Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200631315 - Employee Is Killed While Replacing Heat Pump

Accident Summary Nr: 200631315 -- Report ID: 0316400 -- Event Date: 01/04/2006
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
307073916	01/07/2006	1711	238220	Air Power Heating Air Conditioning & Sheet Metal

Abstract: On January 4, 2006, Employee #1 was replacing a residential heat pump unit. Electric power to the unit had been turned off at the residence's service panelboard. Before leaving the site, a coworker observed Employee #1 testing the electric circuit with a meter. Employee #1 was later found slumped against the side of the unit, unresponsive, with a burning acetylene torch in his hand, and the clothing on his right side on fire. After the fire was dowsed, Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner's report attributed the death to a heat pump explosion, Freon exposure and thermal burn injuries. Evidence at the site indicated the electric conductors to the unit had been disconnected and pulled from the unit. The contents of the Freon system had been pumped to a Freon recovery cylinder and the Freon lines had been separated. Employee #1 had apparently been using the torch to melt ice that had formed around the unit.

Keywords: BURN, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, ACETYLENE TORCH, ACETYLENE, FIRE, FREON, LOCKOUT, TORCH, PUMP

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Single family or duplex dwelling		Maintenance or repair		Under $50,000	1	3	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	307073916			Fatality	Poisoning(Systemic)	Heating, air conditioning, and refrig. mechanics	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing equipment (HVAC and other) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor

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