Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200921641 - Billet Explosion Kills Employee and Injures Another

Accident Summary Nr: 200921641 -- Report ID: 0355111 -- Event Date: 12/20/2004
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
308285063	12/20/2004	3312	331221	Chaparral Steel

Abstract: At approximately 5:40 p.m. on December 20, 2004, Employees #1 and #2, working for Chaparral Steel in Dinwiddie, VA, were cutting a mild steel I-beam billet with a large acetylene torch when the billet exploded. Employee #1 was struck in the head and ribs; Employee #2 was struck in the jaw. Employee #1 was killed while Employee #2 was hospitalized due to a broken jaw. At the time of the incident, both Employees were receiving training by a coworker, who was not injured. The billet exploded due to the high temperature gradient induced.

Keywords: HEAD, STEEL, TORCH, EXPLOSION, RIB, STRUCK BY, FACE, CUTTING AND BURNING

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	308285063			Fatality	Concussion	Molding and casting machine operators
2	308285063			Hospitalized injury	Concussion	Molding and casting machine operators

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