Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 14513113 - SUFFOCATION IN CONCRETE POWDER BIN
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
1320175 | 07/25/1984 | 3273 | 0 | Valley Ready Mix Concrete Company |
Abstract: ON JULY 24, 1984, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 PM, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS BURIED IN CEMENT POWDER WHILE CLEANING OUT A CEMENT BIN. IT WAS NOT A NORMAL OPERATION TO CLEAN OUT THE CEMENT BIN. IT WAS BEING CLEANED BECAUSE OF A RECENTLY DISCOVERED WATER LEAK. AFTER THE LEAK WAS REPAIRED ALL OF THE CEMENT POWDER WAS BEING EMPTIED FROM THE BIN. EMPLOYEE #1 WENT INTO THE BIN SEVERAL TIMES TO BREAK UP CHUNKS OF CEMENT, HELPING THE POWDER FLOW OUT OF THE LOWER CHUTE GATE. WHENEVER HE ENTERED THE BIN EMPLOYEE #1 WORE A SAFETY BELT WITH AN ATTACHED ROPE, HELD IN CONSTANT TENSION BY AN OBSERVER AT THE TOP. THE INSIDE OF THE TANK HAD SEVERAL FLANGES WHICH ENABLED SOME OF THE CEMENT POWDER TO STICK TO THE INNER WALLS. SINCE THE BELT WAS UNDER CONSTANT TENSION, IT WAS SPECULATED THAT THE CEMENT LEFT ON THE FLANGES AND THE WALLS ABOVE AND ADJACENT TO THE EMPLOYEE CAVED IN AND COMPLETELY SUBMERGED HIM. IT TOOK RESCUERS NEARLY TWO HOURS TO FREE HIS BODY FROM THE BIN, AS THE POWDER KEPT COLLAPSING AROUND HIM.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
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1 | 1320175 | Fatality | Asphyxia | Occupation not reported |