Abstract: On June 21, 2004, an employee working as loading dock worker noticed a bulk head at the back of a semi trailer load of expandable polystyrene beads that were not present in the previous loads. The employee approached the load to examine the bulk head. The employee approached the trailer while smoking a cigarette; the cigarette ignited the pentane gasses that were off gassing from the load. The employee was blown away from the load into a parked forklift mast. The employee sustained multiple fractures of the lower leg and burns on his face and neck. The employees hospitalized do to his injuries.