELT AND LANYARD. HE WAS TIED OFF TO A PIPE RUNNING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE TANK. THE LANYARD WAS BROKEN, POSSIBLY BY THE TANK LID WHEN IT WAS BLOWN OFF. EMPLOYEE #2 WAS THROWN TOWARD A BOOM CRANE, WHICH HE APPARENTLY TRIED TO GRAB. HE THEN FELL AGAINST A METAL BRACE BETWEEN THE TANKS, HELPING TO BREAK HIS FALL.