Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201157922 - Plumber struck in face by bursting plug

Accident Summary Nr: 201157922 -- Report ID: 0950633 -- Event Date: 12/29/2003
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
300864451	01/12/2004	1711	238220	Walters Plumbing Inc

Abstract: At approximately 8:00 a.m. on December 29, 2003, Employee #1, a plumber for Walters Pluming Inc., Temecula, CA, was leak testing one of five residential homes under construction in French Valley, CA. While inflating a rubber plug, 26.12 in. long and 5.5 in. outer diameter, with compressed carbon dioxide to plug the waste system for the leak test, the employee looked down into the clean-out hole to check the seal. The test plug unexpectedly burst and shot-up and out of the clean-out hole and hit Employee #1 in the left eye and face resulting in an avulsion of the left eye and a facial bone fracture. The employee was hospitalized for surgery.

Keywords: EYE, FRACTURE, CONSTRUCTION, TEST EQUIPMENT, PIPELINE, PIPE, PLUMBING, SEAL, FACE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Single family or duplex dwelling		New project or new addition		$250,000 to $500,000	1

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	300864451			Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Plumber, pipefitter and steamfiter apprentices	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Interior plumbing, ducting, electrical work Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile

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.