Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 172050.015 - Employee sustains burns while plasma cutting drum top, later

Accident Summary Nr: 172050.015 -- Report ID: 0523400 -- Event Date: 11/11/2024
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
1789436.015	11/21/2024		811198	Mayer Repair Llc

Abstract: At 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 2024, an employee working as a mechanic/welder for an automotive shop was using a a plasma cutter to cut the top off a 55-gallon metal drum. The employee was unaware the drum contained flammable liquids. The instant the plasma cutter touched the drum, the drum exploded upwards and came to rest in the adjacent stall. The explosion caused a localized fire due to the flammable liquid in the drum. The employee was sustained multiple contusions and burns to his abdomen, face, chest and arms in the explosion. The employee was flown to the emergency department of a medical center. At 6:52 p.m. on November 19, 2024, the employee died from his injuries.

Keywords: Abdomen, Arm, Automobile, Automotive Repair, Burn, Chemical Vapor, Chest, Contusion, Cutter, Cutting, Cutting And Burning, Drum, Engineering Controls, Exploded, Explosion, Face, Fire, Flammable Liquid, Flammable Vapors, Hot Work, Lack of Engineering Controls, Mechanic, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Plasma, Struck By, Torch cutting, Training, Vapor, Welder

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1789436.015	47	M	Fatality		Automobile mechanics

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.