Abstract: At approximately 12:30 p.m. on April 17, 2000, Employee #1 was assigned to cut an empty 55-gallon drum to make it a barrel. This was done by cutting a hole on the side of the empty drum to hold a steamer wand of a steam rack. Employee #1 had done this type of work on the average of 3-to-4 times per month. On this particular day, Employee #1 started with an empty 55-gallon drum used to hold detergent soap. Employee #1 found that the inside of the first drum was rusted and grabbed another empty container and started cutting a hole on the side using an oxygen-acetylene torch. The drum suddenly exploded. Employee #1 was struck by the container parts and sustained a broken right leg and lacerations on his left leg, and left arm. Employee #1 was hospitalized.